Department of the Army Radford Army Ammunition Plant P.O. Box 2 Radford, Virginia 24141-0099 CONTACT: Mr. Jim McKenna (540) 639-8641

NEWS RELEASE June 27, 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Radford Army Ammunition Plant invites community members to join its Restoration Advisory Board

RADFORD ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT, Radford, Virginia—The Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RFAAP) is inviting local citizens to join its Restoration Advisory Board (RAB). The RAB was formed at RFAAP in 1998 in an effort to keep the public informed about cleanup activities at the facility and provide an opportunity for public involvement. It is a forum for exchange of information and partnership among citizens, RFAAP, and regulatory agencies.

RFAAP provides information to and solicits feedback from the RAB regarding site cleanup activities, which are occurring through the Installation Restoration Program (IRP). The U.S. Department of Defense established the IRP to address environmental impacts of past activities on military installations nationwide. Through the IRP, former hazardous materials disposal activities and releases at the RFAAP are evaluated and addressed.

There are currently five full-time RAB members and several state and federal government representatives who attend the RAB meetings. However, RFAAP is seeking additional local government and citizen representation to participate in the RAB. If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact Mr. Jim McKenna at 540-639-8641.

What is the RAB’s mission?

The RFAAP RAB mission is to establish and maintain a forum with citizens and community organizations as well as local, state, and federal agencies. The focus of the forum is the exchange of environmental assessment and restoration information in an open, balanced, and interactive dialogue. The function of the RAB is to make informed recommendations to the Army and environmental agencies for remedial activities.

Who serves on the RAB?

The RAB is primarily made up of citizens from the local community. The RAB is led by two co-chairpersons—one from the Army and one from the community. Representatives from Alliant Ammunition and Powder Company (the operating contractor at RFAAP), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) attend as interested parties.

What are RAB members’ responsibilities?

RAB members

• provide advice on environmental restoration issues to RFAAP and regulatory agencies;

• participate in regular bi-monthly meetings (typically 1–2 hours long, six times a year);

• review, evaluate, and comment on documents;

• provide input to help shape project requirements;

• recommend priorities among sites or projects; and

• elect a RAB community co-chairperson.

The RAB Army co-chairperson

• ensures that RAB membership reflects the diverse interests of the community;

• keeps meeting minutes and makes them available to interested parties;

• develops, maintains, and uses a mailing list of people who wish to receive information on the cleanup program; and

• chairs the RAB jointly with the elected community co-chairperson.

For more information, please contact Mr. Jim McKenna, RFAAP Restoration Program Manager, by phone 540-639-8641 or by E-mail Jim_McKenna@ATK.com or visit the RFAAP IRP web site at www.radfordaapirp.org.

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