DUSD(ES) OPENS NINTH MEETING OF DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION TASK FORCE AT KELLY AFB, TX.

Today, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environmental Security Sherri W. Goodman opened the ninth meeting of the Defense Environmental Response Task Force (DERTF) in San Antonio, Texas. The DERTF is a Federal Advisory Committee charged with providing findings and recommendations on environmental actions at military installations being closed or realigned.

"The Department of Defense is fully committed to clean up at closing bases. said Goodman. "DoD is meeting the challenges ahead as we work with our partners in the regulatory agencies and in communities on cleanup and reuse of property at closing bases."

The goal of this meeting is to examine environmental issues associated with the cleanup and reuse of closing and realigning military installations. In particular, this visit offers the Task Force the opportunity to examine the strong partnerships Kelly AFB has built with state, local, and federal agencies, and the community, as well as to provide some insight into how other installations can most effectively address privatization efforts early in the process of reuse and remedy selection. The success of the President's five-part program to revitalize communities affected by the closure of installations, and particularly the successful implementation of the cleanup portion of that program, greatly depends on the partnerships that have been built, not only within the federal government, but also with states, communities, and the public.

This DERTF meeting includes discussion on issues related to clean up of closing bases: lessons learned about coordination of environmental cleanup and redevelopment requirements, state involvement in the fast-track cleanup program, environmental insurance, the relationship between the Restoration Advisory Boards (RAB) and the Local Reuse Authority (LRA), environmental measures of merit, and future land use.

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