The most valuable program that ECA and DOE work on together is the peer exchange program. ECA provides a venue and funding for local government officials in communities impacted by DOE activities with the opportunity to explore issues impacting their communities. The project’s core is "peer matching," built around an interaction strategy that includes activities, which have involved individual meetings, document sharing, and site visits. Past peer exchanges have been on diverse issues such as environmental cleanup, DOE and local government teaming, transportation, and transition issues.
The exchanges usually last for approximately two days and are usually hosted by a city or county adjacent to a DOE facility. Several peer exchanges can also be an opportunity for an elected official or municipal staff to spend time with a peer going through a similar experience and allow each to learn from each other. As a part of the peer exchange process, ECA documents each peer exchange and publishes a summary on ECA's website.
ECA And ELI Study on the Role of Local Government in Long-Term Stewardship
The Role of Local Governments in Long-Term Stewardship at DOE Facilities
DOE recognizes the need to address long-term stewardship and a need to involve local governments in planning along with State regulators and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). One of the seminal challenges is building a bridge between the federal government’s fundamental responsibility for pending long-term stewardship after remediation, with the traditional role of local governments in land use planning in communities potentially affected by DOE sites. To help improve the Department’s and local governments’ capabilities in this area, ECA and the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) conducted a study of the role of local governments in the development and implementation of institutional controls and long-term stewardship at the following DOE sites:
- Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge Reservation
The goal of the ECA and ELI Long-Term Stewardship and Institutional Controls Project ("Project") was to obtain input from local governments on their interest, role, and capability, if any, in working on and implementing institutional controls and long-term stewardship activities in and around their communities. DOE and local governments realize that long-term stewardship is an important issue for communities surrounding DOE facilities where environmental cleanup activities are proceeding. The Project looked at:
- The long-term stewardship and institutional controls issues facing communities;
- Local government responsibility related to long-term stewardship and institutional controls;
- Federal (DOE, EPA, other) responsibility related to long-term stewardship and institutional controls; and
- Local needs related to long-term stewardship and institutional controls.
The short and long-term issues associated with stewardship issues are complex. ECA and ELI are working with DOE to develop a better understanding of the role of local governments at sites that will require institutional controls and long-term stewardship, and to educate local communities on the issues associated with institutional controls and long-term stewardship.
ECA and ELI have conducted two successful roundtables (Roundtable I, Roundtable II) in conjuction with the project. See the Final report.
Practical Implementation of Long-Term Stewardship
ELI and ECA are currently working on a follow-up to The Role of Local Governments in Long-Term Stewardship at DOE Facilities. The current report will analyze the practical implementation of the legal authorities available to local governments, states, DOE, the EPA and citizens, in order to implement long-term stewardship activities at DOE facilities.
Several studies have been conducted on the legal mechanisms that may be available in various states. However, none of the studies review the practical implementation of the legal mechanisms. ELI and ECA's project will be instructive to ensure protection of human health and the environment. ELI and ECA are focused on the following issues:
- Federal Statutes and Regulations
- DOE, EPA, NRC Guidance
- DOE LTS Implementation Practices
- State Constitutions, Statutes and Regulations
- Local Ordinances and Permits
- Local Real Estate Practices
- Zoning Law and Procedures
- Title Searching, Title Reporting and Title Insurance
ELI and ECA will review the issues outlined above at two DOE facilities: the Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee and the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
This project will be instructive for local, state and federal governments and citizens and will help to ensure that each party understands the authroity, practical implementation, and limits of the legal tools when selecting remedies at DOE sites.
The current report is scheduled to be completed by December 2002.
ECA Bulletin
ECA publishes the ECA Bulletin, a monthly newsletter that disseminates pertinent and timely information to all local governments and others interested in DOE issues. The newsletter includes information on all DOE programs impacting local communities, best practices by local governments and highlights people in local communities who work on DOE related issue. The newsletter also includes guest articles by local and state government and DOE officials, and provides a forum for local governments around DOE facilities to acquire information about DOE related issues. ECA’s Bulletin is the only publication developed specifically to disseminate DOE related information directly to local governments and between local governments.
The monthly publication is distributed for free in print format and e-mail and is available via ECA’s home page. The ECA Bulletin’s subscribers include local governments, state and tribal governments, DOE and EPA staff, Site Specific Advisory Board (SSAB) members, Community Reuse Organization (CRO) members, congressional staff, DOE contractors, environmental groups, non-governmental organizations and other individuals interested in DOE issues impacting local governments.
To receive the Bulletin, send an e-mail to bulletin@energyca.org and include a proper mailing address.
ECA E-Mail List Serve
The ECA E-mail List Serve provides regular information on DOE and local government issues, legislative updates, Federal Register notices, GAO reports, and ECA programs. The e-mail List Serve is free to all people interested in DOE related issues.
To sign up for the List Serve, send an e-mail to bulletin@energyca.org.
