NIH has begun the Master Planning process for the Rocky Mountain Lab. This Master Plan will encompass the entire 33 acres and will look 20 years into the future. The Rocky Mountain Lab campus houses state-of-the-art secure laboratory facilities; animal holding, surgery and quarantine facilities; electron microscopy; administrative support space, a visitor center; a utility plant, and necessary support services.

Since this Master Plan requires an EIS (a NEPA process), citizens will have the opportunity to participate through Scoping, Public Review of the Master Plan, and various briefings. Oftentimes however, the timeline is tight, we're busy, the process is complex and we aren't able to engage in a timely, informed fashion.

For more details on NIH's plans for the campus, visit the RML Master Plan website.

UPCOMING MEETINGS + EVENTS

• Planning Workshop, led by Ron Wilson, NIH Master Planner | TBA (Public Invited)
• Neighborhood Working Group Meeting | TBA
• RML Neighborhood Meeting | 5pm, March 6, 2007 | Hamiliton Middle School (Public Invited)
  Tentative Agenda ~
  • Overview of RML's Environmental Management System
  • Overview of RML Internet
  • Update on RML's Recycling Efforts
  • Update on Master Plan
  • Update on Campus Construction Projects
  • And topics the neighbors want to discuss.
• RML Community Liaison Group (CLG) Meeting | March 7, 2007 | 7pm | Conference Rooms B-C at Marcus Daily Memorial Hospital, 1200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton (Public Invited)
• Welcome
• RML Internet Site, Pat Steward
• Master Plan Update, Ron Wilson
• RML Environmental Management System, Berri Twardoski
• RML Recycling Efforts, Dianne Huhtanen
• RML Projects Update, Will Daellenbach
• • Noise Mitigation Projects
  • Building 31 (Replacement Building)
  • Integrated Research Facility
• Group + Public Discussion
• Set Next CLG Meeting Date
  

 PROCESS TIMELINE 

• RML Neighborhood Meeting | Wednesday, November 1, 2006 | 5pm | Hamilton Middle School Multi-purpose Room (Public Invited)
• RML Community Liaison Group (CLG) Meeting | Wednesday, November 1, 2006 | 7-9pm | Conference Rooms B-C at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, 1200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton (Public Invited)
• Neighborhood Working Group Meeting | Monday, September 18, 7-9pm, Hamilton Senior Center, 820 North 4th Street, Hamilton. 
• RML Neighborhood Meeting | Thursday, August 3, 2006 | 5pm | Hamilton Middle School Multi-purpose Room (Public Invited)
• RML Community Liaison Group (CLG) Meeting | Wednesday, August 2, 2006 | 7pm | Hamilton Middle School Multi-purpose Room (Public Invited)
• Neighborhood Working Group Survey | July 7-28, 2006
• April 18, 2006, Scoping Period Ends
• April 5, 2006, RML CLG Meeting (Public Invited)
• April 3, 2006, Neighborhood Working Group Meeting
• March 23, 2006, RML Open House + Scoping Meeting
  "As part of the development of the RML Master Plan, the National Institutes of Health, U.S Department of Health and Human Services, will hold a public meeting to obtain comments on the scope of the Master Plan and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 23, 2006, in the Commons Room of Hamilton High School, Hamilton, Montana. The meeting will begin with an “open house” or poster session from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm at which NIH representatives will be available to answer general questions about the process.  From 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm will be an official Scoping Meeting for hearing comments on alternatives and issues the public believes NIH should address in the two documents. The Office of Research Facilities (ORF) at the NIH is overseeing the RML Master Plan and EIS, and representatives will be accept comments at the meeting.
       This public meeting is part of the 45-day public scoping period, which began with publication of a Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS in the Federal Register on March 3, 2006 and will end on April 18, 2006.  If you are unable to attend the Scoping Meeting, written comments will be accepted throughout the comment period.  Please address comments to Valerie Nottingham, Chief of the Environmental Quality Branch, Division of Environmental Protection, Office of Research Facilities, NIH, B13/2W64 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD  20892.  She can also be reached by phone at 301-496-7775; by fax at 301-480-8056; or by email at nihnepa@mail.nih.gov.
       The Scoping Meeting is an official National Environmental Policy Act proceeding and is the first opportunity for people to share their views about desired contents of the master plan and EIS."
• March 6, 2006, Neighborhood Working Group Meeting
• March 3, 2006, Notice of Intent Published + 45-day Scoping Period Begins
   

JOIN the RML Neighborhood Working Group E-mail List

• To join the e-mail list, send an e-mail by using the link on the navigation bar at the left. Your e-mail address will not be shared or used for other purposes.
  

• Scoping Input Form (PDF), Scoping Input Form (MS Word Document)
• Links
  • RML Master Plan Web Page
  • NEPA Law 
  • NIH NEPA Regs http://www.hhs.gov/hhsmanuals
  • Further Reading on NEPA + Citizen Involvement
    • NEPA 101 http://www.naturalborders.com/docs/preister_usingsocialecology.pdf
    • Productive Harmony http://www.naturalborders.com/productive.htm 
  • Womens Voices for the Earth http://www.womenandenvironment.org/currentcampaigns/assistingcommunities/rockymountainlabs
    • Would you like to see Rocky Mounain Laboratories be an INCINERATION-FREE campus? FACT SHEET
    • PETITION for Incineration-Free Campus
  • Rocky Mountain Laboratories: An Inquiry into Community Opposition to a Biosafty Level IV Expansion. Summary of a Masters of Sociology thesis project. University of Montana, My 2006. Summary
    

• NIH (National Institutes of Health)
  Ron Wilson | Contact with questions about the plan.
  NIH Master Planner
  National Institutes of Health, ATTN: Ron Wilson
  Division of Facilities Planning, Office of Research Facilities
  31 Center Drive, Room 3B44, MSC 2162
  Bethesda, MD 20892-2162
  Telephone: 301 /496-5037     FAX: 301/ 402-0017
  Email: wilsoron@ors.od.nih.gov
  
  Valerie Nottingham | Receiving scoping comments.
  Chief of the Environmental Quality Branch
  NIH, Division of Environmental Protection, Office of Research Facilities
  B13/2W64 9000 Rockville Pike
  Bethesda, MD 20892
  Telephone: 301/ 496-7775     FAX: 301/ 480-8056
  Email: nihnepa@mail.nih.gov

• RML (Rocky Mountain Lab)
  Pat Stewart | For information on the status of the Master Plan.
  Business and Program Manager
  Rocky Mountain Laboratories
  903 South 4th Street
  Hamilton, MT 59840
  Telephone: 406/ 363-9324
  Email: pstewart@niaid.nih.gov

• Confab | Neighborhood working group facilitators.
  PO Box 1187, Hamilton, MT 59840 
  Kristine Komar, 406/ 375-9953, kk@confabmt.net
  Dave Schultz, 406/ 381-2355, ds@confabmt.net