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Southwestern
Proving Ground Formerly Used Defense Site RAB Members in attendance: Margaret Morehead, Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, Stan James, Paul Henley, Ronnie Smith, Pat Rhoads, Dan Woolfolk, Gale Temple, Shannon Miller, Teresa Smith, Patricia Rowe, Donnie Watson. Others: Jennifer Wilson, Linda Joslin, David Virden, Ken McLemore (HOPE STAR), Jim McCoy, Super Country Radio 105. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM. Ms. Morehead briefed the Restoration Advisory Board on the history of Southwestern Proving Ground (SWPG) and the scope of the project there. The Engineering Evaluation / Cost Analysis which was completed for SWPG is being reexamined to see if any technological changes could be used to bring costs down. Some advances in technology for evaluating risk have been made. Money for cleanup has not been available and that is a problem. To date approximately $6,000,000 dollars have been spent on cleanups of selected areas at SWPG. The next item of business was the report of the Engineering Evaluation / Cost Analysis (EE/CA). Ted Brzinski of Parson’s Engineering Science in Atlanta had planned to make the presentation, but could not make the trip because air traffic was suspended after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Ms. Morehead presented on behalf of Mr. Brzinski. A supplemental EE / CA is currently underway and will consider the additional information that has been developed since the original study that was completed and published in 1996. One hundred six different areas were sampled at SWPG during the original EE/CA. Ordnance concentrations ranged from zero to thousands per acre. RAB members and community members can obtain additional project information at the project web site: http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/projmgt/swpg.html. Originally a $230,000,000 dollar project was recommended for the site. It was suggested that work be divided into five phases costing a total of $41,000,000. The full funding has not been available and the Corps has performed limited cleanups with the funds available. The history of the 50,000-acre site was described along with current land use. Most of the land is used for agriculture, pastureland and timberland. In additional there are numerous residents and commercial properties. Informing community members of the history of the site is and excellent way to raise awareness and increase safety. The Sentimental Journey to Southwestern Proving Ground Committee established a small museum and has been instrumental in helping remind people that the land was once a testing ground and that caution must be exercised because unexploded ordnance remains. The committee also established a speaker’s bureau to warn civic and school groups of the danger. Ms. Morehead said that, so far, the Corps has had the money to clean up about 455 acres. Now the goal is to coordinate the EE / CA supplement with recommendations from the stakeholders and the regulators. Ways of reducing risks will be explored. That’s why this RAB has been established. Ms. Morehead explained how appropriations are authorized in Congress. FUDS projects are planned and prioritized years in advance. All appropriated money should be spent. The FUDS program operates very successfully in this regard. Very little money goes unspent. It is all used for environmental investigation and cleanup projects. The role of the RAB members was discussed, and then members formulated their own mission statement. It reads, “The mission of the Southwestern Proving Ground Formerly Used Defense Site Restoration Advisory Board is to:
The operating procedures were discussed and accepted with one change. On page 6, items (d) and (e) should be consolidated on one line. Pat Rhoads was elected RAB Community Co-chair. The next RAB meeting is set for the second Wednesday in December. Motion to adjourn the meeting passed. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 PM. |