Military Bases: Environmental Impact at Closing Installations
NSIAD-95-70
Published: Feb 23, 1995. Publicly Released: Feb 23, 1995.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the environmental cleanup of Department of Defense (DOD) facilities slated for closing, focusing on: (1) the cleanup cost, transferability, and reuse of property by nonfederal users; and (2) DOD progress, difficulties, and plans to address the problems.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should develop a total environmental program cost estimate of the financial impact of realignment and closure actions that reflects: (1) a more complete description of the costs as identified in the installations' base realignment and closure (BRAC) cleanup plans, including estimates for compliance, preservation of natural and cultural resources, and long-term costs associated with cleanup and monitoring; and (2) unfunded liabilities where property is being retained by the federal government and cleanup will be deferred. |
DOD partially concurred, and said that it was in the process of conducting an installation-by-installation review of every major closing or realigning base. DOD stated that it would use the results of that review to evaluate program financing and make adjustments where needed. DOD's planned action will not be as detailed as GAO had recommended.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should approve sites for high priority environmental funding only when cleanup or compliance is required or cost-effective for nonfederal reuse to occur. |
DOD did not concur and maintained that the funding priorities already being used were appropriate.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should establish Fast-Track Cleanup Program standards that will allow DOD to assess the steps taken to accelerate the cleanup process at BRAC installations. |
DOD did not concur and stated that it already had goals and measures in place and that those standards were appropriate and adequate.
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Topics
Cost analysisDefense budgetsEnvironmental lawEnvironmental monitoringEnvironmental policiesFacility transferGroundwater contaminationHazardous substancesMilitary basesReal estate leasesWaste disposalEnvironmental cleanups