Army Corps Issues New Guidance for FUDS Program

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@cpeo.org>]

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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers News Release
Contact: Can dace Walters 202-528-4285
Candace.S.Walters@usace.army.nil

Corps Now Using New Engineer Regulation for FUDS Program

Washington, DC, June 16, 2004 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is now 
using a new Engineer Regulation to manage the Formerly Used Defense Sites 
(FUDS) Program.

Engineer Regulation 200-3-1 on FUDS Program Policy replaces guidance, 
formerly called the FUDS Manual.

The new ER incorporates many changes and recommendations from the 
Department of Defense's Management Guidance for the Defense Environmental 
Response Program, EPA and the Association of States and Territorial Solid 
Waste Management Officials.

"This is a definite step forward in ensuring the FUDS Program is aligned 
with other Department of Defense cleanup programs and coordination with EPA 
and the states is increased," said Ray Fatz, Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
the Army (Environment, Safety and Occupational Health).

"The need to revise the olds FUDS Manual was one of the initiatives 
identified by the FUDS Forum that includes representatives from EPA and the 
states," he said.  "It will enhance our coordination and consultation with 
all our stakeholders and regulators.

"I'm very pleased the new ER is in place," Fatz said.

It took more than two years for the Corps to write the new ER.

"We had a workgroup, under the leadership of Julian Chu, a FUDS policy and 
planning expert, that wrote the ER and then resolved comments. We had more 
than 3,000 comments to resolve," said Robert Lubbert, Corps national 
program manager for the FUDS Program.

"The key thing is that the FUDS Program is now executed in accordance with 
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 
the National Contingency Plan, and the DERP guidance," Lubbert said.


The new ER:

1.  Addresses many recommendations from Government Accounting Office audit 
reports;

2.  Adds new checklists to Inventory Project Report preparation as well as 
generic notification guidance on new properties;

3.  Further acknowledges the role of the lead regulatory agency as a key 
member of the FUDS project team;

4.  Incorporates the latest FUDS policy initiatives including the 
development of statewide management action plans;

5.  Adds the Preliminary Assessment phase to the FUDS determination process 
where potential toxic substances or military munitions projects are 
identified at eligible FUDS properties;

6.  Emphasizes public involvement in FUDS response actions.

ER 200-3-1 can be found at:
 http://www.usace.army.mil/inet/usace-docs/eng-regs/er200-3-1/toc.htm

-- END --





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Aimee R. Houghton
Associate Director, CPEO
1101 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC  20036
tel: 202-452-8039; fax: 202-452-8095
Email: aimeeh@cpeo.org
www.cpeo.org
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