DSB UXO Report Now Available

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@cpeo.org>]

The following letter officially announces the release of the Defense Science
Board Task Force Report on Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Clearance, Active Range
UXO Clearance, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Programs. Recently (May
18, 1998) we posted the Executive Summary of the Report.

For a hard copy of the report, please send us your request via email to:
<cpeo@cpeo.org> Remember to include your full surface mail address.

Aimee Houghton
***********************

May 19, 1998

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

 I am pleased to announce the release of the Report of the Defense Science
Board (DSB) Task Force on Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). Taken in total, the
recommendations point to the need for
the Department of Defense (DoD) to establish a comprehensive UXO prevention
and remediation program which will safeguard public interests while 
responding
to the requirements of the Department of Defense.

 DoD has already begun to undertake numerous initial actions to implement the
Task Forces' recommendations in the following areas:

* The Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Environmental Security) has been
designated as the DoD lead for both the UXO Remediation/Environmental
Restoration and Active Range Clearance. This latter responsibility is a
collaboration with eh office of the Director, Test Systems Engineering & 
evaluation.

* DoD instructions addressing UXO clearance/cleanup have been drafted and are
in staffing with the Services. These documents span the five categories of
ranges: active, inactive, and closed, transferring (BRAC), and transferred 
(FUDS).

* Program Objective Memorandum Preparation Instructions and Defense Planning
Guidance direct the Services to quantify the scope and costs of UXO 
remediation.

* Two Integrated Process Teams have been established. One is examining
existing UXO remediation contracting practices, and the second is studying
personnel qualifications & skill standards for this work. Both will provide
preliminary findings no later than 30 June 1998.

* USD (A&T) established the UXO Center of Excellence (UXOCOE) in May 1997 to
function as the DoD focal point for UXO clearance and detection technology.
The UXOCOE mission is to foster
the exchange of technical information and ensure the coordination of
requirements and technology in the UXO arena within D0D and with other U.S.
government and international agencies, academia, and industry. As part of
this Center of Excellence, A DoD Executive Committee, chaired by Strategic 
and
Tactical Systems, has been established to oversee these efforts to include 
the
development of DoD acquisition master plans.

* DoD has established a Keystone Dialogue on National Munitions Policy with a
wide range of state and federal regulators, tribal nations, Non-Governmental
Organizations, and the public.
This is a forum for discussions regarding cradle-to-grave munitions policies
within DoD.

 Collectively these actions create the framework to institutionalize a full
spectrum of UXO prevention and remediation actions and to establish a
comprehensive DoD UXO Remediation Program. DoD has a plan in place to monitor
implementation progress, and we are committed to building a strong program
based on the report and the initial actions already undertaken.

 Sincerely,

 J.S. Gansler
--
Aimee Houghton
Program Coordinator
The Center for Public Environmental Oversight (formerly CAREER/PRO)
425 Market Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
tel: (415) 904-7750; fax: (415) 904-7765
Email: aimeeh@cpeo.org

A Program of the San Francisco Urban Institute