Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant

Restoration Advisory Board (RAB)

Landscape with trees and fog

What is a Restoration Advisory Board or RAB?

A RAB is a stakeholder group that meets on a regular basis to discuss environmental restoration at a specific property that is either currently or was formerly owned by the Department of Defense (DoD), but where DoD oversees the environmental restoration process. RABs enable people interested in the environmental cleanup at a specific installation to exchange information with representatives of regulatory agencies, the Army, and the community. While the general public can comment on DoD’s environmental restoration program, RABs offer a focused and interactive opportunity to participate in the environmental restoration process.

The RAB provides the community with the opportunity to become involved in the environmental restoration process at the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant either as a RAB member or through attendance at RAB meetings. RABs offer members the opportunity to influence cleanup decisions through discussion and to provide input to the Army’s decision makers. Because representatives of the environmental agencies overseeing cleanup participate in the RAB, the RAB offers members and the public the opportunity to share their questions, concerns, and ideas with agencies involved in the cleanup.

Does TCAAP have a RAB?

The TCAAP RAB was established in 1996. It remained active until 2015. The Army would like to re-establish the RAB but needs volunteer community members to do so.  A letter was sent to all the previous RAB members. In addition, the Army advertised in the following newspapers:

The Mission Statement and  Operating Procedures from the former TCAAP RAB are available for review, as well as a list of former members. If you are interested in participating on the RAB, please see below How to Get Involved in the RAB.

What does the RAB do?

The RAB reviews documents prepared by the Army about the environmental restoration process taking place at the former TCAAP and provides an opportunity for local citizen input into the cleanup process. The status of each of the sites undergoing cleanup is available on this website. Community input is critical to ensure understanding and acceptance of the decisions made by the U.S. Army, the MPCA, and the U.S. EPA. Please review the mission statement and operating procedures or minutes of previous meetings (below) for more information.

When is the next RAB meeting?

The Army is hosting a public meeting on Feb. 16, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. CST to elect a community co-chair, review and finalize the operating procedures, and review and finalize membership. This meeting is being conducted virtually to maintain social distancing and protect the health of the community during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency.

The purpose of the meeting is TCAAP RAB administration. Because it was only one month since the last meeting, the Army will NOT provide an update on the cleanup program at the former TCAAP. The meeting is open to the public. Anyone interested in participating on the TCAAP RAB or wanting information on the TCAAP cleanup program is invited to attend.

The meeting will be held on MS teams. You do not need to download the software to participate; you can access the meeting through your web browser. If you’d prefer you can also dial into a teleconference line. Please contact Cathy Kropp at 443-243-0313 or Cathryn.L.Kropp.civ@mail.mil for information on how to access the meeting via internet or phone.

The meeting Agenda, draft minutes from the January meeting, RAB mission stagement and draft Revised Operating Procedures can be downloaded below before the meeting:

How do I get involved in the RAB?

RAB members have been selected and are representative of the affected community near the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant. RAB meetings are open to the public. Meetings are being held virtually during the COVID pandemic to help keep everyone healthy and safe.

Fill out the Community Interest Form and send to the address below.

If you have questions, please contact:
Cathy Kropp, Environmental PA Specialist

Mail:
U.S. Army Environmental Command
Attn: IMAE-PA (C. Kropp)
2455 Reynolds Road Mailstop 112
JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-7588

Previous Meeting Minutes