This report answers frequently asked questions regarding the the implementation for the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) plans, called “Business Plans”, describe the implementing actions, their timing, cost, and other related issues.

As part of the implementation for the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round, the Department of Defense (DOD) required the military departments and defense agencies to create action plans for each of the BRAC Commission's recommendations. These plans, called "Business Plans", describe the implementing actions, their timing, cost, and other related issues. DOD is to use these plans as a mechanism to ensure proper coordination among the defense agencies, allocate BRAC resources more efficiently, and to monitor the status of the commission's recommendations. To date, 211 of the 240 plans had been completed and approved. This report answers frequently asked questions regarding the plans. It will be updated as necessary.

This plan consists of an introductory section describing the existing conditions of the NAVBASE including the activities, mission requirements, base loading, location, and land and facility owners. Secondly, it discusses an overall description of the base closure and realignment processes including leasing, disposal (real and personal property), records management, NEPA, and the historical and cultural resources processes. Thirdly, the plan develops various realignment proposals to assist in the determination of a recommended alternative. Lastly, the plan establishes plans of action and milestones for activities realigning, closing or relocating.

This Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Cleanup Plan (BCP) describes the status, management and response strategy, and action items related to Cameron Station's ongoing environmental restoration and associated compliance programs. These programs support full - restoration of the installation property, which is necessary to meet the requirements for property disposal and reuse activities associated with the closure of the installation. The scope of the BCP considers the following regulatory mechanisms: the BRAC Act; National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) as amended by the Community Environmental Response Facilitation Act (CERFA); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); and other applicable laws. The Cameron Station BCP is a dynamic planning document which was developed by a BRAC Cleanup Team (BCT) consisting of U.S. Army, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region III (USEPA), and State of Virginia Department 9f Environmental Quality (VDEQ) representatives. It was necessary to make certain assumptions and interpretations to develop the schedule and cost estimates provided in this plan. The BCP will be updated regularly to reflect the current status and strategies of remedial actions, compliance programs and disposal and reuse planning. This document is the second in a series of updates/modifications and represents conditions and strategies as of January 1995.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is currently implementing recommendations from the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round, which is the fifth round undertaken by DoD since 1988. The 2005 round is, by GAO's assessment, the biggest, most complex, and costliest BRAC round ever, in part because, unlike previous rounds, the Secretary of Defense viewed the 2005 round as an opportunity not only to achieve savings but also to assist in transforming the department. GAO's testimony addresses the following: (1) GAO's role in the BRAC process, and (2) how DoD's current cost and savings estimates to implement the 2005 recommendations compare to the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission's (the Commission) cost and savings estimates. This testimony is based primarily on the report GAO issued yesterday (GAO-08-159) on the overall changes to DoD's cost and savings estimates for the 2005 BRAC round. To analyze these changes, GAO compared the Commission's estimates in its 2005 report to DoD's estimates in its fiscal year 2008 BRAC budget submission. This testimony is also based on several reports GAO has issued on the implementation of selected recommendations, and GAO's prior work assessing the 2005 decision making process. GAO's work was performed in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.