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Final Minutes for Community Relations Plan Update

Parsons ES 738290.10000

Date:    July 12, 2001 (Thursday)

Time:    9:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Place:    Camp Stanley Storage Activity, Boerne, Texas

Subject: Community Relations Plan Updates

Attendees:

Attendee

Organization

Phone

Brian K. Murphy

CSSA ENV

(210)698-5208

Chris Beal

WPI/CSSA

(210)295-7417

LTC Jason Shirley

CSSA

(210)295-7416

Anita Horky

USACE

(817)978-3395

Phil Reidinger

Fort Sam

(210)221-1151

Jason Embry

CSSA

(210)698-0128

Chris Murray

CSSA

(210)698-1321

Brian Vanderglas

Parsons ES

(512)719-6059

Karuna Mirchandani

Parsons ES

(512)719-6000

Minutes prepared by Karuna Mirchandani, Parsons ES.

The agenda for this meeting is presented in Attachment 1, and the meeting sign-in sheet is in Attachment 2.

Introductions

The meeting was opened with brief introductions.  LTC Shirley went over the items discussed during General Kiley’s visit to CSSA two days ago.  Phil Reidinger then went over the articles about Camp Bullis in the local San Antonio newspaper.  General Kiley told LTC Shirley that any and all statements made about CSSA in the media would be made by one army representative and that person was to be Phil Reidinger.  Phil Reidinger will look into that with his boss, but suggested that any interviews for the local paper be given by LTC Shirley.

Phil Reidinger further emphasized that to have one voice for the army would be difficult as CSSA is clearly ahead of Camp Bullis in their groundwater monitoring program.  Camp Bullis is installing four wells in the near future, whereas CSSA has installed 15 wells and is planning to install 24 additional wells starting this fall.

Initial Contacts with Affected Agencies

Brian Murphy has already had initial meetings with the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) and Bexar Met to inform them that contaminant levels are near the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in one offsite well, LS-7.  CSSA is planning additional sampling on a monthly basis and will be installing a well treatment system for the LS-7 well.  CSSA also discussed well drilling planned in the southeast corner of the post with Bexar Met, and requested Bexar Met consider minimizing the use of their supply wells located closest to CSSA.  CSSA is also planning to begin sampling of 20 additional offsite wells in late September as part of a groundwater monitoring program to evaluate potential impacts to other offsite wells.

Brian Murphy briefly described the issues discussed at the EAA board meeting that was held on July 10, 2001 (Tuesday):

Camp Bullis and CSSA were discussed;

Slides on CSSA were used that were edited by Brian Murphy;

Gary Schindel (EAA) stated, “it is highly unlikely that CSSA will affect the Edwards Aquifer”; and

The presentation was very positive about CSSA efforts.

Additional Meetings with Local Authorities and Public

Chris Murray stressed the importance of informing Mr. Garcia of the PCE concentration in his well.  LTC Shirley has scheduled a meeting with Mr. Garcia for Friday July 13, 2001, to inform Garcia of the additional sampling to be done and the installation of the treatment system.

LTC Shirley and Brian Murphy have scheduled a meeting with Fair Oaks Water Utility Company on Monday July 16, 2001, to go over the CSSA groundwater monitoring program. Susan Roberts of Parsons Engineering Science and LTC Shirley will represent CSSA at the meeting.

LTC Shirley will try and get on the agenda for the next meeting of the Alamo Area Council of Government (AACOG).  Their next meeting is on Tuesday July 17, 2001.  He will inform them of the suspected plumes and CSSA’s plans to address them.  He will use the fact sheets and the EAA presentation for talking points.

A Congressional fact sheet will also be mailed out on Monday July 16, 2001, to the local congressional offices.

Phil Reidinger also mentioned that it was critical to have meetings with Kyle Cunningham from the Metropolitan Health District to discuss ground water contamination issues and potentially impacted areas around CSSA.  It would also be helpful to bring the Fair Oaks City Manager, Mr. Roy Thomas into the meetings/discussions..  He stated that there was no need to establish a Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) for the CSSA community.  The RAB will only need to get involved if CSSA fails to notify government officials or keep the community adequately informed.

Fact Sheets

Two fact sheets on CSSA have been prepared by USACE.  Neither of the fact sheets is specific about the off-post contamination.  Phil Reidinger stated that it would be beneficial to government and city officials if two (or one combined) additional fact sheets were prepared that would address the two plumes.  Plume 1 would deal with the December 1991 onsite contamination and Plume 2 would address the recent off-post contamination.  Anita Horky will pull that information together.  It was also decided that LTC Shirley would use the additional fact sheets as talking points for his meeting at AACOG.  LTC Shirley stated that the new fact sheets would need to be approved by the Pentagon prior to mailing it out to various officials.  This process would take at least 14 days.

The fact sheets should include the following information:

  1. What is the problem?

  2. Who is affected?

  3. How long have we known about it? (Stress that the contamination is a result of past, not current practices).

  4. What is planned to address the problem?

  5. When is the problem going away?

  6. How is the public going to be protected?

  7. Include reference to the CSSA Administration Order

Schedule

Congressional fact sheet mailed out by July 16, 2001.

Mail first two fact sheets after congressional mail out.

As soon as the additional plumes facts sheet are approved by the Pentagon, a mailing to the federal, state, and local authorities which includes four fact sheets and a letter from CSSA stating the following:

  1. What is the problem?

  2. Who does it affect?

  3. How is CSSA going to fix it?

Two public meetings; Leon Springs and Fair Oaks – early September 2001.

Off-post well sampling – late September 2001.

Well Access Agreements

Brian Vanderglas stated that to meet the late September 2001 sampling schedule, it would be critical to obtain all the well access agreements by late August.  It was decided that CSSA would draft a letter to the property owner signed by LTC Shirley.  The letter would be mailed out to 20-30 off-post well owners identifying Parsons ES as the government contractor tasked to perform the groundwater sampling.  Parsons ES personnel would then contact the offsite well owners and coordinate a visit to inspect each well for suitability and to answer any resident questions regarding the access agreements.  All three fact sheets would also be included with the letter. Specific information that will be requested of the well owners includes:

Well completion information, including borehole, casing, and pump depths. 

The number of people using the water.

An estimate of how much water is used on a daily, weekly, and or monthly basis.

Roles and Responsibilities

LTC Shirley would give all interviews to print media.

Phil Reidinger would be the spokesperson for broadcast media.

Open Houses – LTC Shirley (CSSA), Anita Horky (USACE), Karuna Mirchandani (Parsons ES), Parsons ES personnel (geologist, risk assessor).

The next meeting, to discuss public reaction to date and plan the initial open house to be held in September, will be held on Thursday August 23, 2001.

Attachment 1

Agenda for Community Relations Plan Update Meeting between USACE, CSSA and Parsons ES

Continuation of RCRA Facility Investigations (RFIs) and Groundwater Investigations

Date: July 12, 2001

Time: 9:30 AM

Place: Camp Stanley Storage Activity (CSSA), Boerne, Texas

Introduction

Define Roles and Responsibilities

Public Communications Strategy

Public Notice

Access Agreements and Well Selection

Reporting Data

Other

Schedule

Open House

Format

Location

Tours (possibility)

Presentation Materials

Fact Sheets

Information Pamphlets

Static Displays

Attachment 2

Meeting Sign-in Sheet