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Show COMlAT Hi NO JT7 ThOU&K lOCJTin LJ I Ciop Loss odc CI S3 stopped PSecse see story, Pcge 11. Vol. 45 No. 14 Hill AFB, Utoh B April 12. 1991 00 ALCPA O h ill I i III U Uld AFB, UT 84056 5990 Serials Order Department University of Utah Libraries Salt Lake City, UT 841 12 (SQ(og 0) suiinnyjp by David W. Harris Environmental Management Directorate After more than 15 years of environmental cleanup activities at Hill AFB, federal, state and base officials signed an agreement Wednesday that will direct future cleanup activities at Hill. Negotiated for nearly three years, the Federal Facility Agreement is a cooperative agreement between Hill, the Environmental Protection Agency Region VIII and the Utah Department of Health. The document defines the roles of each agency in the cleanup effort and details how existing regulations will be implemented. it" " Representatives from the three participating agencies signed the agreement at a ceremony at Hill's Officers' Club Wednesday afternoon. Maj. Gen. Dale W. Thompson Jr., Ogden Air Logistics Center commander, signed for Hill; Kenneth Alke-ma- , director of the State of Utah Division of Environmental health, represented the state; and James J. Scherer, regional administrator, EPA Region VIII, signed in behalf of the EPA. Each of the three parties said he was pleased with the agreement. "This is one of the most successful negotiations we have done on this type of agree-- , ment," said Mr. Scherer. "All three parties the state, the Air Force and the EPA were able to complete the negotiations at the local level within the time frame identified by the EPA," he said. The agreement grants the state a more active role in the cleanup process at Hill, a role that Mr. Alkema said the state needs to play. "We have been charged with the responsibility of protecting the health of Utah's citizens and preserving its environment," Mr. Alkema said. "This federal facility agreement carves out a strong role for us that is consistent with that responsibility." General Thompson said the agreement is a culmination of several years 6f cleanup activities at Hill. "The base has been actively pursuing remedial investigations since 1976," the general said. "To date, Hill has spent $25 million on these activities. "Negotiations for this agreement have been ongoing since September 1988," General Thompson said. "We view this agreement as a cooperative effort toward a common goal to protect human health and clean up the environment," he said. In addition to detailing how the cleanup will be administered, the agreement outlines a timetable 1 T - 4 I U.S. Air Force Photo Having a blast Stan Ward, a bead blaster in the Aircraft Directorate, removes paint from the surface of an aircraft component in Bldg. 220, the plastic media blast facility. Plastic media blasting eliminates the use of hazardous chemicals to strip paint. B See Cleanup Page 2, please. Incentives, compensation vital in budget smaller military force and a funding decline of 34 percent over the next five by SSgt. David P. Masko Air Force News Service years. "I am convinced that with proper WASHINGTON Reshaping the armed forces will include major spending cuts, but the Department of Defense wants compensation and quality of life incentives to be an integral part of the budget. The Pentagon continues to seek congressional support for people pro- grams, despite tention to and funding for recruiting, training, and compensation and quality of life incentives, it (the military) will while smaller be able to maintain the readiness necessary to defend our interests around the world in the coming years," Christopher Jehn, assistant secretary of defense for forces management and personnel, told the facing . budget constraints that will result in both a if i. jjumiiu i. Spring into action Base cleanup set to start at- hi ... JJ. :' 1 Z!a '""!" ' '" House Appropriations Committee last month. "We request your continued support in making sure this happens." Mr. Jehn's emphasis on protecting the services from painful force reduction actions was precipitated by the secretary of defense and Air Force leaders who have defended quality of life issues during rigorous budget reviews on Capitol Hill. "There will be no diminution in DOD support for pay and other programs " il .. Wheels in motion Materiel Command closer to reality in ii .. imhiijii fa j j li mi ii mil aimed at preserving the high quality and morale of America's uniformed men and women," Defense Secretary Dick Cheney told lawmakers recently. Desert Storm has shown the need for a highly trained and quality force and the Pentagon is hoping to tie funding requests to lessons learned in the Persian Gulf. "Flexibility will be crucial to our success as we plan for the future in the aftermath of Desert Storm," Mr. Jehn See urn OPrccfi mil. in. Budget, Page 2, please. in duty Reservists provide invaluable services y B |