Restoration Advisory Board - FAQs

Q. What is a Restoration Advisory Board (RAB), its purpose and when was it established at Anniston Army Depot?

A. It is a forum for citizens of local communities, representatives of an installation and regulatory agencies to discuss and exchange information about the environmental restoration program. This is the sole focus and it is not positioned to discuss other concerns or act as a sounding board for non-restoration environmental issues. Anniston Army Depot’s Restoration Advisory Board held its first meeting in May, 1998.

Q. What are the responsibilities of the RAB?

A. The RAB gives advice on cleanup, conducts regular meetings, discusses key issues, reviews plans and reports, identifies proposed project requirements and recommends priorities.

Q. What is the composition of the RAB? How were the members selected?

A. There are approximately 10 current voting members representing the diverse makeup of our community. The membership includes representatives of affected community interests and/or groups, interested individuals, local governmental agency officials, installation representatives, state and federal agencies as well as other interested parties. Representatives from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA Region 4) and Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) regularly attends these meetings. Co-chairpersons are Commander, Anniston Army Depot and a civilian RAB member elected by the RAB members representing the civilian community. When the process first began, a variety of methods were used to interest the public in applying for membership. Flyers were printed and distributed; announcements were made in local press and the local cable channel carried it as a Public Service Announcement. Subsequent mailings were prepared, soliciting interest and applications for membership. The mailings were random, however citizens who were leaders and involved in their community organizations such as church pastors, neighborhood club leaders, youth group leaders, small business owners, etc were actively sought to be part of this organization. Especially important are residents who will become proactive participants and a link between their neighborhoods and the RAB. Quarterly meetings are held in various community locations.

Q. Can the public attend these meetings?

A. Yes, absolutely. Public attendance is always welcome and a necessary part of the purpose of the RAB. We need to hear the concerns, questions and comments from the community and we want to respond in a timely manner. If a local resident has questions about the installation restoration projects at Anniston Army Depot, the best way to get an answer is to attend one of our meetings and ask. Audience Comment is an agenda item and the input is made part of the official minutes.

Q. How is the meeting conducted?

A. The RAB is a formal organization that is governed by a set of by-laws, which were prepared and adopted by the members. We follow an agenda; a court reporter takes the proceedings verbatim and provides an official transcript, and from this, minutes are extracted, published and distributed. Both the minutes and agenda are available at every meeting for the audience. The RAB members select the topics and guest speakers. The public is welcome to suggest topics related to the groundwater contamination project.

Q. What does the RAB contribute to the community?

A. The RAB increases community understanding, reviews and comments on plans and documents, provides advice, participates in site and project prioritization, and acts as a resource for the community.

Q. In many instances the public is skeptical. Are the full results of the investigations being told to the public, or is just the information you want them to know being provided?

A. Yes, the full results are being shared and are in the public record. Most of us involved in the process make our home here in the community and are raising our families here. We also have a tremendous stake in the cleanup process of the groundwater contamination. The concerns of the public are understandable and valid. These residents have the right to ask the hard questions and expect an answer. This is the main purpose of the quarterly meetings. However, if people choose to not attend the meetings, documentation is available at repositories in the community. All published documents including minutes and transcripts of the meetings can be reviewed at the Anniston Calhoun County Public Library, 108 East 10th St, Anniston, AL 36201. There is also a repository of all published documents including minutes and transcripts at Anniston Army Depot. Houston Cole Library at JSU contains an information repository and you can visit our website at: http://www.anad.army.mil

Q. When is your next meeting? Where do you meet?

A. The meetings are held quarterly at various locations in the community. An announcement will be placed in the local newpapers prior to the meeting specifying the location, date and time. The meetings begin at 6:00 PM and last about an hour and a half. We invite the public to attend and believe they will find the meetings interesting. Notifications of the meetings are placed in the local newspapers and postcards are sent to people on our mailing list. You can get on our mailing list by contacting us at the address provided in the Fact Sheet or by providing us your contact information during the RAB meetings.