[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4334 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4334

 To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
   Defense to provide assistance to promote public participation in 
             defense environmental restoration activities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 3, 1994

Mr. Underwood introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
   Defense to provide assistance to promote public participation in 
             defense environmental restoration activities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ASSISTANCE FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL 
              RESTORATION ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Establishment of Restoration Advisory Boards.--Section 2705 of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding after subsection (c) 
the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Restoration Advisory Board.--In lieu of establishing a 
technical review committee under subsection (c), the Secretary may 
permit the establishment of a restoration advisory board in connection 
with any installation (or group of nearby installations) where the 
Secretary is planning or implementing environmental remediation 
activities. The Secretary shall prescribe regulations regarding the 
characteristics, composition, and establishment of restoration advisory 
boards pursuant to this subsection. The Secretary shall provide for the 
payment of routine administrative expenses of a restoration advisory 
board from funds available for the operation and maintenance of the 
installation (or installations) for which the board is established.''.
    (b) Assistance for Citizen Participation on Technical Review Boards 
and Restoration Advisory Boards.--Such section is further amended by 
adding after subsection (d) (as added by subsection (a)) the following 
new subsection:
    ``(e) Assistance for Citizen Participation.--(1) Using amounts made 
available under paragraph (5), the Secretary shall make grants to 
facilitate the participation of private individuals on technical review 
committees and restoration advisory boards for the purpose of ensuring 
public input into the planning and implementation of environmental 
remediation activities at installations where such committees and 
boards are in operation. Such grants shall be made through an 
appropriate trustee selected pursuant to regulations prescribed by the 
Secretary for this purpose.
    ``(2) Private individuals who are members of a technical review 
committee or restoration advisory board may use a grant awarded under 
this subsection only--
            ``(A) to obtain technical assistance in interpreting 
        scientific and engineering issues with regard to the nature of 
        environmental hazards at an installation and the remedial 
        activities proposed or conducted at the installation; and
            ``(B) to assist such members and affected citizens to more 
        effectively participate in the environmental restoration 
        process at the installation.
    ``(3) Technical or other experts hired by members of a technical 
review committee or restoration advisory board using funds provided 
under this subsection shall be hired in the sole discretion of such 
members.
    ``(4) Subject to the availability of funds for grants under this 
subsection, the total amount of funds to be provided under this 
subsection to a technical review committee or restoration advisory 
board established for a particular installation (or group of 
installations) shall be equal to the lessor of--
            ``(A) one tenth of 1 percent of the total cost of 
        environmental remediation activities conducted at the 
        installation (or group of installations); and
            ``(B) $100,000.
    ``(5) In such aggregate amount as may be provided in appropriations 
Acts, the Secretary shall make grants under this subsection using funds 
in the Defense Environmental Restoration Account and, in the case of 
defense facilities to be closed or realigned, the Department of Defense 
Base Closure Account 1990.''.
    (c) Involvement of Committees and Boards in Defense Environmental 
Restoration Program.--Such section is further amended by adding after 
subsection (e) (as added by subsection (b)) the following new 
subsection:
    ``(f) Involvement in Defense Environmental Restoration Program.--
The Secretary shall consult with, and seek the advice of, the technical 
review committee or restoration advisory board established for an 
installation (if any) on the following issues:
            ``(1) Identifying environmental remediation activities and 
        projects at the installation.
            ``(2) Tracking progress on these activities and projects.
            ``(3) Collecting information regarding remediation 
        priorities for the installation.
            ``(4) Addressing land use, level of remediation, acceptable 
        risk, and waste management and technology development issues 
        related to remediation at the installation.
            ``(5) Developing remediation strategies.''.

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