DERTF MEETING UPDATE

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@igc.org>]

TO: Concerned Citizens at California Closing Bases
FROM: Lenny Siegel
SUBJECT: DERTF Meeting
DATE: May 17, 1995

The Defense Environmental Response Task Force (DERTF), 
established by Congress to advise the Defense Department and other 
agencies about cleanup issues at closing military bases, will meet in 
San Bernadino, California, May 23-24. The meeting will take place 
at the San Bernadino Radisson Hotel, 295 North E Street (just off 
second street).

For more information, the listed official contacts are Lena Schaye at 
703/883-8854 or David Platt at 703/556-1816.

On Tuesday, May 23, the task force will meet from 8:00 am to 3:45 
pm, followed by a tour of Norton Air Force Base and a meeting with 
the Norton AFB Restoration Advisory Board.

On Wednesday, May 24, the Task Force will meet from 9:45 am 
until 4:45 pm, followed by a public comment period at 7:00 pm. Two 
of the most interesting topics, the Future Land Use issues and the 
Clearance of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) will be discussed 
Wednesday. They are currently scheduled for 11:15 am and 1:30 pm, 
respectively.

These sessions promise to be interesting, and citizens in other parts 
of the country have found that the DERTF Public Comment session 
provides an excellent opportunity for impacted neighbors and 
employees of closing military bases to address high level state and 
federal officials. Here are my observations and suggestions:

1. This is an chance to raise policy issues surrounding the cleanup of 
your base. Since this is a policy group, not an appeals board, it is 
important to couch concerns in terms of national policy, not local 
personalities.

2. With Defense cleanup budgets under fire, this is a chance to 
indicate support for the cleanup programs. If your RAB or the 
environmental restoration program at your base is working, this is a 
good place to register that success.

3. The Task Force needs to hear your views on issues currently in 
dispute at many closing bases including UXO, future land use, and 
legal restrictions on the transfer of contaminated property. I address 
land use and transfer restrictions in separate memos.

On UXO there are two types of issues.

A) Under what circumstances and to what degree/depth will the 
military clean up UXO on impact ranges at closing or closed bases? 
Will the local community have a say? Will the armed services 
investigate the toxic hazards of ordnance and explosive wastes on the 
property?

B) Why doesn't the military recognize that UXO is a hazardous 
waste, or at least a hazardous substance? To what degree do the 
armed services recognize the role of regulators at UXO sites?