diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/RodBinding.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/RodBinding.java
index b39e0d7ba..23acc2a78 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/RodBinding.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/RodBinding.java
@@ -54,41 +54,13 @@ public class RodBinding<T extends Feature> {
     public String getVariableName() {
         return variableName;
     }
-
+    public Class<T> getType() {
+        return type;
+    }
     public String getSource() {
         return source;
     }
 
-    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    //
-    //
-    // Accessors should be kept in sync with RefMetaDataTracker
-    //
-    //
-    // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    public List<T> getValues(final RefMetaDataTracker tracker) {
-        return tracker.getValues(type, getVariableName());
-    }
-    public List<T> getValues(final RefMetaDataTracker tracker, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
-        return tracker.getValues(type, getVariableName(), onlyAtThisLoc);
-    }
-
-    public T getFirstValue(final RefMetaDataTracker tracker) {
-        return tracker.getFirstValue(type, getVariableName());
-    }
-    public T getFirstValue(final RefMetaDataTracker tracker, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
-        return tracker.getFirstValue(type, getVariableName(), onlyAtThisLoc);
-    }
-
-    public boolean hasValues(final RefMetaDataTracker tracker) {
-        return tracker.hasValues(variableName);
-    }
-
-    public List<GATKFeature> getValuesAsGATKFeatures(final RefMetaDataTracker tracker) {
-        return tracker.getValuesAsGATKFeatures(variableName);
-    }
-
     public Tags getTags() {
         return tags;
     }
diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/RefMetaDataTracker.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/RefMetaDataTracker.java
index c47accb00..e51871498 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/RefMetaDataTracker.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/RefMetaDataTracker.java
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.refdata;
 
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
+import org.broad.tribble.Feature;
+import org.broadinstitute.sting.commandline.RodBinding;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.contexts.ReferenceContext;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.refdata.utils.GATKFeature;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.refdata.utils.RODRecordList;
@@ -91,45 +93,81 @@ public class RefMetaDataTracker {
     //
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    public <T> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type) {
+    public <T extends Feature> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type) {
         return addValues(map.keySet(), type, new ArrayList<T>(), null, false, false);
     }
-    public <T> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
+    public <T extends Feature> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
         return addValues(map.keySet(), type, new ArrayList<T>(), onlyAtThisLoc, true, false);
     }
-    public <T> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type, final String name) {
+    public <T extends Feature> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type, final String name) {
         return addValues(name, type, new ArrayList<T>(), getTrackDataByName(name), null, false, false);
     }
-    public <T> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type, final String name, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
+    public <T extends Feature> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type, final String name, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
         return addValues(name, type, new ArrayList<T>(), getTrackDataByName(name), onlyAtThisLoc, true, false);
     }
-    public <T> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type, final Collection<String> names) {
+    public <T extends Feature> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type, final Collection<String> names) {
         return addValues(names, type, new ArrayList<T>(), null, false, false);
     }
-    public <T> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type, final Collection<String> names, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
+    public <T extends Feature> List<T> getValues(Class<T> type, final Collection<String> names, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
         return addValues(names, type, new ArrayList<T>(), onlyAtThisLoc, true, false);
     }
 
-    public <T> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type) {
+    public <T extends Feature> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type) {
         return safeGetFirst(getValues(type));
     }
-    public <T> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
+    public <T extends Feature> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
         return safeGetFirst(getValues(type, onlyAtThisLoc));
     }
-    public <T> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type, final String name) {
+    public <T extends Feature> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type, final String name) {
         return safeGetFirst(getValues(type, name));
     }
-    public <T> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type, final String name, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
+    public <T extends Feature> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type, final String name, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
         return safeGetFirst(getValues(type, name, onlyAtThisLoc));
     }
-    public <T> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type, final Collection<String> names) {
+    public <T extends Feature> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type, final Collection<String> names) {
         return safeGetFirst(getValues(type, names));
     }
-    public <T> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type, final Collection<String> names, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
+    public <T extends Feature> T getFirstValue(Class<T> type, final Collection<String> names, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
         return safeGetFirst(getValues(type, names, onlyAtThisLoc));
     }
 
-    final private <T> T safeGetFirst(List<T> l) {
+    //
+    // ROD binding accessors
+    //
+    public <T extends Feature> List<T> getValues(RodBinding<T> rodBinding) {
+        return getValues(rodBinding.getType(), rodBinding.getVariableName());
+    }
+    public <T extends Feature> List<T> getValues(RodBinding<T> rodBinding, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
+        return getValues(rodBinding.getType(), rodBinding.getVariableName(), onlyAtThisLoc);
+    }
+
+    public <T extends Feature> T getFirstValue(RodBinding<T> rodBinding) {
+        return getFirstValue(rodBinding.getType(), rodBinding.getVariableName());
+    }
+    public <T extends Feature> T getFirstValue(RodBinding<T> rodBinding, final GenomeLoc onlyAtThisLoc) {
+        return getFirstValue(rodBinding.getType(), rodBinding.getVariableName(), onlyAtThisLoc);
+    }
+
+    public boolean hasValues(RodBinding rodBinding) {
+        return hasValues(rodBinding.getVariableName());
+    }
+
+    public List<GATKFeature> getValuesAsGATKFeatures(RodBinding rodBinding) {
+        return getValuesAsGATKFeatures(rodBinding.getVariableName());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Helper function for getFirst() operations that takes a list of <T> and
+     * returns the first element, or null if no such element exists.
+     *
+     * TODO: determine specific behavior for l.size() > 1.  Do we turn first or an error?
+     * TODO: right now we return the first.  Should be clearer
+     *
+     * @param l
+     * @param <T>
+     * @return
+     */
+    final private <T extends Feature> T safeGetFirst(List<T> l) {
         // todo: should we be warning people here?  Throwing an error?
         return l.isEmpty() ? null : l.get(0);
     }
@@ -216,7 +254,7 @@ public class RefMetaDataTracker {
      */
     @Deprecated
     public List<Object> getValues(final String name) {
-        return getValues(name, Object.class);
+        return (List<Object>)(List)getValues(name, Feature.class);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -229,7 +267,7 @@ public class RefMetaDataTracker {
      * Important: The list returned by this function is guaranteed not to be null, but may be empty!
      */
     @Deprecated
-    public <T> List<T> getValues(final String name, final Class<T> clazz) {
+    public <T extends Feature> List<T> getValues(final String name, final Class<T> clazz) {
         RODRecordList list = getTrackDataByName(name);
 
         if (list.isEmpty())
@@ -250,11 +288,11 @@ public class RefMetaDataTracker {
      *
      * @param name the name of the track
      * @param clazz the underlying type to return
-     * @param <T> the type to parameterize on, matching the clazz argument
+     * @param <T extends Feature> the type to parameterize on, matching the clazz argument
      * @return a record of type T, or null if no record is present.
      */
     @Deprecated
-    public <T> T getFirstValue(final String name, final Class<T> clazz) {
+    public <T extends Feature> T getFirstValue(final String name, final Class<T> clazz) {
         RODRecordList objects = getTrackDataByName(name);
 
         if (objects.isEmpty()) return null;
@@ -411,7 +449,7 @@ public class RefMetaDataTracker {
         addValues("xxx", VariantContext.class, contexts, rodList, curLocation, requireStartHere, takeFirstOnly);
     }
 
-    private <T> List<T> addValues(final Collection<String> names,
+    private <T extends Feature> List<T> addValues(final Collection<String> names,
                                   final Class<T> type,
                                   final List<T> values,
                                   final GenomeLoc curLocation,
@@ -425,7 +463,7 @@ public class RefMetaDataTracker {
         return values;
     }
 
-    private <T> List<T> addValues(final String name,
+    private <T extends Feature> List<T> addValues(final String name,
                                   final Class<T> type,
                                   final List<T> values,
                                   final RODRecordList rodList,
diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/variantutils/VariantsToTableNewRodStyle.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/variantutils/VariantsToTableNewRodStyle.java
index 575daa19d..b8c6fd530 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/variantutils/VariantsToTableNewRodStyle.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/variantutils/VariantsToTableNewRodStyle.java
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ public class VariantsToTableNewRodStyle extends RodWalker<Integer, Integer> {
             System.out.printf("VariantList binding %s tags=%s%n", binding, binding.getTags().getPositionalTags());
 
         if ( ++nRecords < MAX_RECORDS || MAX_RECORDS == -1 ) {
-            VariantContext vc = variants.getFirstValue(tracker, context.getLocation());
+            VariantContext vc = tracker.getFirstValue(variants, context.getLocation());
             if ( (keepMultiAllelic || vc.isBiallelic()) && ( showFiltered || vc.isNotFiltered() ) ) {
                 List<String> vals = extractFields(vc, fieldsToTake, ALLOW_MISSING_DATA);
                 out.println(Utils.join("\t", vals));
diff --git a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/RefMetaDataTrackerUnitTest.java b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/RefMetaDataTrackerUnitTest.java
index 7ae1ed3be..28da4a8f0 100644
--- a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/RefMetaDataTrackerUnitTest.java
+++ b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/RefMetaDataTrackerUnitTest.java
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ import org.broad.tribble.Feature;
 import org.broad.tribble.dbsnp.DbSNPCodec;
 import org.broad.tribble.dbsnp.DbSNPFeature;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.BaseTest;
+import org.broadinstitute.sting.commandline.RodBinding;
+import org.broadinstitute.sting.commandline.Tags;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.contexts.ReferenceContext;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.refdata.features.table.TableFeature;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.refdata.utils.GATKFeature;
@@ -181,7 +183,7 @@ public class RefMetaDataTrackerUnitTest {
         testSimpleBindings("B", tracker, test.BValues);
     }
 
-    private void testSimpleBindings(String name, RefMetaDataTracker tracker, RODRecordList expected) {
+    private <T> void testSimpleBindings(String name, RefMetaDataTracker tracker, RODRecordList expected) {
         List<Feature> asValues = tracker.getValues(Feature.class, name);
         List<GATKFeature> asFeatures = tracker.getValuesAsGATKFeatures(name);
 
@@ -207,8 +209,8 @@ public class RefMetaDataTrackerUnitTest {
     }
 
     @Test(enabled = true, dataProvider = "tests")
-    public void testGetters(MyTest test) {
-        logger.warn("Testing " + test + " for getFirst() methods");
+    public void testGettersAsString(MyTest test) {
+        logger.warn("Testing " + test + " for get() methods");
         RefMetaDataTracker tracker = test.makeTracker();
 
         for ( String name : Arrays.asList("A+B", "A", "B") ) {
@@ -226,6 +228,27 @@ public class RefMetaDataTrackerUnitTest {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test(enabled = true, dataProvider = "tests")
+    public void testGettersAsRodBindings(MyTest test) {
+        logger.warn("Testing " + test + " for get() methods as RodBindings");
+        RefMetaDataTracker tracker = test.makeTracker();
+
+        for ( String nameAsString : Arrays.asList("A", "B") ) {
+            RodBinding<Feature> binding = new RodBinding(Feature.class, nameAsString, "none", new Tags());
+            List<Feature> v1 = tracker.getValues(binding);
+            testGetter(nameAsString, v1, test.expected(nameAsString), true, tracker);
+
+            List<Feature> v2 = tracker.getValues(binding, locus);
+            testGetter(nameAsString, v2, startingHere(test.expected(nameAsString)), true, tracker);
+
+            Feature v3 = tracker.getFirstValue(binding);
+            testGetter(nameAsString, Arrays.asList(v3), test.expected(nameAsString), false, tracker);
+
+            Feature v4 = tracker.getFirstValue(binding, locus);
+            testGetter(nameAsString, Arrays.asList(v4), startingHere(test.expected(nameAsString)), false, tracker);
+        }
+    }
+
     private List<GATKFeature> startingHere(List<GATKFeature> l) {
         List<GATKFeature> x = new ArrayList<GATKFeature>();
         for ( GATKFeature f : l ) if ( f.getStart() == locus.getStart() ) x.add(f);