Advice and insight from multiple community groups pay an important role in making decisions about cleanup at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). Careful and thorough oversight of cleanup activities at BNL by regulatory agencies such as the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, N.Y. Department of Environmental Conservation, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been ongoing. However, government agencies are not the only groups scrutinizing the environmental restoration program.

Community Advisory Council
Formed in 1998 by Dr. John Marburger, the Laboratory’s Community Advisory Council (CAC) consists of representatives from more than 30 local civic, health, environmental, and business organizations. Current membership is listed at www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/CAC.html.

The CAC holds monthly meetings (on the second Thursday of the month, at BNL) to review Lab activities, particularly environmental cleanup projects and provide recommendations to management. These meetings are open to the public. An opportunity for public comment is offered at each meeting.

CAC input has made a tangible difference in Laboratory cleanup programs. For example, in 1999 the CAC recommended expanding groundwater treatment plans to prevent contaminants from potentially entering the Carmans River. In response, the U.S. Department of Energy added a treatment system to the final cleanup plan that will address contaminants in the southwest corner of the Laboratory property.

Neighbors Expecting Accountability and Remediation
This group, also known as NEAR, defines itself as a coalition of community residents committed to monitoring operations at the Laboratory, and to ensuring protection of the public’s health and the environment. Members of NEAR also represent nearly 30 local community, civic, and environmental groups. For a membership list, call president Jean Mannhaupt at (631) 395-1589.

In 1999, NEAR was awarded a $50,000 Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This grant provides NEAR the monetary resources to help interpret, analyze, and evaluate the technical information about the Laboratory’s restoration projects. EPA awards only one TAG grant per Superfund site.

NEAR is using the grant to hire an independent consultant to examine and interpret the large volume of cleanup-related documents produced by the Lab. This consultant was asked by NEAR to focus on groundwater cleanup, the proposed Peconic River sediment cleanup, and the decontamination and decommissioning of the Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor.

Suffolk County Community Oversight Committee
The Suffolk County legislature formed this committee, also known as the COC, in 1999.

The COC works with and advises the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS). COC’s seven members represent local health, environmental, and civic organizations. A membership list is available at www.bnl.gov/erd/general/coc-list.html.

This committee currently is involved with two projects related to the Peconic river. First, the committee assisted in the selection of a contractor to conduct an environment and health assessment of the Peconic River. The assessment will look at all sources of river contaminants, including the Laboratory and others.

A contractor for this work has been selected; the work is expected to begin shortly. The report is expected in April 2002.

The second Peconic-related activity is the selection of a panel of scientific experts to analyze and evaluate cleanup plans for Peconic River sediment. The panel will provide input to the SCDHS about the appropriateness of cleanup methods and goals.

In April 2001, SCDHS requested a $50,000 grant from the Department of Energy. This grant would support the hiring of expert panel members and allow for independent testing of sediment samples from the Peconic River.

The COC is also involved with an environmental assessment of the Carmans River.