In keeping with the goal of full public involvement in installation restoration decisions and activities, the Army encourages the creation of a Restoration Advisory Board (RAB). The RAB is a forum for discussion and exchange of information about an installation's environmental restoration program under Installation Restoration/Base Realignment and Closure (IR/BRAC) or Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS).

The RAB is composed of representatives of the community, installation and regulatory agencies and is a body of individuals providing individual advice, not a decision-making body. Both the installation and the community jointly chair the RAB. The RAB provides an opportunity for community participation and ongoing discussion and input and RAB complements, not replaces, other ongoing community relations activities.

When is a RAB required?

RABs must be established at installations where property is being transferred to the public and where there is sufficient, sustained community interest in the environmental restoration program. Criteria for determining sufficient interest are:

1. The installation is on the Base Realignment and Closure list, and property will be transferred to the public.
2. An affected local, state, tribal, or federal government entity requests a RAB be formed.
3. At least 50 residents of the local community or region sign a petition requesting that a RAB be formed.
4. The installation determines a RAB is needed.

RAB Members

Restoration Advisory Board members include representatives from:

• USAEC or Army installation
• Local community
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• State environmental regulatory agencies
• Local government

RAB Member Responsibilities

When a Restoration Advisory Board is established, the members are expected to:

• Provide input to environmental restoration issues to Army installations and regulatory agencies
• Hold regular meetings, which are publicly announced and open to the public at convenient times and locations
• Review, evaluate and comment on project documents
• Recommend priorities among sites or projects
• Identify applicable standards for cleanup
• Propose cleanup levels consistent with planned land use as specified in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)

A Restoration Advisory Board is NOT always established. The decision whether or not to form a RAB is made by the commander based on the level of community interest in the project.

Public Involvement

A key to understanding the purpose of the Restoration Advisory Board is recognizing the value of true public involvement. A progressive and successful public involvement program prevents delays and assists, rather than deters, the project. A Restoration Advisory Board that represents the entire community establishes the basis for public rapport.

Establishment

Establishment of the Restoration Advisory Board requires a careful, well-planned process:

• Select co-chairpersons from the installation and the local community
• Select members from the installation, regulatory agencies, and community via the RAB Membership Selection Panel
• Establish procedures to handle membership resignations/additions
• Define administrative, technical and public affairs support responsibilities
• Establish funding for public participation, and administrative and technical support
• Implement communication program for community involvement and notifications

RAB: The Five-Step Process

Selection of the community members who will be on the RAB follows its own five-step process:

1. Installation Commander (in consultation with the state and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) identifies diverse community interests (business/home owners associations, local officials, civic groups, environmental groups, environmental justice groups; i.e., low income/minority groups, etc.). For IR/BRAC projects, local land reuse committee members are included.
2. Installation Commander (in consultation with the same groups as in Step One) organizes a selection panel of community members to nominate RAB members who represent a cross-selection of diverse community groups.
3. The selection panel identifies community interest groups that must be represented on the RAB, develops a solicitation process and establishes the criteria for selecting RAB members. Usually, the selection committee announces participation opportunities through news releases and paid public notices. They develop a community interest forum to identify local concerns and levels of interest and, establish a deadline for submission of the completed community interest forms. They mail letters of invitation, fact sheets, and community interest forms to selected groups and individuals. They place fact sheets and community interest forms in local information repositories. The selection committee then holds a public meeting to discuss the purpose of the RAB, to explain the solicitation process and member responsibilities, and to distribute fact sheets and community interest forms. At the close of the solicitation period, the selection committee develops the list of recommended RAB members.
4. Installation Commander reviews and accepts RAB membership lists. Selection panel is disbanded.
5. The panel sends selection letters to RAB members and response letters to all who submitted community interest forms. The final action is to publish notices of RAB membership and the meeting time for the first RAB meeting.