DEFENSE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROPOS

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@igc.org>]

DOD PROPOSES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE/TRAINING RULES

 The Department of Defense environmental Cleanup office has 
finally made it through the bureaucratic obstacle course. In the May 
24, 1995 Federal Register it published a Proposed Rule for Technical 
Assistance for Public Participation. It seeks comments on the rules, 
attached as a separate (LONG) message, by July 24, 1995.

 The rules would implement the Underwood/Kohl Amendment 
to the FY1995 Defense Authorization Act. That amendment 
authorizes the Department of Defense to make funds available to 
community members of Technical Review Committees (TRCs) and 
Restoration Advisory Boards (RABs) to: "(1) Obtain technical 
assistance in interpreting scientific and engineering issues with regard 
to the nature of environmental hazards at an installation and the 
restoration activities proposed for or conducted at the installation; and 
(2) assist such members and affected citizens to participate more 
effectively in environmental restoration activities at the installation."

 The proposed rule suggests three options for providing that 
assistance. The Defense Department is seeking preferences for 
selecting one or a combination of the options, suggestions for refining 
the criteria for selecting service providers, and comments on the size 
of allotments. 

 The three options are, in summary:

1) Utilize the Environmental Protection Agency's existing programs, 
including the Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) program and the 
Technical Outreach Services to Communities (TOSC) program. The 
TOSC program provides services to communities through five 
geographically-based university consortia.

2) Competitively award grants to one or more neutral, non-profit 
institutions to provide technical assistance services.

3) Provide purchase orders (vouchers) of up to $25,000 each (at one 
time) to hire assistance providers selected by the community 
members of a TRC or RAB at each Department of Defense facility 
using guidelines provided by the Department of Defense.

 I am planning to develop my own comments, but I urge all 
RAB members to provide their comments directly to the Defense 
Department. Please post your comments to me or to the cpro.military 
electronic clearinghouse.

 Which option is most likely to provide you with a consultant 
that you can trust? Is Option 1 better because it could be 
accomplished more quickly? Which option would minimize the 
paperwork and other bureaucratic challenges

 Getting credible, trustworthy, independent technical assistance 
has long been a goal of community participants in the Defense 
cleanup process. Now it's one step closer to reality.

Lenny Siegel