Flying Site Assistance - 2010/06

134 MODEL AVIATION
AMA News
Announcements, news, and information from the
Academy of Model Aeronautics and the elected district representatives.
Flying Site Assistance Joe Beshar | [email protected]
THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection
Agency (EPA) sponsored a Webinar
seminar, “Taking to the Superfund Skies,”
for a look at AMA and the EPA Superfund
Redevelopment Initiative (SRI) Partnership.
The seminar was hosted by the EPA and
National Program Manager Melissa
Friedland and I were asked to participate.
Melissa began the presentation by
discussing SRI’s partnership with AMA.
“I’d like to begin by spending a little
time talking about how the partnership got
started and how it works on a day-to-day
basis. The foundation of our partnership
with AMA is based on SRI’s mission of
supporting communities in their efforts to
weave remediated Superfund properties
back into the fabric of their community.
“When Joe Beshar called me back in
2004, I jumped at the chance to explore
partnership possibilities because I saw it
aligning so clearly with our mission.
“The AMA signed a partnership
agreement, or Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU), with EPA in
February of 2005. The MOU links
Superfund communities interested in
hosting aeromodeling activities on their
Superfund sites with the expertise and
resources of the Academy.
“By partnering with AMA and other
organizations, EPA is affirming its
commitment to putting remedies in place
that are protective and allow the sites to be
used in beneficial ways. Reuse helps EPA
as well; future users add an additional
measure of protection by acting as stewards
for the land, discouraging destructive
activities such as trespassing and vandalism.
“So how does it work? A member of
AMA contacts the AMA Flying Site
Coordinator, Joe Beshar, to inquire about
using a cleaned-up Superfund site as a
flying field for a local AMA club or
chapter. They may have found the site
through local contacts, or they may have
used the NPL [National Priorities List] site
finder Web site that the AMA has
distributed to its members.
“Joe provides SRI [Superfund
Redevelopment Initiative] with the location
(and name, if available) of the site in
question. Joe also provides the name of the
AMA member who made the inquiry.
“SRI does some quick research on the
site, including correctly identifying the
name and location of the site, reuse status,
and seeks information on local stakeholders,
potentially responsible parties, and/or
current owners of the site; and determines
whether the site has received any coverage
in local or regional media.
“SRI contacts the site’s EPA Remedial
Project Manager (RPM) (and/or Regional
SRI Coordinator) to get an update about the
status of the site and a more detailed
description of the site, current uses, and
appropriateness for model aviation
activities, and important contacts.
“SRI works with the RPM to identify the
next steps. These steps may vary from site
to site, but can include contacting the site
owner to further discuss reuse
opportunities; contacting the AMA chapter
to alert it to the site’s status; providing the
RPM the contact information for the AMA
member so communication can continue;
identifying potential reuse barriers and
methods for overcoming them; or setting up
a conference call between the various
stakeholders to discuss options together.
“If the site is deemed inappropriate for
AMA activities, SRI or the region notifies
the AMA contact of this information and
may bring to its attention other sites that
might be appropriate for aeromodeling
activities. If the site is deemed as having
potential for aeromodeling activities, in most
cases SRI steps aside and the local AMA
group and appropriate local stakeholder will
work together to facilitate the reuse.
“The EPA regional staff may continue to
work with the stakeholders to remove
barriers not necessary for protectiveness to
support the reuse; answer any questions or
concerns the stakeholders might have; and
review any design plans as promptly as
possible.
“SRI will continue to check in with
stakeholders to capture the story and offer
assistance when and if it is appropriate.
“There are currently eight Superfund
sites with successful AMA flying activities
on them, with another seven in a pending
status. Considering the complex and often
lengthy process of Superfund reuse, we are
extremely happy with these numbers and
looking forward to ushering more sites into
reuse!”
Then it was my turn to speak.
“Model aviation is a very worthy hobby
and sport, one that brings together all ages
from junior to senior, without
discrimination, and has proven to be of
great value to our nation. It is educational
and career-building.
“There are no physical barriers to model
aviation. It is an educational sport/hobby,
which encourages early interest and
promotes our young people into research
and development of future products. It is the
spark that ignites the imagination; nearly
every astronaut at one time or another was
involved in model aeronautics.
“The AMA represents some 160,000
members nationwide from every walk of
life, economic background, and age group.
The Academy is open to anyone interested
in building and flying model airplanes.
“AMA is always looking for flying fields
which are the heartbeat of model aviation.
The extensive search of government
agencies for assistance in obtaining model
airplane flying sites led the AMA to the
Environmental Protection Agency.
Continued on page 146
Joe Beshar
Coordinator
Eastern Region
AMA Districts I - VII
AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY,
MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC,
NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN,
VA, VT, WI, WV
198 Merritt Dr.
Oradell NJ 07649
Tel.: (201) 261-1281; E-mail:
[email protected]
Wes De Cou
Coordinator
Western Region
AMA Districts VIII - XI
AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA,
MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX,
UT, WA, WY
202 W. Desert Flower Ln.
Phoenix AZ 85045
Voice: (480) 460-9466;
Cell: (480) 296-9515
Fax: (480) 460-9434
E-mail: [email protected]
Finding—Preserving—Maintaining
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