huti homing in on asnavy’s commitment to environmental stewardship. huti at gtmo u.s. naval...

HUTIAsHoming in on

at GTMOU.S. Navy & The Toledo Zoo Cooperate to Study a Little-known Rodent

Presenting the 2007 CNO Environmental Awards Navy Initiates Potomac Shoreline Stabilization Obtaining Tank System Certifications at North Island

HUTIAsHoming in on

at GTMOU.S. Navy & The Toledo Zoo Cooperate to Study a Little-known Rodent

Presenting the 2007 CNO Environmental Awards Navy Initiates Potomac Shoreline Stabilization Obtaining Tank System Certifications at North Island

C O V E RThe environmental staff from the U.S. Naval Station, GuantánamoBay Cuba are partnering with personnel from The Toledo Zoo tostudy a little-known rodent—the hutia—with the hopes ofkeeping their population healthy without compromising theStation’s mission.Photo by Candee Ellsworth

8Homing in on Hutias at GTMOU.S. Navy & The Toledo Zoo Cooperate to Study aLittle-known Rodent

Currents (ISSN 1544-6603) is the official environmental magazine of the U.S. Navy, Chief of NavalOperations Environmental Readiness Division (N45). Participating Commands include the NavalAir Systems Command (NAVAIR), the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), theNaval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP).

This magazine is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Statementsmade in the N45 Outlook column reflect the official environmental policy of the Navy. The contentsin the remainder of the magazine are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S.Government, the Department of Defense, or the United States Navy. Inclusion of any product orservice in any Currents feature article does not constitute an endorsement by the Navy. The Navyencourages all readers to check with the appropriate supervising authority prior to using anyproduct or service mentioned in the magazine.

Article submissions should be submitted through the appropriate Command representative using theCurrents article template. The Security and Policy Review (SPR) must be completed by the indi-vidual Commands before Currents management can consider an article for publication. All otherinquiries may be addressed to the management of the magazine.

Browse the Currents archives and subscribe to the magazine at NAVAIR’s environmental web siteat www.enviro-navair.navy.mil. Currents is also available on the Defense Environmental Network& Information eXchange at www.denix.osd.mil via “Publications/Source/Navy/Currents” and“Publications/Frequency/Quarterly/Currents”. Please contact Lorraine Wass, Currents’ DistributionManager, with any changes to mailing addresses or shipping quantities.

The Navy’s Environmental Magazine • Summer 2008

C H I E F O F N A V A L O P E R A T I O N S

DirectorEnvironmental Readiness DivisionRear Admiral Lawrence S. Rice

C U R R E N T S S T A F F

Managing EditorBruce McCaffrey

Bruce McCaffrey Consulting, [email protected] • 773-376-6200

Contributing WritersKathy KelleyCordelia Shea

Art DirectorVictoria Bermel

Graphic ArtistAmy Jungers

Distribution ManagerLorraine Wass

[email protected] • 207-384-5249

E D I T O R I A L B O A R D

Chief of Naval OperationsEnvironmental Readiness Division

Andy Del [email protected] • 703-602-4497

Naval Facilities Engineering CommandAssociate Editor

Kathi [email protected] • 805-982-4899

Naval Air Systems CommandBob Hicks


Naval Sea Systems CommandDeborah Verderame


Naval Supply Systems CommandBonnie Pyett-Mora


F E A T U R E S

16 NAVAIR Enhances the ESA ModelMore Data Promote a Better Sense of the ESOHFootprint of Naval Aviation Maintenance

26 Obtaining Tank System Certificationsat North IslandProfessional Certifications Result in Corrective ActionWork, Better Facility Management

40 Navy Initiates PotomacShoreline StabilizationOff-shore Breakwaters & Sills WillPrevent Erosion at NSF Indian Head

50 Presenting the 2007 CNOEnvironmental AwardsCompetition Recognizes ExceptionalNavy Environmental Stewardship

D E P A R T M E N T S4 N45 Outlook

Filling Communication Gaps Can Support the Navy’sTraining & Warfighting Mission

7 Best Shot

31 Trends of the Environment

26

50

16

Welcome to the summer 2008 issue of Currents.As the deadline for this column comes aroundeach quarter, I sometimes ask myself whetherI’ll have a sufficient number of new and

exciting insights to share with Currents readers. While thetopics of sonar, marine mammals and Navy’s environ-mental stewardship have been much discussed in thisforum and elsewhere, I believe keeping our Navy environ-mental team up to speed on the latest developments inthese areas is vitally important for meeting one of ourgreatest challenges: communication.

Shrike ShockI’ll begin with a personal example. When I first realizedthe amount of money that the Navy spends on threatenedand endangered species, I was shocked to learn that wecommit almost $6 million per year. Equally shocking isthe fact that $2 million of those dollars go to protect arare bird living on only one island (San Clemente Island)that happens to be an important training range. Theloggerhead shrike is thriving there, while at the same timeour training continues at a high operational tempo. Even as someone deeply involved inenvironmental matters, I only recentlylearned of the magnitude of this program,so my guess is the general public is notaware of it or the many other species theNavy is saving. This reflects the fact thatwe’re a great steward of the environment,but historically we haven’t done a verygood job of getting that story out.

Information GapMany of our Sailors are not as informed as they should beabout our environmental programs. Earlier this year, Ispoke with a first class petty officer whose command was arecent winner of the Secretary of the Navy environmental

awards. I asked himwhether he was awarehis unit had won theaward, and he had noidea. When I asked ifhe knew of anyprograms that mighthave been candidatesfor such an award,again he had no clue.This award was not agood news story—itwas a great news story,and despite that, hischain of commandhadn’t even informedtheir own people about their success. How can we expectto spread our message to the public if we aren’t communi-cating it internally? If we are to be successful, it is impera-tive that the Navy leadership pass the word down the chainso we’re all informed and can serve as ambassadors of ourenvironmental successes.

Defense Media—It’s a StartAs we’ve begun to ramp up efforts to communicate ourmessage over the past few months, we’ve been fairly

4 Currents S U M M E R 2 0 0 8

Filling Communication Gaps Can Support the Navy’s Training & Warfighting Mission

N 4 5 outlook

My guess is the general public is not aware of (the loggerhead

shrike) or the many other species the Navy is saving.

successful in reaching out to military-oriented publicationssuch as Defense Daily, Joint Forces Quarterly, Jane’s, and ofcourse Currents. In combination with personal communi-cation from senior leadership, these are great vehicles forinforming the Navy and other internal groups about ourprograms. However, because the general public doesn’tsubscribe to these publications, we have to do a better jobof reaching out to the American citizen through massmedia outlets. The general public needs to know our sideof the story in order to make informed decisions about theissues, instead of hearing only single-sided versions prof-fered by a few environmental organizations based on anemotional appeal.

Public Speeches, Media InterviewsRight now I’ve got speaking engagements planned allover the country, meeting with Navyaudiences as well as external groups suchas volunteers at the Channel IslandsNational Marine Sanctuary in California.Speaking with media representativescontinues to be a priority for me as well.I look forward to all these opportunitiesto tell the Navy’s story.

Science Organizations Can Helpwith Unbiased FactsWhile successful communication on sonar will require aconcentrated Navy effort, the issue can’t be solved by theNavy alone. Right now, the vast majority of informationbeing published about sonar in the press is factually incor-rect, and we have to work hard to counter that byproviding real facts. The public expects the Navy to stickup for sonar, but our message will become much morecredible if we encourage science organizations andrespected educational institutions to speak up and say whatthey know. Getting that factual, science-oriented informa-tion from unbiased entities out in the press will present adrastically different picture than what we’re seeing themajority of the time.

As we continue seeking solutions to communicate moreeffectively on all fronts, here is a sampling of environ-mental progress areas Navy personnel should know about.

Environmental PlanningThe Navy presently has tenshort-term exercises to plan forunder the current nationaldefense exemption (NDE) to theMarine Mammal Protection Act.Long-term, comprehensive envi-ronmental planning for the AtlanticFleet Active Sonar Training areas on theeast coast, the Southern California Training RangeComplex, and the Hawaii Training Range Complex is ontrack for completion by the NDE expiration date of 23January 2009. These three are the most complex and chal-lenging training areas to complete documentation for, asthey represent approximately 75 percent of the Navy’smid-frequency active sonar activities annually.

Lean Six Sigma EventsAs we move ahead with planning for these major rangesand operating areas on a very tight timeframe, Navy envi-ronmental planners and senior leadership have alsobegun a series of 11 Lean Six Sigma (LSS) events forimproving environmental planning documents. Thegroup has so far developed and participated in three LSSevents. The first was “quality assurance/quality control,”seeking improvements by defining minimum standardsfor what documents should contain, and the second was“review and approval,” where participants mapped outthe entire document development process and sought tostreamline steps and eliminate redundancy. A third eventis “community management,” focusing on the require-ments to ensure sufficient numbers of trained environ-mental planners will be available in the future to keepNavy’s ability to train and test on track. LSS participants

S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 Currents 5

N 4 5 outlook

The vast majority of informationbeing published about sonar inthe press is factually incorrect.

are presently analyzing the recommendations from thesefirst events, and will proceed with the next eight eventsas feasible over the coming year.

I appreciate the hard work the Navy environmental plan-ning community has been doing over the past year, andrecognize the difficulty of conducting extensive LSS eventswhile at the same time trying to meet unusually aggressiveschedules for crucial environmental planning documents.However, I’m optimistic that once implemented, therecommendations of this group will allow the Navy todevelop better quality documents more quickly, whichshould in turn make deadlines easier to meet and increasedocument consistency.

Environmental StrategyThe Chief of NavalOperations EnvironmentalReadiness Division (N45)team supported developmentof the Department of theNavy Environmental Strategy,which the Honorable B.J.Penn, Assistant Secretary ofthe Navy for Installations andEnvironment, recently issuedin April 2008. This strategy will help us to:

� Strengthen the link between our warfighting missionand environmental stewardship,

� Empower our personnel to help the Navy further its roleas an environmental leader,

� Integrate environmental stewardship with Navy opera-tions, acquisitions, and installation management, and

� Build partnerships here and abroad to more effectivelymeet our environmental goals.

The N45 team is also working with the Navy’s SonarIntegrated Coordinating Group, which was formed tospecifically develop a plan for sonar activities in support ofthis environmental strategy. We hope to have this plan final-ized in the next few months and use it as the way forwardfor sonar training issues. We will work to keep you updatedon our progress.

Navy Earth Day: Sustaining Our Environment,Protecting Our FreedomNavy Earth Day took place on 22 April 2008, withcommands worldwide participating in shoreline cleanups,environmental fairs, tree plantings and other activities onand around that date to commemorate the 38th anniver-sary of the original Earth Day event and showcase theNavy’s commitment to environmental stewardship.Previews of this year’s Navy Earth Day events are listed inthis issue of Currents, and a follow up feature with photosand more details is scheduled for the following issue ofthe magazine.

Training is Key, Communication Can SupportIn summary, we remain focused on realistic warfightertraining whenever and wherever needed, and the subset ofthat is compliance with all applicable environmental lawsand regulations. Whether the specific issue is a rangecleanup, working through a sonar issue, or making itpossible for an amphibious assault ship to operate respon-sibly without worrying about where its ballast water isgoing or carrying invasive species, realistic training is theumbrella we’re operating under. Communicating effectivelyabout our strong environmental commitment within theNavy family, and especially with the public at large, willsupport that training requirement by raising awareness andincreasing our credibility in the environmental arena. �

Rear Admiral Lawrence S. RiceDirector, Environmental Readiness Division


N 4 5 outlook

Communicating effectively about ourstrong environmental commitment

will raise awareness and increase our credibility in the environmental arena.

I took this photograph at the Jim Creek Naval Radio Stationduring a biological survey of the amphibians and reptiles ofthe station. The station also acts a wonderful location withnational forest beauty that includes a mountain lake.

I was fortunate enough to run in to this male sooty grouse(Dendragapus fuliginosus) during the height of mating season. This species was previously known as the bluegrouse until 2004 when the species was designated as twoseparate species.

This fine looking male was more interested in me as a rivalmale during breeding season than as a potential predator.He purposefully sat atop a stump “drumming” in the openas I slowly approached to take his picture. He held hisground until he had enough of me and moved fartheraway to continue drumming.

The light was right and subject majestic—a perfect combina-tion for a great photograph. I used a Nikon N60 with a300mm lens. My exposure was 1/250th of a second at f/5.6.

O N EO FM Y

Photo by Paul Block � Ecologist � Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic � [email protected]

Submit your own Best Shot to Bruce McCaffrey, Currents’ managing editor, at [email protected].

Best Sh ts


HUTIAsHUTIAsHoming in on

U.S. Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, Cuba

at GTMOThe Navy & The Toledo Zoo Partner to Study a Little-known Rodent

Photo by Candee Ellsworth

Most residents of GTMO have had atleast one encounter with the noto-rious “banana rats” while on theStation. These large lumberingrodents are common fixtures of thebackyards and forests of GTMO, butthey are not rats. They are hutias—


HE ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF FROM THE U.S. NAVAL STATION, GUANTÁNAMO BAY,

CUBA (GTMO) ARE PARTNERING WITH PERSONNEL FROM THE TOLEDO ZOO TO STUDY A

LITTLE-KNOWN RODENT—THE HUTIA (CAPROMYS PILORIDES)—WITH THE HOPES OF

KEEPING THEIR POPULATION HEALTHY WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE STATION’S MISSION.Tone of the two types of native terres-trial mammals surviving in the WestIndies besides bats (two species ofsolenodons, primitive insectivores,survive on Cuba and Hispaniola). Onmany islands, including Cuba, theyare the remnants of a vanished

Desmarest’s hutia comes in a variety of colors—brown, auburn and even silver.

Photo by Peter Tolson

Photo by Linda Fleuren

T


mammalian fauna that once included monkeys and even ground sloths.Closely related to the South American nutria, they remainthe most widespread, diverse and conspicuous of the indige-nous mammals of the Western Caribbean Islands.

Antillean hutias are at a crisis point in their survival. Fifteen of the 27 speciesknown to science have become extinct, and most of the 12 species whichremain extant are seriously endangered. Although Cuba has fared better thanthe other Antilles (nine of the 15 species of Cuban hutias once described arestill living) the status of the remaining taxa, exclusive of Desmarest’s hutia,Capromys pilorides, is dismal. Of the 13 hutias species in the West Indies, fivespecies are listed as critically endangered, four species are listed as vulnerableand four species, including Capromys pilorides, are listed as lower risk. Sixspecies have become extinct in historical times.

The Basics About GTMOU.s. nAvAl stAtionGuantanamo Bay (GTMO), Cuba,serves as the cornerstone of U.S. mili-tary operations in the CaribbeanTheater providing logistics support toboth U.S. Navy and Coast Guardvessels and aircraft, and to assets ofthe assigned Joint Task Force (JTF)—Guantanamo. The Station is on thefront lines of the battle for regionalsecurity and protection from drugtrafficking and terrorism, and protec-tion for those who attempt to maketheir way through regional seas inun-seaworthy craft. The base protectsthe ability of U.S. Navy and CoastGuard ships to operate in theCaribbean operating area withsupplies and support for their opera-tional commitments.

There are a number of separatecommands operating atGuantanamo Bay. GTMO is respon-sible for all facilities and variouslogistical matters in support ofStation operations. The JTF is atenant command at GTMO whichhas carried out the Detainee Missionof the Global War on Terror since theSeptember 11, 2001 terroristattacks. JTF GTMO is an integralcomponent of Operation EnduringFreedom, tasked with the care andcustody of detained enemy combat-ants and the collection and dissemi-nation of strategic intelligencesupporting the Global War on Terror.

Hutia are the remnants of a vanished mammalian fauna that once included

monkeys and even ground sloths.


Complicating the conserva-tion outlook is the fact thatwhile there are areas of Cubawhere hutia populations haverisen to densities great enough tobecome a nuisance, there areother areas where their numbershave plummeted. All species ofhutias are protected in Cuba andalthough hunting is prohibited,protection is rarely enforced.Desmarest’s hutia is the speciesthat resides at GTMO, and thereare areas on the Station wherethey are quite common. Theythrive in the harsh environmentson the Station, especially in thearid coastal semi-desert habitatknown as cactus scrub.

The placid behavior and delib-erate movements of hutias oftenresult in the mistaken impressionthat they are stupid. But this isfar from the case. They have anintricate social network—livingin extended family groups thatrest together in a large tree orcactus during the day andventure out together at night toforage. They communicate by aseries of whistles, much likeguinea pigs. Somewhat territorial,

The Basics About the HUTIASize: Capromys pilorides is the largest speciesof hutia. Adult body mass ranges from three toseven kilograms with a body length of 30 to 40centimeters (about the size of a large opossum).

reproduction: Capromys piloridesbreeds at all times of the year with an apparentpeak in June. Usually one or two precocial (able tomove around, well-furred, with eyes open) youngare born after a gestation of 120 to 126 days. Theyreach sexual maturity in approximately ten months.

physiology: Campromys have themost complex stomach morphology found in anyrodent. Their stomach is divided into three chambers.Like rabbits, they are coprophagous, re-ingestingfeces to gain additional nutrition and water.

lifespan: Capromys pilorides has lived upto 17 years in zoos; lifespan in the wild is unknown,but certainly extends to several years. Two of theGTMO study hutias, “Summer” and “Pedro”, werecollared as adults in 2005 and are still alive.

diet: On the Station, Capromys pilorides feedson leaves of West Indian boxwood (Phyllostylonbrasiliensis), red mangrove (Rhizphora mangle),fruits of fiddlewood (Citharexium fructicosum),strongback (Bourerria ovata), bark of the gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba) and stems of the organpipe cactus (Stenocereus hystrix) among others.

hAbitAt: In Cuba, Capromys piloridesinhabits all forest types, including montane forest(subtropical moist broadleaf forest) and subtrop-ical dry forest. On GTMO, Capromys pilorides canbe found at the base of rocky cliffs, legume forest,Phyllostylon forest and cactus scrub.

rAnge: Capromys pilorides is a Cuban en-demic, but is found over the entire island, includingthe Isla de Juventud and several offshore cays.


Toledo Zoo staff attach radiocollars to

a pair of sedated hutias.

Toledo Zoo veterinarianWynona Shellabarger

finishes the examinationof a pair of hutias.Photo by Peter Tolson

Project staff trapped hutias in Havahart box traps.Photo by Candee Ellsworth


they mark their home ranges with small piles of banana-shapedfeces and urine which is why local residents now refer to thehutia as the “banana rat.”

Hutias are mainly vegetarian, but they are not averse to munchingon an occasional lizard as part of their diet. On the Station, theyprimarily feed on tree leaves, including mangrove, fruits and bark,but can also be seen at night grazing on the tender shoots of newgrasses along the roadside. During GTMO’s harsh dry season,hutias use vegetation as their primary water source and maycompletely girdle large trees in the process. Unfortunately, theysometimes don’t make a distinction between the native vegetationand the succulent plants that GTMO residents use as ornamentalplantings. To make matters worse, they are also known to gnaw

Toledo Zoo conservation biologistCandee Ellsworth radiotrackshutias in the Cuzco Hills.Photo by Peter Tolson

A baby hutia shows no difficulty in climbing a spiny cactus.Photo by Peter Tolson

on spark plug wires, radiator hoses andfiber optic cables. This makes for somehuman-hutia conflicts, which need to bemediated in order for the Navy and theJTF to accomplish their missions atGTMO. Recently, representatives from theNavy and The Toledo Zoo met to developa hutia management plan for the Station.Little is known about any species of hutia,so the Navy and its partners have aunique opportunity to collect valuabledata that may one day be considered inthe forefront of hutia research.

To begin exploiting this opportunity, theteam realized that a study to estimatehutia numbers on the Station had to beconducted along with the development ofa population model.


From GTMO toTOLEDOhow do you get from GTMOto Toledo? Via the U.S. Marines. PeterTolson, now Director of Conservation andResearch at The Toledo Zoo, was in theMarine Corps and stationed at GTMOfrom 1968 through 1969 where hedeveloped a love of the Cuban boa(Epicrates angulifer). Later, Tolson becamean expert on West Indian boas and hasacted as an environmental consultant forthe Navy at Naval Station RooseveltRoads, Naval Security Group ActivitySabana Seca and Isla Vieques. Over time,the Zoo and its scientists became moreand more involved in conservationprojects in the West Indies and now boast a 25-year history of conservation efforts in the region. In 2000, Tolson and hiscolleagues had an opportunity to study Cuban boas at GTMO and have been working on the Station ever since. Their studyof hutias was a natural outgrowth of their efforts to collect habitat and movement pattern data on the Cuban boa.

U.S. Army veterinarian Capt. Stephanie Hall cradles aradiocollared hutia.Photo by Peter Tolson

A large Cuban boa swallows ahutia at Cuzco Beach, GTMO.Photo by Peter Tolson

The team will be using avariety of methods toassess hutia numbers,including plot counts,transects and scat countsin a variety of GTMO habi-tats, including forests,mangroves, and cactusscrub. Plot counts aresimply the act of countingevery hutia within adefined area.

With the help of Stationvolunteers, the NaturalResources Office begancutting trails through sixfour-acre plots selected torepresent the major hutiahabitats on the Station.These trails allow Natural Resources personnel to performvisual counts of hutia groups residing in everything fromcactus scrub to forest. Transect counts, in contrast, simplyinvolve walking along a randomly-selected line through ahabitat, counting hutias and measuring the perpendiculardistance of their position from the center line of the tran-sect. Using transect and scat counts, Cuban researchersworking on the Peninsula de Guanahacabibes BiosphereReserve (an area ecologically very similar to GTMO) deter-

mined that natural Capromys densities range from five toten hutias per hectare (approximately 2.5 acres). It is notsurprising that they found hutias to be more common inundeveloped areas.

While simple population estimates might give a snapshot ofhutia numbers at a given time, the long term persistence ofa healthy hutia population depends not only on numbers,but on the status of some of the critical life history parame-ters of this unique rodent:


Another Partnership with the TOLEDO ZOOfor informAtion About another successful partner-ship between the Navy and The Toledo Zoo, read our article entitled“Toledo Zoo & Navy Partner to Study Cuban Boa: Researchers Use GIS &Other Technology to Collect Biological Data” in the winter 2007 issue ofCurrents. You can subscribe to the magazine or browse the Currentsarchives by visiting the Naval Air Systems Command’s environmental website at www.enviro-navair.navy.mil. Currents is also available on theDefense Environmental Network & Information eXchange atwww.denix.osd.mil via “Publications/Source/Navy/Currents” and“Publications/Frequency/Quarterly/Currents.”

� Fecundity (number of offspring a female produces at a reproduc-tive event),

� Reproductive success,

� Time between each successive generation,

� Age structure (relative numbers of each age class in the population),

� Dispersal success (ability to colonize new habitats),

� Survivorship/age-specific mortality, and

� Several other factors.

The team is hoping that the population model is a way to predict thelong-term consequences to the hutia population of a particularmanagement activity at GTMO—not always an easy task.

Because the hutia is the primary prey of the Cuban boa and fills animportant role in the dry forest ecosystem, the Station needs to main-tain a delicate balance between adequate hutia numbers and over-grazing of vegetation and damage to property and infrastructure.Coupled with data obtained from radiotelemetry, the team will be ableto calculate home ranges and set some scientifically-based goals for

maintaining hutia numbers. This will allow forthe implementation of the appropriate manage-ment strategies for both developed and undevel-oped areas of the Station.

In the interim period, the Station’s environ-mental staff is conducting outreach to Stationpersonnel on ways to reduce conflicts withhutias, including utilization of native plants forlandscaping, lectures and even publication of abrochure on hutias. Hopefully, all of these effortswill keep the hutia population healthy withoutcompromising GTMO’s mission. �


Peter TolsonThe Toledo Zoo419-385-5721, [email protected]

Chris Petersen Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic757-322-4560DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T SHutias are known to gnaw on

spark plug wires, radiator hoses and fiber optic cables.

Hutias love to rest in the shady branchesof large trees like this lignum vitae.



More Data Promote a Better Sense of the ESOH Footprint of Naval Aviation Maintenance

The Environmental SystemsAllocation (ESA) Model, adatabase that providesdetailed insight intohazardous materials (HM)

usage and hazardous waste (HW)generation across the Naval AirSystems Command (NAVAIR), nowcontains data from 30 installations andis concluding its most successful yearof data collection and analysis yet.

ESA is an analytical databasetool that capturesEnvironmental, Safety, andOccupational Health (ESOH)information from Operational(O), Intermediate (I), andFleet Readiness Center (FRC)(formerly Depot (D)) levelaircraft maintenance opera-tions throughout NAVAIR.NAVAIR’s EnvironmentalPrograms Department (AIR-1.6) utilizes the ESA Modeland its output in conjunctionwith process and regulatoryrequirements to better under-stand and assess Fleet envi-

ronmental impacts for legacy plat-forms and to help plan for new acqui-sition. The model is also utilized inResearch and Development (R&D)efforts, regulatory analyses, and avariety of other projects for whichaviation maintenance material usageinsight is valuable.

ESA now provides detailed insight intoHM usage and HW generation at over

30 NAVAIR installations. These instal-lation usage and generation data areprocessed and loaded into the ESAdatabase annually and related toaircraft basing information, activityworkload data, material constituentdata, and various other datasets. Theselinked datasets, accessed via robustquerying capabilities, result in apowerful and practical tool whose datamay be accessed from a variety ofapproaches or perspectives, as illus-trated in the conceptual model below(see Figure 1).

FIGURE 1: ESA conceptual modeldepicting various perspectives andapproaches to accessing ESA data.

NAVAIR Enhances the

ESA Model


CY06 Model & OutputRecently, three reports were developed to analyze and assessCalendar Year 2006 (CY06) HM usage and HW generationdata captured in the new version of the ESA Model:

� The ESA Model CY06 Data Report,

� The ESA Model CY06 Rotary Wing Aircraft Report, and

� The ESA Model CY06 TacticalAircraft Data Report.

These documents discuss the ESAModel and methodology andprovide “big-picture” synopses ofthe data contained in the newCY06 model. Figure 2 depicts thelocations of installations whosedata were incorporated into ESAlast year. Figure 3 displays thefavorable trend in data capture thatESA has achieved in recent years.

Since the establishment of the ESAModel by AIR-1.6 and the NavalFacilities Engineering ServiceCenter (NAVFAC ESC), the modelhas been incrementally expandedand enhanced, with several note-worthy improvements over the

FIGURE 3: ESA data collection rate from 1999 to 2006.

past several years. Usage and generation data from the O, I,and FRC/D levels incorporated into the model can now beallocated to the 30 plus aircraft platforms maintained byNAVAIR. This enables analysis of the complete maintenancematerial profile of a given aircraft platform, from squadronupkeep through Depot-level work. Data can also now bequeried by “class” of aircraft (e.g., rotary wing, tactical, trainer,cargo) to provide more general or comparative insight.

FIGURE 2: Locations of installations whose CY06 data are incorporated into ESA.


TABLE 1: Top 10 Materials Used—Rotary Wing Aircraft, O & I Levels (ESOH*)

Rank NSN Material Name CY06 Pounds NAVAIR-wide Rank1 6850001817594 Cleaning compound, engine gas path 108,657 2

2 9150002316676 Lubricating oil, aircraft turbine 21,628 1

3 6850012360128 Cleaning compound, aircraft 17,904 3

4 6850SE1000093 Solvent, emulsion cleaner 17,380 20

5 6850013705245 Cleaning compound, engine gas path 15,460 21

6 6810002270410 Isopropyl alcohol, ACS 14,895 19

7 6850012350872 Cleaning compound, aircraft 14,745 6

8 7930009353794 Polish, plastic 14,716 10

9 6850002745421 Dry cleaning solvent 12,927 8

10 9150006815999 Lubricating oil, aircraft turbine 10,912 13

[Based on data collected for 72 percent of NAVAIR’s rotary wing aircraft]

* The ESA output is filtered to exclude materials that are not ESOH-relevant. (Materials with no chemical constituent appearing on a regulatory list are excluded from the output.)

Most recently, reports have been developed that pair the outputdata with relevant comparative results (e.g., H-60 data can becompared with aggregate NAVAIR rotary wing aircraft data orF/A-18 data with aggregate NAVAIR tactical aircraft data).

To illustrate, Tables 1 and 2 compare NAVAIR rotary wingaircraft data and NAVAIR tactical aircraft data, respectively,with NAVAIR-wide data encompassing all NAVAIR platformsin ESA. Tabular and graphical output such as this can provideProgram Managers, Environmental, Safety and OccupationalHealth (ESOH) coordinators, the R&D community and otherswith information not otherwise available.

Table 1 indicates the top three materials/National StockNumbers (NSN) utilized in the O and I maintenance ofNAVAIR rotary wing aircraft (encompassing nine NAVAIRplatforms) are the same top three materials utilized in allNAVAIR aircraft (over 30 platforms), albeit in a slightlydifferent order. But beyond these top three, the remainderof the most used rotary wing aircraft O and I maintenancematerials clearly varies from those employed in the O and I

A CH-46D Sea Knight transfers ordnance from fast combat support ship USS BRIDGE (AOE-10) to the USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) during a vertical replenishment. The ESA database contains hazardous waste and material data on the CH-46 program.U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Elizabeth Thompson


An SH-60 Seahawk hovers above the amphibious assault ship USS NASSAU (LHA 4). Hazardouswaste and material data associated with the Seahawk comprise a portion of the ESA database.U.S. Navy photo by LTJG Anthony Falvo

A CH-53E Super Stallion prepares to land on the flight deck to transfer elements from the Second Marine Expeditionary Brigade to the amphibious assaultship USS BATAAN (LHD-5). Hazardous waste and material data associated with the Super Stallion comprise a large percentage of the ESA database.U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Angel Roman-Otero

maintenance of all NAVAIR platforms.(As indicated, the pounds listedreflect 72 percent of NAVAIR’s rotarywing aircraft; the remaining 28percent correlates to NAVAIR rotarywing aircraft based overseas, at AirForce installations or at installationsotherwise not incorporated into theESA Model.)


TABLE 2: Top 10 Materials Used—Tactical Aircraft, O & I Levels (ESOH*)

Rank NSN Material Name CY06 Pounds NAVAIR-wide Rank1 9150002316676 Lubricating oil, aircraft turbine 166,113 1

2 8010013744336 Remover, paint 32,175 5

3 9150004580075 Lubricating oil, general purpose 26,780 7

4 9150001497432 Hydraulic fluid, fire resistant 21,064 11

5 8040HZ0012634 Adhesive 18,383 14

6 6810002865435 Isopropyl alcohol, technical 16,964 4

7 8010HZ0012382 Epoxy primer water bourn 8146 15,587 17

8 9150001806290 Hydraulic fluid, fire resistant 14,391 12

9 7930013424145 Cleaning compound, solvent 13,258 15

10 7930009353794 Polish, plastic 12,758 10

[Based on data collected for 90 percent of NAVAIR’s tactical aircraft]

* The ESA output is filtered to exclude materials that are not ESOH-relevant. (Materials with no chemical constituent appearing on a regulatory list are excluded from the output.)

The EA-6B Prowler is a twin engine, mid-wing aircraft designed for carrier-based operations to provide an umbrella of protection for strike aircraft by jamming enemy radar, electronic data links and communications. Hazardous waste and material data associated

with the Prowler comprise a large percentage of the ESA database.U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Joshua KarstenA U.S. Marine KC-130 Hercules prepares for its next mission while

another aircraft takes off on a mission to transport Marines.The ESA database contains data on the hazardous waste and materials associated with the Hercules program since 1999.U.S. Marine Corps photo by Chief Warrant Officer William D Crow

Table 2 indicates the top materials/NSNs utilized in the Oand I maintenance of tactical aircraft (encompassing sixNAVAIR platforms) is the same as the top material utilizedin all NAVAIR aircraft (over 30 platforms). But beyond thiscommonality, the remainder of the most used tacticalaircraft O and I maintenance materials varies significantlyfrom those employed in the O and I maintenance of allNAVAIR platforms. (As indicated, the pounds listed reflect90 percent of NAVAIR’s tactical aircraft; the remaining 10percent correlates to NAVAIR tactical aircraft based over-seas, at Air Force installations or at installations otherwisenot incorporated into the ESA Model.)

Looking ForwardESA is coming off the most successful year to date—a yearin which more than 90 percent of the installationsrequested provided their usage and generation data.Incorporation of this data into the model equates to about83 percent of all Navy and Marine Corps aircraft—apercentage that greatly enhances the confidence placed inthe analyses and assessments that draw upon ESA data.

ESA has evolved into a mature, valuable and reliable asset forNAVAIR and the Navy, and is well positioned for the future.The development team will continue to build upon thesuccesses of the past years to keep ESA viable and robust. �


ESA Fact Sheet Available on the Web

an ESA fact sheet, entitled “The Environmental Systems Allocation (ESA)Program: Helping Programs Appreciate the Environmental Impacts of

Their Operations” is available via the NAVAIR environmental web site. Thisfact sheet is intended to demonstrate to acquisition program and facilitymanagers how ESA can provide them with the information necessary toreduce and properly manage the use of hazardous materials in their mainte-nance operations.

Visit www.enviro-navair.navy.mil (select “fact sheets”) to view electronic(pdf) copies of the ESA and other fact sheets produced by AIR 1.6.Hardcopies of all fact sheets are available by contacting Bob Hicks at 301-757-2148 or [email protected].

Eric FriedlNaval Facilities Engineering Service Center805-982-3688DSN: [email protected]

Bob HicksNaval Air Systems Command301-757-2148DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T S

An F/A-18 Super Hornet has its arresting gear down prior to landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63).ESA contains hazardous waste and hazardous materials data associated with the Hornet since 1999.U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Adam Cobb

Wetlands are a natural defense against storm water,providing erosion protection during storms.

Naval Air Station (NAS)Key West, FL is one ofthe largest landownersin the Florida Keys,with over 6,300 acres

of land spread out over 17 locations. Alarge portion of that land is undevel-oped wetlands. As good stewards ofthe environment, NAS Key West takesseriously the long-term managementof these wetlands.

Wetlands play an extremely importantrole in the ecosystem because they’rea natural defense against storm water,providing erosion protection duringstorms. They also filter sedimentationand nutrients out of storm waterrunoff before it enters surface waters,helping to maintain good near shorewater quality. Finally, the wetlandenvironment is an ideal habitat formany different species of wildlife.

Proper management of wetlands willnot only help to protect surroundingcommunities, it will preserve, enhanceand create a habitat for a variety ofwildlife, creating an aestheticallypleasing natural environment with

educational value.

One of the mechanisms used by theDepartment of Defense to provide forthe conservation of natural resources atU.S. military installations is the prepara-tion and implementation of anIntegrated Natural ResourcesManagement Plan (INRMP). TheINRMP provides a tool for managing theinstallation’s natural resources withoutinterfering with the military mission.

NAS Key West has had an INRMP inplace since 2001, and just updated itin 2007. The installation’s environ-mental staff is working hard to achievethe 17 objectives outlined in the planthrough implementation of severalwetlands projects.

In 1994 and again in 2005, NAS KeyWest completed extensive ecologicalsurveys of all the installation’s prop-erty including its wetlands. “Thesesurveys identified the locations andextent of infestation of invasive,exotic vegetation within our wetlandhabitats,” said George Kenny, NASKey West Natural Resources Manager.“We then use this information to

prioritize where to expend ourresources to fight the encroachmentof exotic vegetation into wetlands onthe installation.”

“We have been removing exotic vege-tation from the station’s propertieswith the assistance of the FloridaDepartment of EnvironmentalProtection (DEP) and the Florida KeysOffice of the Nature Conservancysince about 1995,” said NAS KeyWest’s Environmental Director EdwardBarham. “The base has receivedapproximately a half million dollars ingrants from the Florida DEP.”

Jeanette Hobbs, project manger of theFlorida Keys Environmental RestorationTrust Fund is impressed by the workdone at NAS Key West. “They have agreat exotic plant removal project thatis very effective,” she stated.

In addition to removing exotics, NASKey West is also reversing the damagecaused by decades of human develop-ment. “Placing fill material in wetlandsto create commercial and residentialbuilding lots and roads was in highgear in the 50s, 60s and 70s in theFlorida Keys,” said Barham. “We haveidentified many of these historicwetland areas on our property and havedeveloped projects to restore them backto functioning wetlands.”

22 Currents S P R I N G 2 0 0 8

NAS Key West Conserves Its

WetlandsEnvironmental Plan Involves Many Tactics

areas we will restore to ensure we do not impact the militarymission of NAS Key West.”

The station currently has three projects underway to restoreand enhance approximately 14.5 acres of wetlands. Currently,these sites are either infested with exotic vegetation or unvege-tated empty lots providing no wetland functions. “When weare done, they should be productive mangrove wetlandsproviding habitat to wildlife,” says Barham. “We also haveseveral other projects in the design phase and, as fundsbecome available, we hope to continue restoring these areas.”

Natural Resource Manager Kenny is also planning to testout prescribed fire as a management tool. “I’m reallyexcited about our latest project, a study to see if we canuse prescribed fire to maintain wetlands,” he says.

Fire is a process that occurs naturally in all habitatsincluding wetlands. Ignited by lightning, fires clear theforests’ floor of debris, recycling nutrients and encouragingnew plant growth. Prescribed fire mimics the naturalfrequency of lightning-caused fires.

S P R I N G 2 0 0 8 Currents 23

The same site with the exotic vegetation removed. The dominant plant on the site is yellowtop (Flaveria sp.), a native plant found in disturbed wetlands. The next phase of restoring this site is to remove the fill down tothe elevation of the adjacent mangrove wetlands (seen in far background).

A filled wetland infested with Australian pines (Casuarina spp.),an invasive, exotic vegetation in August 2005.

Another area with fill and debris (old power poles) to be removed down to the elevation of the adjacent mangrove wetlands in the background. The mangroves are red, white and black mangroves

(Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa, and Avicennia germinans).

“An important reason for restoring wetlands is to preservetheir function as a primary habitat for local species,” Barhamadded. “However, we are very careful in determining which

“An important reason for restoring wetlands is to preserve their function as a

primary habitat for local species.”—Edward Barham

“Prescribed fires are an inexpensive and environmentallyfriendly method for controlling vegetation and promotinggrassland habitats for various species like the endangeredLower Keys marsh rabbit,” said Chris Bergh of theNatural Conservancy.

“In April 2007 we conducted our first prescribed fire in twowetland areas on our airfield,” reported Kenny. Working incooperation with the Nature Conservancy and Texas A&MUniversity, the staff burned two wetland areas to gauge theeffectiveness of prescribed fire for maintaining vegetativegrowth in areas around runways, reducing invasive andexotic vegetation, and improving forage and cover habitatsfor wetland-dependent species such as the federally endan-gered Lower Keys marsh rabbit.


Fire is a process that occursnaturally in all habitats including wetlands.

Prescribed fire on Boca Chica Airfield.

Nature Conservancy fire crew during prescribed fire.

According to Jeanette Hobbs, about one-third of all thethreatened or endangered species living in the U.S. rely insome way on wetlands.

With the help of NAS Key West, the Keys EnvironmentalRestoration Project has managed to return more than 1,000acres to pristine, productive wetlands over the past 25 years.With the continued dedication of the NAS Key West staff, thatnumber is sure to climb even higher in the years to come. �


Wetlands immediately after fire.

The same wetlands area six months after prescribed fire.

High-quality wetlands on Boca Chica Airfield NAS Key West.Plants are spikerush (Eleocharis sp.) in the foreground and green buttonwoods (Conocarpus erectus) in the background.

Jim BrooksNaval Air Station Key West, FL305-293-2425DSN: [email protected]

Edward BarhamNaval Air Station Key West, FL305-293-2911DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T S


The process of obtainingprofessional certification oftheir hazardous waste tanksystems at the Naval AirStation, North Island

(NASNI) Hazardous Waste Facility(HWF) required a substantial amountof corrective action work, which inturn resulted in a significant improve-ment in facility operations.

Since 1998, many states have requiredfacilities that store hazardous waste toobtain professional certification of theirtank systems. Certification provides forbetter protection of the environment,plus it helps to maintain the life of theunit and demonstrates how the facilityis achieving the regulatory standard forstructural integrity, corrosion protec-tion and operational control.

NASNI is part of the largest aerospaceindustrial complex in the Navy, the57,000-acre Naval Base Coronado inSouthern California. The HWF atNorth Island consists of an IndustrialWaste Treatment Plant (IWTP) and anOil Recovery Plant (ORP). Thecurrent IWTP was built in 1994, andthe ORP was completed in 1996. Thedesign engineer provided a brief certi-fication statement for each plant,referring details to the constructiondocuments. The plants are operatingunder a 1998 permit which is validfor ten years.

The Goals of ProfessionalCertificationThird party Professional Engineer (PE)certifications are required by law

during initial unit construction, modi-fication and closure and/or every fiveyears. The certification provides forbetter protection of the environmentand helps to create a safer work envi-ronment by reducing the risks ofexposure to hazardous waste or ofcatastrophic equipment failure. Thecertification documentation is criticalwhen evaluating a unit for compli-ance, or investigating an incident andare required for permit renewal.

The 2008 permit renewal has a total of36 active tank structures associatedwith the HWF operations, some ofwhich is legacy equipment. A prelimi-nary evaluation revealed that eachtank system had deficiencies, somerequiring substantial repairs. The tankand ancillary equipment was segre-gated into system components andcertified on an individual basis. Tankunit deficiencies included:

� Incomplete seismic evaluation andseismic repairs and structuralcalculations;

Obtaining Tank System Certifications at

NorthIslandProfessional Certifications Result inCorrective Action Work, Better FacilityManagement

The certification provides for better protection of the environment and helps to create a

safer work environment by reducing the risks of exposure to hazardous waste.

� Inadequate corrosion protection for waste properties andinternal coating failures; and

� Lack of secondary containment coatings, calculations andoperational controls not to exceed the design capacity.

Addressing the DeficienciesThe Navy addressed seismic deficiencies by hiring engi-neering firms and directing the use of the most currentstandards from the Uniform Building Code and AmericanPetroleum Industry for evaluation and repairs. Structuralmodifications included:

� The repair of grout pads where anchor bolt locations didnot have threads projecting above the nut,

� Additional pipe supports for upper wastewater piping,

� Additional cross-bracing to support angle columns,

� Additional anchor bolts to resist lateral loads, and

� The addition of flexible couplings on suction lines.


NASNI HWF complex and pipelines.

North Island HWF ORP pipelines and leak detection panels.

To address corrosion protection, an engineering firmspecializing in the area performed a study on the oily wasteand industrial waste tank coatings. The corrosion studyfound that some components of the oily waste tanks could

not be coated, causing very high protection requirementsfrom the wetted surface. Because the oily waste containssolids, areas of the tank where these solids tend to settlesuffered over 20 percent metal loss, requiring repairs.Sacrificial anodes, or metal rods, were added to several ORPunits to reduce damage from the highly saline waste. As afirst line of defense, these anodes are dissolved by the wastebefore the waste begins to corrode the tank’s interior.Though the use of anodes is a partial solution, their userequires more frequent internal inspections and removal ofsettled solids.

The study also found that some IWTP tanks’ internal coat-ings failed due to the wide pH range of their contentsduring the treatment phases. However, coating industryproducts have improved in recent years and complete newcoating systems were applied to the interior of several tanksystems. The coatings were applied under the supervisionof an independent coating expert, and subsequent internalinspections of the tanks after 18 months of usage foundlittle or no deterioration of the new coating, which resultedin an extended PE certification.

Secondary containment corrections addressed capacity andprotective coatings to provide an impervious barrier.

The PE was required to use the most conservative methodfor achieving the required capacity standard, such asassuming the area sump pumps were inoperable and theuse of positive shut-down to filling a tank beyond thecalculated threshold.

Selection of an epoxy resin coating system for theconcrete surfaces required compatibility with organics,inorganics, reactives and corrosives. The coating systemwork description detailed appropriate surface preparationand coating application procedures for the various


The corrections took five years and more than

one million dollars tofinalize, and were completed without

disruption of services.

Oily waste filter press containment coating system repairs.

Photo by Christina Graulau

North loading/unloading pad to IWTP.Photo by Christina Graulau

North loading/unloading pad after5,000-gallon sump modifications.Photo by Christina Graulau

Oily waste dissolved air flotation tank repairs with sacrificial anode installation and new interior coating.Photo by Christina Graulau

coating layers, including crack sealant and jointcompounds. Use of a coating system expert to assist withdeveloping the work description and overseeing theapplication quality was essential.

The tank ancillary equipment includes the loading andunloading pads and the influent (incoming) oily wastedelivery system. The influent waste delivery systemincludes oily waste pump stations, piping with pier riserconnections and a leak detection system. Corrections to theemergency containment on the loading/unloading padsinvolved installing sumps to handle the capacity of thelargest vehicle compartment and raising the berm height.

Corrections to the three pump stations resulted in a majorrepair on each unit. Two legacy pump stations previouslyretrofitted in 1996 with a high density polyethylene (HDPE)liner required patches or replacement. A new pump station,installed without a construction certification, required retro-fitting with a new liner, additional containment at an expan-sion joint and re-routing of a steam vault sump pumpeffluent line. A variety of integrity testing methods (spark,smoke, dye, air and hydrostatic) were used as part of theHDPE liner integrity testing and the work was documentedin a unit-specific major repair certification.

Due to the size and complexity of the system, the ORPpiping was divided into four major sections for repairsand certifications. Integrity testing of the interstitial space,including the use of helium tracer testing, revealed theareas requiring corrective action. Repairs includedupgrading the processor firmware, upgrading the leakdetection cable interface cards, excavating buriedmanholes and cutting into the secondary containment toupgrade sections of cable. A copy of the leak detectionsoftware was purchased with guidance by the manufac-turer to enable the staff to perform a more timely anddetailed analysis of the system. The entire oily wastepipeline was certified on a single PE certification.

A Long & Arduous TaskThe corrections took five years and more than onemillion dollars to finalize, and were completed withoutdisruption of services to the fleet and shore customers.The PE certifications help to maintain the life of the unitby ensuring the operation, inspections and repairs areconducted and implemented. These certifications consoli-date objective evidence to show how the facility isachieving the regulatory standard for structural integrity,corrosion protection and operational control.

Although some deferred maintenance contributed to thecost of the upgrades and repairs, a considerable portion of


Pitting in IWTP tank requiring metal repairs.Photo by Sharlene Hower

IWTP bolt corrosion requiring repairs.Photo by Sharlene Hower

Close-up of recovered oil tank underside lip sealing.

Photo by Christina Graulau

Recovered oil tank underside lip sealing.Photo by Christina Graulau

them were directly attributable to poor initial design andconstruction. Future designs will include the featuresrecently installed and will simplify routine maintenance,reducing the need for costly upgrades and repairs. �


Close-up of retrofitted oily waste HDPE riser repair.Photo by Christina Graulau

Major repair to pump station concrete T-Lock liner.Photo by Sharlene Hower

Flexible coupling and additional piping support seismic retrofits.Photo by Christina Graulau

Cross bracing seismic retrofits on theindustrial waste sludge day tank.Photo by Christina Graulau

View of oily waste filter press area showing curb after increased height (not shown in detail) from building rainfall gutter discharge.Photo by Christina Graulau

Christina GraulauCommander Navy Region Southwest619-532-2274DSN: [email protected]

Sharlene HowerHower Engineering619-571-8056DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T S

RITS Offered Again This FallTraining for Innovative Site Cleanup OfferedTwice a Year

The Remediation Innovative Technology Seminar (RITS) isbeing offered again this fall. RITS provides training on newand innovative technologies, methodologies and guidanceunder the Navy’s Environmental Restoration Program.

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC)sponsors RITS in coordination with its Facilities EngineeringCommands and the Engineering Service Center. RITStraining serves as one of many ways the Navy promotesinnovative technologies to achieve site restorations more effi-ciently, cost effectively and with higher performance.

While the RITS is primarily for the Navy’s EnvironmentalRestoration and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)professionals, it is also available to other Department ofDefense personnel, the Navy’s environmental cleanupcontractors and environmental regulators. Registration forcontractors is limited to those currently working in theNavy’s Environmental Restoration Program. Contractorsmust provide their current Navy contract number and theirNavy point of contact when they register.

Two seminars are conducted each year—one in the springand one in the fall. The announcement for each seminar isdistributed via email and also posted on the program’s webpages. To find the RITS pages on the NAVFAC Portal, visithttps://portal.navfac.navy.mil. Once there, select “NAVFAC >NAVFAC Worldwide (under “Organization”) > Eng. ServiceCenter (under “Specialty Centers”) > Environmental (under

“Technical Departments”) > Environmental RestorationDivision (under “Environmental Department”) > then clickon the “RITS” link for the fall 2008 seminar announcement.

Training venues are conveniently located near six majorNAVFAC Facilities Engineering Commands:

1. Atlantic/Mid-Atlantic,

2. Washington,

3. Southeast,

4. Pacific,

5. Southwest, and

6. Northwest.

Each seminar is a well-rehearsed day of intense guidanceand instruction specifically designed for Remedial ProjectManagers and the contractors and regulators with whomthey work. Topics are selected by keeping a pulse on thelatest developments in the cleanup world. RITS personnelalso get input from their students, who are asked to suggesttopics for future seminars on an evaluation form.

RITS presenters are experts in their respective fields. Theirhands-on experience is evident in presentations that arestructured to focus on what the student can take home anduse now. Students receive a handbook that includes speakerbios, glossary, acronyms and a hardcopy of each presenta-tion. The technical content, presenters and logistics forRITS sessions consistently receive excellent ratings. �


Robert KratzkeNaval Facilities Engineering Service Center805-982-4853DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T

The RITS home page on the Environmental Restoration and BRAC Portalincludes the seminar overview and a link to latest seminar announcement.

RITS is one of the ways the Navypromotes innovative technologies

to achieve site restorations more efficiently, cost effectively and with higher performance.

T R E N D S of the environment



Navy to Participate inInternational Coral ReefSymposiumScientific Symposium is KeystoneEvent of IYOR 2008

The U.S. Navy will be participating in the11th International Coral Reef Symposium(ICRS) in Fort Lauderdale, FL on 7–11July 2008. Held every four years, ICRS isthe world’s major coral reef sciencemeeting. This year’s event has the addeddistinction of being recognized as akeystone event within the InternationalYear of the Reef (IYOR) 2008.

As described in overview materials, “theICRS is devoted to the best reef scienceavailable, with the purpose of sharingscientific findings with government agen-cies, resource management and non-government organizations throughoutthe world.”

The Atlantic Undersea Test andEvaluation Center (AUTEC) will sponsor a booth at thesymposium to provide information about AUTEC’s CoralReef and Temperature Monitoring programs. The booth willalso stock other Navy and Department of Defense coralreefs hand outs and project materials.

Two AUTEC researchers are co-authors on two publicationsthat will be presented at the ICRS. Marc Ciminello and TomSzlyk have collaborated with Phillip Kramer from theNature Conservancy on Sugarloaf Key, FL on the Spatial andTemporal Patterns in Response in Stony Corals to ClimateChange Stress on Andros Island Reefs, Bahamas and withBrooke Gintert and Nuno Gracias from the University ofMiami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric

Science, on Long-term Spatiotemporal Dynamics of BenthicOrganisms at Andros Island Reefs.

The symposium is sanctioned by the International Societyfor Reef Studies (ISRS) and ISRS members enjoy a reduced registration fee. (For ISRS information visithttp://www.fit.edu/isrs/index.html.) Full attendee registra-tion includes daily lunch vouchers, admission to all

scientific sessions, lectures, opening and closing cere-monies, welcome reception, coffee breaks, closing banquet,daily shuttle service between hotel and convention center,one copy of the conference proceedings and eligibility toregister for field sessions. Only registered attendees andguests can participate in the field sessions. Full registrationfor ISRS members is $565 in advance or $595 on-site. Non-members pay $595 in advance or $630 on-site. Registrationforms can be downloaded or registration submitted onlineat http://www.nova.edu/ncri/11icrs/registration.html. �

Marc CiminelloNaval Undersea Warfare Center Detachment Atlantic

Undersea Test and Evaluation Center561-832-8655, x-7217DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T

This year’s event has the addeddistinction of being recognized as a keystone event within theInternational Year of the Reef.

Photo by Dr. James P. McVey,NOAA Sea Grant Program

NAVFAC Atlantic ConductsSpill Response Workshops inEurope & AfricaWorkshops Enhance Planning & Preparedness

From home ports to foreign ports, whenever a Navy assettakes on fuel, there is always a risk of a spill. Although thefrequency of spillage is low, the impact of an oil spill from aNavy asset can be environmentally and politically adverse,and directly impact the execution of the mission.

In an effort to minimize the ramifications of a hazardoussubstance spill, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command(NAVFAC) Atlantic is providing hands-on support for Oiland Hazardous Substance (OHS) spill response planningand preparedness to European Community (EUCOM) andAfrican Community (AFRICOM) nations via the DefenseEnvironmental International Cooperation (DEIC) program.

NAVFAC Atlantic’s Environmental Compliance and ServicesBranch provides support in OHS response planning andpreparedness to Navy installations, and specifically to NavyOn-Scene Coordinators (NOSC) throughout the NAVFACAtlantic Area of Responsibility (AOR). In recent yearsNAVFAC’s primary customers have been Commander NavyRegion Europe (CNRE), Commander Navy RegionSouthwest Asia and NAVFAC Europe and Southwest Asia.

In early 2006, NAVFAC Atlantic expanded its outreach,providing in-house support through CNRE for the devel-opment and execution of five OHS Spill ResponsePlanning and Preparedness Workshops to the governmentsof Bulgaria, Romania, Azerbaijan, Ghana, and Senegal.

These workshops included presentations on topics such as:

� Cleanup methods;

� Environmental sensitivity mapping;

� U.S. Navy equipment resources and cleanup method-ology in water and on land;

� Spill organization and management; and

� Host nation capabilities.

The presentations were followed by a facilitated tabletopexercise.

The participants discussed spill scenarios and their depen-dency on third party national support or other resourcesthat may or may not have been available to assist if the inci-dent had been real. The workshops

highlighted the need for improving the current readinessposture and the elements needed to muster the capabilitiesrequired to address a significant spill.

These efforts were outside of mainstream duties, and werecompletely created and executed by a core NAVFAC/CNRE team funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defensethrough the DEIC Program. The program was managed byEUCOM and in 2008 is being managed by AFRICOM.

In addition to the small core team, technical experts fromthe Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration and ResearchPlanning, Inc. participated in specific workshops.

The workshops are strategically beneficial to the U.S. Navy,as they assist nations within the AOR increase their responsepreparedness posture. This enhanced preparedness reducescoordination issues as well as cleanup cost and responsetime in nations where installation support and commerciallyavailable response equipment is limited or non-existent.

Additionally, the program benefits the U.S. Navy by exercisingthe Navy’s capabilities using NOSC plans. Through theseworkshops Navy members gain experience understanding thehost nation’s diverse organizational structures, culture,processes, capabilities, and communication challenges.

Not only have these projects furthered the Center for NavalEngineering objectives of Theater Security Cooperation,Maritime Domain Awareness and Maritime Safety andSecurity, they have aided in building partnerships withdeveloping countries in Africa, Europe and Southwest Asia.

Under the auspices of AFRICOM, the program continues toexpand, with three spill response workshops scheduled for2008—one in Mozambique, one in Cape Verde and one inSevastopol, Ukraine, a port in the Black Sea.

The future is bright for continued NAVFAC support of the DEIC program. There are 92 countries within theEUCOM/AFRICOM AOR. By year’s end, the program willhave touched eight of them. �

Brian LeeNaval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic 757-322-4753DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T



SERDP & ESTCP AnnouncePlans for AnnualEnvironmental SymposiumExpanded Technical Program & Training to Focuson DoD’s Environmental Challenges

The Partners in Environmental Technology TechnicalSymposium & Workshop, sponsored by the StrategicEnvironmental Research and Development Program(SERDP) and the EnvironmentalSecurity TechnologyCertification Program (ESTCP),will be held 2–4 December 2008,at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel inWashington, D.C. This year’sSymposium & Workshop hasbeen expanded to a full three-dayformat featuring 13 technicalsessions and six short courses.

The Program The opening Plenary Session will feature Amory Lovins, aMacArthur Fellow and consultant experimental physicisteducated at Harvard and Oxford who has advised the energyand other industries for more than three decades as well asthe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Departmentof Defense (DoD). He has led the redesign of $30 billionworth of facilities in 29 sectors for radical energy and resourceefficiency and is the Cofounder, Chairman, and Chief Scientistof Rocky Mountain Institute, an independent, market-oriented, entrepreneurial, nonprofit, nonpartisan think-and-dotank that creates abundance by design. The Wall Street Journalnamed Mr. Lovins one of 39 people worldwide “most likely tochange the course of business in the ‘90s,” and Newsweek haspraised him as “one of the Western world’s most influentialenergy thinkers.” His 28th book, Small Is Profitable, anEconomist book of the year, was published in 2002, and hisPentagon-cosponsored 29th book, Winning the Oil Endgame,in 2004. Other keynote speakers will include officials fromindustry and the DoD. SERDP and ESTCP PrincipalInvestigators who have helped DoD achieve its mission whileimproving its environmental performance also will behonored during the Plenary Session as the annual SERDP andESTCP Project-of-the-Year Awards are announced.

The Plenary Session will pave the way for the start of thecomprehensive technical program. Technical sessions willhighlight research and innovative technologies that are

assisting DoD to address increasinglycomplex environmental challenges.Throughout the three days, short courseson select technologies in the environmentalrestoration and munitions management focusareas will offer unique training opportunities onrecent advancements. Following is the preliminary list oftechnical sessions and short courses.

Technical Sessions� Monitoring and Mitigation of Vapor Intrusion from

Contaminated Groundwater

� Recent Advances in Characterization and Remediation ofDense Nonaqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) Source Zones

� Management of Contaminated Sediments: The Path toRisk-Based Remedial Action Decisions

� Approaches for Mitigation of Upland Soil Source Zones

� Military Munitions and Munitions Constituents in theUnderwater Environment

� Munitions Response: Taking Technology to the Field

� Munitions Response: Advances in Science and Systems

� Bio-Based Fuels for DoD Weapons Systems

� Replacement of Hexavalent Chromium in DoDManufacturing and Maintenance Activities: HardChrome Plating and Surface Treatments

� Replacement of Hexavalent Chromium in DoD Manufac-turing and Maintenance Activities: Primers and Sealants

� Net Zero Installations: Energy and Beyond

� Marine Mammals and Military Operations

� Post-Recovery Management of Listed Species

Short Courses� Principles and Practices of In Situ Chemical Oxidation

� Decision Guide for the Management of DNAPLs

� Management of Contaminated Sediments: Capping andMonitored Natural Recovery Approaches

� In Situ Bioremediation of Perchlorate in Groundwater

� Introduction to the Classification of Military Munitions

� Introduction to the Visual Sample Plan UnexplodedOrdnance Module

The SponsorsSERDP is DoD’s environmental science and technologyprogram, planned and executed in partnership with DOEand the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with partici-pation by numerous other federal and non-federal organiza-tions. To address the highest priority issues confronting theServices, SERDP focuses on cross-service requirements and



pursues high-risk/high-payoff solutions to DoD’s mostintractable environmental problems. The development andapplication of innovative environmental technologiessupport the long-term sustainability of DoD’s training andtesting ranges as well as significantly reduce current andfuture environmental liabilities. The program focuses onfour areas: Environmental Restoration, MunitionsManagement, Sustainable Infrastructure, and WeaponsSystems and Platforms.

ESTCP is DoD’s environmental technology demonstrationand validation program. Its goal is to identify, demonstrate,and transfer technologies that address DoD’s highest priorityenvironmental requirements. The program promotes innova-tive, cost-effective environmental technologies throughdemonstrations at DoD facilities and sites. These technologiesprovide a return on investment through improved efficiency,reduced liability, and direct cost savings. ESTCP selects lab-proven technologies with broad DoD application for rigorousfield trials documenting their cost, performance, and marketpotential. ESTCP technology demonstrations address DoDenvironmental needs in the Environmental Restoration,

Munitions Management, Sustainable Infrastructure, andWeapons Systems and Platforms focus areas.

Additional InformationFor additional information, please visit www.serdp-estcp.org/symposium, send an e-mail to [email protected] call the Symposium Contact Line at 703-736-4548. Ifyou would like to receive the technical program and regis-tration brochure and are not yet in the SERDP/ESTCPmailing database, please subscribe at www.serdp.org orwww.estcp.org or send an e-mail to [email protected]. �


Valerie EisensteinSERDP and ESTCP Support [email protected]

C O N T A C T

As you might imagine, it’s quite a challenge to keep the Currents distribution current. Many of our military subscribers move from one assignment to another almost as often as we publish the magazine.

If you have moved recently, or if you would like to be removed from our distribution list, please contact Lorraine Wass, our Distribution Manager at [email protected] or 207-384-5249. You can also contact Lorraine if you would like more copies of the magazine.

If you’ve missed an issue, you can always browse our archives on the Naval Air Systems Command’s environmental web site at www.enviro-navair.navy.mil. Currents is also available on the DefenseEnvironmental Network & Information eXchange at www.denix.osd.mil via the “Publications/Source/Navy/Currents” and “Publications/Frequency/Quarterly/Currents” links.

Are You Moving?Let Us Know!


Volunteers Help Restore NABLittle Creek DunesEfforts Help to Stabilize Training Areas

Personnel from the Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) LittleCreek, VA and Sailors from its resident commands cametogether on 28 March 2008 to help plant 1,000 sprigs ofAmerican beach grass in a recently rebuilt dune area nearthe Little Creek outdoor range.

“In order to repair and rebuild abreakwater located just offshoreand adjacent to the outdoorrange, staff was required toallow a breach in the dune areain January 2008,” said TraycieWest, Natural ResourcesSpecialist at NAB Little Creek.

During the construction, sanddunes were torn down andrebuilt and were becomingunstable due to lack of vegeta-tion. Thanks to a special LittleCreek fund for beach stabiliza-tion projects, West was able topurchase the beach grass for$500. After a call out to resi-dent commands of Little Creek,

she was able to get 45 volunteers to help plant the grass ina short amount of time.

“We were able to plant the dune and, due to the largenumber of volunteers, several other bare areas onsurrounding dunes as well,” said West.

“I feel really good about coming out and volunteeringknowing it’s keeping the base and its training area missionready,” said OS2 Califano from Assault Craft Unit Four.

The particular dune that was rebuilt also serves as one ofthe natural barriers between the outdoor firing range and


Other Cooperative Efforts to Replant Seagrasses

for insights into other cooperative efforts to replant sea grasses, read our storiesentitled, “The River is Back: Air Force, Navy & National Aquarium Restore Native

Seagrasses” in our spring 2004 issue, “Combining Security With EnvironmentalRestoration: Unique Partnerships Reap Benefits” in our fall 2005 issue and “BringingSea Life Back to Little Creek: Planting Sea Grasses While Maintaining MissionReadiness” in our summer 2006 issue.

You can subscribe to the magazine or browse the Currents archives by visiting theNaval Air Systems Command’s environmental web site at www.enviro-navair.navy.mil.Currents is also available on the Defense Environmental Network & InformationeXchange at www.denix.osd.mil via “Publications/Source/Navy/Currents” and“Publications/Frequency/Quarterly/Currents.”



MC1 Amie GonzalesNaval Amphibious Base Little Creek757-462-8423DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T

the adjacent waterway. Its integrity is important to main-taining safety at the range.

“By this time next year, you will never know the dunes wererebuilt. We wanted to get to it before it prevented trainingmissions. At high tide, there was no beach here. We’re anamphibious base; landing on the beach is what we do.”

According to West, the project couldn’t have been completedwithout the cooperation of base security, Port Operations, thestaff of Rodriguez Range and the volunteers who came outfrom Naval Special Warfare Group Two, Tactical Air ControlSquadron 21, USS GUNSTON HALL (LSD 44), Assault CraftUnit Four, Combat Service Support Detachment andExpeditionary Combat Readiness Command.

Volunteers from several resident commands on NAB Little Creek work with the Public Works Department’s Environmental Division to plant 1,000

American beach grass sprigs on a recently rebuilt dune in order to prevent erosion.Photo by Ship’s Serviceman Seaman Katrina Santistevan

At high tide, there was no beach here. We’re an amphibious base; landing on the beach is what we do.”

—Traycie West, Natural Resources Specialist, NAB Little Creek

West is planning to continue this project as far down thebeach as it will be needed. �


Bethesda Dining Facility GoesGreenFirst Military Facility to Receive Green RestaurantCertification

The National Naval Medical Center’s (NNMC) diningfacility in Bethesda, MD, known nautically as the galley,became the first military facility to earn certification fromthe Green Restaurant Association (GRA).

CDR Linda Hite, Bethesda’s Combined Food Servicesdepartment head, said prior to becoming certified as a greengalley, Bethesda annually produced over 350,000 Styrofoamwaste products, all of which were non-biodegradable.

“Before the certification, we were looking for healthier alter-natives and different ways to eliminate the amount ofwaste,” Hite said.

Environmental Consultant Lisa Gregory, from Bethesda’sEnvironmental Program Division said the certificationresulted from a number of efforts executed by thecommand, including:

� Doing away with all Styrofoam products,

� Acquiring a food compost service,

� Increasing the size of food sandwich wraps, and

� Implementing reusable cups.

“By replacing the Styrofoam and composting food waste, weare now able to contribute in ways that are very good forthe environment,” Gregory said. “The galley is now usingbiodegradable products along with food compost that willeventually be turned into fertilizer.”

Gregory said in addition, customers will be able to make aone-time purchase for the cost of a reusable cup that willenable them toavoid purchasingdisposable cupsevery time theyvisit the galley.

“If customersbring thereusable cup oran equivalent-sized mug theywill not becharged for theregular cost of adisposable cup,”Gregory said.

Latonya Nimmons, environmental program manager forBethesda’s Environmental Program Division, said, “Thegalley’s certification is the first step in a plan to make theBethesda campus more environmental friendly. Teachingstaff members different ways to accomplish the goal ofbecoming green is important.”

“Our goal is to make Bethesda a green installation,”Nimmons said. “Environmental education is a paramountcomponent of the green process.”


The Basics About the Green Restaurant Association

GRA is a non-profit national environmental organi-zation founded in 1990 which researches prac-

tical solutions to reduce environmental impacts of therestaurant industry.

GRA serves as a bridge to connect restaurants with envi-ronmentally-preferable products and services theirresearch includes communicating with manufacturers,distributors, utilities, government agencies, waste collec-tion companies and other organizations. GRA’s modelprovides a convenient way for all sectors of the restaurantindustry to become more environmentally sustainable.

For more information, visit www.dinegreen.com.

Compostable products now in use at the NNMC galley.

Photo by Lisa Gregory


S U M M E R 2 0 0 8

Currents

Currents is for YOU!So Tell Us What’s Happening in Your World!

We’re already planning our fall 2008 issue. And you can be a part of it! If you have a story that you want us to consider, you need to submit

your final text and images by 25 July 2008.

Your chances of being published in Currents are dramatically increased if you follow our article template. Simply request this easy-to-usetemplate by sending an email to Bruce McCaffrey, ourManaging Editor, at [email protected].

The power of your experiences is evengreater when you sharethem with our readers.

Bruce is available at 773-376-6200if you have any questions or wouldlike to discuss your story ideas

We look forward to reading yourstories about all the great workyou’re doing as the Navy’s stew-ards of the environment. BecauseCurrents is of, by and for you!

be proud of. We’re setting a new benchmark for whathospital galleys can accomplish.” �

Hite said galley customers should keep the bigger picture inmind, despite the costs associated in the process ofbecoming green. She said she hopes people will continue towant to take part in Bethesda’s becoming green process.

“People are initially shocked by the resultant increasedprices. It’s costing us more, too, but it’s the right thing todo,” Hite said. “Hopefully, we will encourage people tocontinue to take part in different ways, like bringing theirown silverware and cups from home.”

“Bethesda becoming the first and only certified green galleythroughout the military is remarkable,” Hite said. “This isthe President’s hospital after all. For Bethesda to be the firstgreen certified galley is something the whole command can

Christopher CoutureNational Naval Medical Center301-295-2515DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T


The Navy has initiated athree-year project to stabi-lize a seriously erodingshoreline that is endan-gering critical infrastruc-

ture at the Naval Support Facility(NSF) Indian Head, MD.

NSF Indian Head, located in CharlesCounty, MD, encompasses over 3,200acres, divided between the main baseand nearby outlying areas to includeStump Neck Annex, Bullitt Neck,Marsh Island and Thoroughfare Island.Approximately 17 miles of shorelinemake up the majority of the NSF IndianHead boundary, which is surrounded bythe Potomac River, Mattawoman Creekand Chicamuxen Creek.

In 2002, NSF Indian Head began tolook at ways to manage shorelineerosion to protect existing infrastruc-ture critical to the Navy’s mission,improve water quality and enhanceterrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat.The installation’s shoreline along thePotomac River has an average annualerosion rate of 1.5 feet per year,causing approximately 12,000 cubicyards of sediment per year to enter thesurrounding waterways. Wave actionfrom human and storm activity, storm


Off-shore Breakwaters & Sills WillPrevent Erosion at NSF Indian Head

water runoff, soil characteristics andgroundwater seepage all contribute tothe shoreline erosion at NSF IndianHead. In 2002, a ShorelineManagement Plan, based on a surveyconducted to assess and delineateshoreline erosion along all 17 miles ofshoreline at the installation, was final-ized. This plan prioritizes areas ofshoreline erosion and provides guid-ance for shoreline stabilization projectsat NSF Indian Head.

Hurricane Isabel took its toll on theshoreline at NSF Indian Head andStump Neck Annex in2003 and as a resultthe installationreceived $5.2million fromHurricane IsabelRelief funding inFiscal Year (FY) 04congressionalappropriations. Thefunding was used toprepare a ShorelineDevelopment Planand fund thedesign, permittingand construction ofPhase 0 and thedesign of Phase 1 NSF Indian Head.

of the ShorelineStabilizationProject. Additionalphases are plannedand dependent onfunding in FY09 and FY10.

A cooperative agreement was devel-oped with the Southern MarylandResource Conservation andDevelopment Board and the CharlesCounty Soil Conservation District toexecute Phase 0. Federal, state andNavy permitting for Phase 0 began in

Navy Initiates Potomac

ShorelineStabilization


naval Support Activity South Potomac (NSASP) wasestablished on 3 November 2005 as a component of

Naval District Washington. NSASP is one of five regionalcommands within the district charged with providing shoreinstallation management services for more than 20 sepa-rate locations within the National Capital area.

NSASP has oversight of four geographically separate loca-tions to include two major Navy shore installations—NavalSupport Facility Dahlgren,VA and Naval Support FacilityIndian Head, MD. In addition, NSASP provides installationsupport services for Navy property and commands located atAndrews Air Force Base, MD and at Fort Belvoir,VA.Altogether, NSASP serves as host to more than two dozenDepartment of Defense, Joint and Navy supported commandsand activities located on board NSASP installations.

The mission of the command is to provide effective andefficient shore installation management and support tomilitary organizations resident on NSASP installations and,as a result, enable supported commands to sustain combatreadiness. Shore installation management functions underNSASP authority encompass all land, buildings and supportservices. Shore installation support services managed byNSASP encompass the following functions:

The Basics About Naval Support Activity South Potomac� Personnel Support: Quality of Life: Morale, Welfare and

Recreation and Child Care

� Facility Support: Public Works

� Public Safety: Physical Security, Law Enforcement, FireDepartment

� Environmental Protection and Waste Management

� Supply: Materials management, property disposal, andwarehousing.

� Public Affairs

MissionThe mission of NSASP is to maintain combat readinessthrough effective and efficient shore installation manage-ment and support.

VisionNSASP intends to set the standard in Navy installationreadiness and common operating support by challengingassumptions with an eye toward innovative solutions.

Breakwater constructionalong the Potomac Rivershoreline at NSF Indian Headstarted in November 2007.The orange line in the wateris the turbidity curtain tocontrol sediment. The smallstone in the center of thebreakwater is the core stoneand the larger “armor”stone is placed over the coreto stabilize the breakwaterand minimize wave energythat reaches the shoreline.


Stabilization efforts will greatly reduce or eliminate impactsof wave action on the shoreline. As a result, approximately2,100 feet of shoreline will naturally stabilize. However,extensive erosion along a 1,500-foot section of the shorelinewithin Phase 0 will require bank grading to stabilize theslope and protect two office buildings within 35 feet of thetop of the shoreline.

Once the breakwaters and sillsare completed, an area ofapproximately 10.85 acres willbe filled behind the sills andbreakwaters. Approximately1.35 acres of intertidal vegetatedwetland habitat and 9.5 acres ofwetland habitat suitable forscrub-shrub, riparian floodplainforest and upland trees andshrubs will be created.Approximately 164,000 nativeplant and tree species will be

From this viewpoint looking toward thenortheast, NSF Indian Head occupiesnearly 2,000 acres at the end of apeninsula between the Potomac Riveron the left and Mattawoman Creek onthe right. The Stump Neck Annex of thebase, not visible here, accounts foranother 1,200 acres along the northernshore of Mattawoman Creek.

October 2004, but it became clear thatnumerous issues would need to be addressedincluding essential fish habitat (EFH), submergedaquatic vegetation (SAV), infrastructure protec-tion, cultural resources, endangered speciesrestrictions, tidal wetlands and explosive siteapproval. An Environmental Assessment (EA), resulting in aFinding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), was received in2006 for Phase 0.

Stabilization of Phase 0 began in November 2007. A seriesof breakwaters and sills along approximately 3,600 feet ofthe eastern shore of the Potomac River will be constructed.

A former roadway (foreground) is being undermined by shoreline erosion at NSF Indian Head that is

encroaching on technical facilities nearby.

Portions of the 17 miles of shoreline around NSF Indian Head are experiencing erosion

at a rate of 1.5 feet per year.


Gary WagnerNaval Support Activity South Potomac540-653-1475DSN: [email protected]

Seth BerryNaval Facilities Engineering Command Indian Head301-744-2273DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T S

planted, with the majority of the plantings to be conductedby volunteers coordinated through a partnership with theBaltimore National Aquarium.

Phase 0 is expected to take 12 to 18 months to completewith the majority of work being accomplished from offshorebarges to minimize impacts to mission operations. Obstaclesto meeting the construction schedule include inclementweather and low tides that prevent the movement of bargesclose enough to the structures to continue work.

An additional five million dollars was received in FY08 tocontinue shoreline stabilization at NSF Indian Head.Another cooperative agreement was developed with theSouthern Maryland Resource Conservation andDevelopment Board and the Charles County SoilConservation District to execute construction of Phase 1,which is anticipated to begin in December 2008 and willstabilize approximately 3,500 feet of the shoreline.

Permitting and design of Phases 2 and 3 have begun andthe EA is in the early stages of preparation. The same issuesencountered with permitting for Phase 0 are being revisited,with major concerns being driven by potential SAV andEFH impacts. The EA, signed FONSI and all permits areanticipated to be completed by September 2008. Fundingto execute the construction of Phases 2 and 3 will be

By the end of April 2008, the current phase of the shoreline restoration project was 60 percent complete.Sediment placement behind breakwater and sill continues. Bank grading and fill has begun and the Baltimore National Aquarium has begun recruiting volunteers to begin wetland plantings in mid-July.

Wave action from human and storm activity,storm water runoff, soil characteristics

and groundwater seepage all contribute to theshoreline erosion at NSF Indian Head.

received—five million dollars in FY09 and another fivemillion dollars in FY10. Construction of Phases 1, 2 and 3will follow the same stabilization methods utilized in Phase0. However, bank grading will not take place unless it isnecessary to protect infrastructure. �

Photos by Seth Berry


Members of Ship RepairFacility and JapanRegional MaintenanceCenter’s (SRF-JRMC)Environmental Office

recently tested a prototype paintingdevice with a little help from a USSKITTY HAWK (CV 63) Sailor.

The prototype device, made ofaluminum, is used to prevent paintfrom dripping into the water or ontothe ship’s deck during painting opera-tions. The hope is to prevent ordecrease reportable and non-reportable spills from entering theopen waters of Japan.

Seaman Lopez Fidel from the USSKITTY HAWK, said that he thoughtthe prototype worked. “I think it is agood device that we can use on theman lift. The big difference is thatbefore the paint usually dripped downinto the water or onto the ground.Now the paint just falls into the proto-type device.” he said.

The need for such a device came aboutwhen members of the facility’sEnvironmental Office noticed howmuch paint was dripping into the waterduring painting operations. SRF-JRMCpresented the prototype design idea tothe Field Activity Support and

Technology Transfer (FASTT) team. Theteam is dedicated to finding solutions toenvironmental and maintenance prob-lems. They contributed their own modi-fications to the design, and theEnvironmental Office accepted responsi-bility to test and evaluate the prototype.

Environmental Office Director ClarkHataishi assigned members of his officeto follow up on the FASTT recommen-dations and assigned a team to take careof the project. The team created atemplate from cardboard box pieces andduct tape, and then had a prototypemanufactured. The design just tested isan enhancement of the original request

made during fabrication but maintains amajority of SRF-JRMC requirements.

Since Sailors routinely use man lifts thatare designed to position personnel whilethey are painting, the new device neededto be sized to allow for maneuverability.“The office required that the device be ofan appropriate length to ensure the paintarea is not limited to the width of theman-lift,” said Jonathan Hook,Supervisory Environmental ProtectionSpecialist. Consideration was also givento the diverse nature of today’s military.“The weight of the equipment had to belight enough for one or two persons tohandle,” Hook added.

“The device was designed perfectly to fitthe man lift and worked as we

SRF–JRMC Tests

PaintingPrototypeDevice Catches Paint Drippings

Sailors from the aircraft carrier USS KITTY HAWK participated in the demonstration of a prototype device that is designed to prevent paint from dripping into the

water or onto the ship’s deck during painting operations.U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kyle D. Gahlau

expected,” explains EnvironmentalEngineering Technician Wade Mirick.“We are very satisfied with the result,but minor improvements can be made.”

The obvious benefit of using the deviceis the prevention of environmentalviolations. But being proactive aboutspills also demonstrates good environ-mental stewardship. The EnvironmentalOffice believes that everyone benefitsfrom every small effort made to preservenatural resources, and hopes that thenew device may be used for otherevents that potentially impact the openwaters of Japan. �


Sailor Lopez Fidel from the USS KITTY HAWK demonstrates how the new device works to prevent paint from dripping onto the deck.

Jonathan Hook, Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist, explains to USS KITTY HAWKSailors how to hook the device to the man lift as Wade Mirick, Environmental EngineeringTechnician, and Rei Isobe, Engineering Aide from the SRF-JRMC Environmental Office look on.

Keiichi AdachiShip Repair Facility and Japan

Regional Maintenance Center and Commander, Fleet Activities,Yokosuka, Japan

090-4433-1884DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T


Carting

HazardousMaterialsFRCSW Uses Carts to Reduce Costs,Eliminate Waste

Personnel from the FleetReadiness Center Southwest(FRCSW) recently devel-oped a portable hazardousmaterial (HAZMAT) cart

that provides workers the materialsthey need closer to their work station,which reduces wasted time and helpsimprove environmental compliance.

The development of the HAZMAT cartwas the result of a department-levelAIRSpeed initiative.

In an effort to reduce wasted timeemployees spent walking to, andwaiting in line to check outhazardous material, in the E2/C2aircraft production line’sAIRSpeed/lean team developed theidea to place commonly usedHAZMAT on a mobile, “Point ofUse” cart to reduce the loss ofproduction time.

Using AIRSpeed techniques, aircraftproduction shops provided input on theHAZMAT items that were commonlyneeded. The carts were created with cut-outs and labels for each item, so a quickvisual inspection can determine if anyitems were missing.

Artisans sign out the material notingthe time, serial number and aircraftworked on, and return it to the cartby logging it back in when finished.The carts are assigned to a work teamor production area. At the end of theproduction day, or when the job iscompleted, the HAZMAT cart isreturned to the Hazardous MaterialManagement System for re-stocking.This allows the command to trackhow much HAZMAT is used on anaircraft and more importantly, itallows for a more rapid recall ofHAZMAT if there is an emergency orthere is something wrong with the lotor batch. The command never loses

the ability to track HAZMAT back tothe process.

Not all of the material is needed byeveryone at the same time so theability to share within the productioncell works well.

For HAZMAT items that are used bymultiple people at one time, the quan-tity of the item is increased to meet thedemand. Some HAZMAT carts haveseveral containers of like items.

The driving force behind the adoptionof the HAZMAT carts was the wastedtime artisans had to be off the job andwait in line for HAZMAT to be issued.This valuable time is now divertedback to aircraft production.

Additionally, environmental compli-ance tracking was improved throughuse of the logbook attached to thecart. Material safety data sheets(MSDS), standard operating proce-dures (SOPs) and regulations used as aguide are on each cart.

Employees like the convenience.Managers like the improved efficiency.

Using AIRSpeed techniques, aircraft production shops provided input on the HAZMAT items

that were commonly needed.

Management has noticed a 25 percent reduction inHAZMAT purchases. Also, this initiative supports the“warfighter” by substantially increasing productivity, whichdecreases turnaround time, and gets the product back tothe customer faster.

FRCSW on Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego,CA, is one of six Navy-managed Fleet Readiness Centersand employs about 4,000 civilian, military, and contractorpersonnel, who work in a wide variety of skilled, technical,and professional positions. As an aviation maintenanceprovider specializing in support of Navy and Marine Corpsaircraft and components, FRCSW has the capability toperform major airframe modifications and repair on a widevariety of aircraft. �


Close-up of the basic HAZMAT cart on wheels for easy movement. Note the added consumables available for use.Included on the cart is a copy of the MSDS for each item and a utilization log for environmental compliance recording.Photo by Fernando Feliciano

E2/C2 aircraft team member Lloyd Baker reviews the procedure for checking out HAZMAT and completing the required documentation.Photo by Fernando Feliciano

Diane CorderoFleet Readiness Center Southwest619-545-5539DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T

As part of the Navy’scontinuing efforts tomanage energy and cutcosts, the Naval FacilitiesEngineering Command

(NAVFAC) Southeast awarded an esti-mated $45.2 million contract to theFlorida Keys Aqueduct Authority(FKAA) on 25 September 2007 tooperate and maintain six watersystems at Naval Air Station (NAS)Key West, FL as part of a 50-yearprivatization project expected to savetaxpayers over seven million dollars.

Mike Goldston, NAVFAC SoutheastWater/Wastewater Utilities PrivatizationProgram Manager, states that “NAS KeyWest will become the first Navycommand to privatize a utility under

the Secretary of Defense-issued DefenseReform Initiative directive no. 9 datedNovember 1997 directing MilitaryDepartments to develop plans forprivatization of utility systems.”

Though the Defense Reform Initiativerequires that all military facilitiesinvestigate the feasibility of priva-tizing all utility systems (unlessexempted by security or other specialconsiderations), many of the feasi-bility studies resulted in no projectedsavings versus continued governmentcontrol. FKAA was awarded thecontract because it offered the bestvalue to the government.

The September 2007 contract signingbetween the Navy and FKAA markedthe end of the NAS Key West water

system privatization process thatbegan in 1999. The 50-year privatiza-tion project is expected to savetaxpayers over $7 million.

Complying with the solicitation sourceselection process, NAS Key West andNAVFAC Southeast negotiated an agree-ment with FKAA for ownership, opera-tion, maintenance and recapitalization ofall Navy piping, valves, meters, hydrants,storage tanks and pump stations.

“The long term economic benefits ofthe conveyance exceed the long-termeconomic costs, and the conveyancewill reduce the long-term cost to theDepartment of the Navy for the utilityservices provided by these water andwastewater systems,” wrote WayneArny, Deputy Assistant Secretary of theNavy for Installations and Facilities, ina letter to members of Congress.

“This is the right thing to do,” saysNAS Key West Public Works Officer


NAS Key West First Navy Installation to

PrivatizeWaterUtility

50-year Project Expected to Save Over$7 Million

“The conveyance will reduce the long-term cost tothe Department of the Navy for the utility servicesprovided by these water and wastewater systems.”

—Wayne Arny, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Facilities

Lt. Cmdr. Greg Vinci. “We are constantly evaluating ourprocesses to ensure that efficiencies are put in place wherethey make sense.”

Sue Brink, NAVFAC Southeast Public Affairs Officer, saysthat the Navy is preparing to re-solicit privatizationproposals for the NAS Key West wastewater systems, whichwill need significant re-capitalization in the near future tomeet more stringent environmental regulations.

What does all this mean for residents and employees atNAS Key West? “Nothing will change,” promises Vinci. “Ifyou have problems with water or wastewater systems onbase, you’ll dial the same numbers.”

In addition, all affected employees will remain with thePublic Works Department Key West. �

Photos by MC2 Timothy Cox


Public Works Department Key West Plumber Calvin Battleworks on a water line at NAS Key West.

Sue BrinkNaval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast904-542-5140, x-2130DSN: 942-5140, [email protected]

C O N T A C T

Public Works Department Key West Assistant Production Officer EnsignJohn Leconte stands in front of a water tank on board NAS Key West.

Winners of theannual Chief ofNaval Operations(CNO)Environmental

Awards have been announced for2007. The awards, which werehanded out 3 June at the U.S. NavyMemorial and Naval Heritage Centerin Washington, D.C., recognize indi-viduals, teams, ships and installa-tions for their exceptionalenvironmental stewardship.

The program, which began in 1994, isclosely aligned with the Secretary ofthe Navy (SECNAV) and Secretary ofDefense (SECDEF) award programs,which run on a two-year cycle.Winners at the CNO level becomenominees at the SECNAV level ofcompetition. Winners at the SECNAVlevel become nominees at the SECDEFlevel of competition.

Though all three programs havesimilar categories, the CNO programdiffers from the SECDEF program intwo award categories:

1. The Large and Small ShipEnvironmental Quality awards areunique to the CNO and SECNAV

environmental awardprograms. The awards recog-nize environmental programson naval vessels, and alternateannually between large ship(crews of greater than 400)and small ship (crews of 400or less) categories.

2. The CNO EnvironmentalPlanning Team award categoryrecognizes excellence in Navy envi-ronmental planning in the contextof the National EnvironmentalPolicy Act (NEPA) and ExecutiveOrder 12114: “EnvironmentalEffects Abroad Of Major FederalActions”. It alternates with theEnvironmental Excellence inWeapon System Acquisition award(which is also a SECNAV andSECDEF award category).

The competition categories for FiscalYear (FY) 2007 included naturalresources conservation (small installa-tion and individual/team), culturalresources management (installation),environmental quality (non-industrialinstallation, individual/team, and largeship), pollution prevention (industrialinstallation), environmental restoration(installation and individual/team) and

environmental excellence in weaponsystem acquisition (team).

Accomplishments of the FY 2007CNO environmental award winnersare highlighted below.

Natural Resources Conservation Award The purpose of this award is to recog-nize efforts to promote the conserva-tion of natural resources, including theidentification, protection and restora-tion of biological resources and habi-tats; the sound management and useof the land and its resources; and thepromotion of the conservation ethic.

Small Installation� Naval Air Engineering Station

Lakehurst, NJThe Integrated Natural ResourcesManagement Plan (INRMP) at


Presenting the 2007

CNOAwardsEnvironmental

Competition Recognizes ExceptionalNavy Environmental Stewardship

expanded from 222 to 622 acresduring FY 2007. This resulted infewer BASH incidents, and loweredannual BASH animal controlcontracting costs by $2,500. Thebase also initiated biocontrol forthe invasive and destructive purpleloosestrife, and provided continua-tion of the Monitoring AvianProductivity and Survivorship part-nership with the Institute for BirdPopulations to monitor changes inbird populations, migration andreproduction. An INRMP wasdeveloped for the base’s 600-acreGreat Pond Outdoor RecreationalArea, utilizing scientists and volun-teers at an estimated project costsavings of $30,000 to $40,000.The INRMP installed a settlingpond aeration system to reducevolatile and semi-volatile contami-nation of Mere Brook and CascoBay from airfield and industrialareas; requiring the use of hardy,low maintenance, native landscapeplant varieties. Other projectsincluded organization of Earth Daykids’ fests, and tree and wildflowerplantings to educate families aboutthe importance of natural resourcesconservation and protection.

NAS Brunswick supports severalaircraft squadrons and the 12,468-acre Survival, Evasion, Resistanceand Escape School.


Prescribed burning in the restored grassland at an old landfill aboard NAES Lakehurst capped by the Navy in 1980. In the past two years, the sinkholes were filled and invading trees were removed.On land that could not be used for development, the Navy now has a 34-acre grassland habitat.

NAS Brunswick comprises a significant portionof the beautiful and diverse Casco BayWatershed, ME. Community education

ensures that staff, families and the surrounding communities are aware

of natural resources protection issues.

Naval Air Engineering Station(NAES) Lakehurst, covers over6,000 acres of the base, which islocated in the northeastern sectionof the Pinelands National Reserve.The natural resources programreceived statewide recognition forits grassland management programwhich includes maintaining abreeding habitat for six state-listedthreatened and endangeredspecies, using a managementregime that saves the NAES over$75,000 per year; forest manage-ment activities that included twoyears of successful prescribedburns for fire hazard reductionand grassland habitat improve-ment; and completion of a majorthinning on 224 acres of treestands. The program also cleared42 acres needed for new missionrequirements and used timbersales to save the station $168,000.Removal of 76 large-diameterpines resulted in another $25,000

in savings. In addition, theprogram hosted various studiescovering bird management aroundrunways to help pilots better avoidflocks of birds.

The installation has two 5,000-footrunways, a 12,000-foot testrunway, five test tracks, 390 struc-tures, 218 buildings, 1,020 acres ofwetlands, 1,767 acres of grass-lands, 4,100 acres of forest, threelarge lakes and two-and-one halfmiles of streams.

� Naval Air Station Brunswick, ME Though scheduled for closure in2011, Naval Air Station (NAS)Brunswick accomplished a greatdeal on the environmental front in2007. To assist in the reduction ofthe Bird Aircraft Strike Hazards(BASH), the base created acrossbow hunting program for thephysically disabled and a wildturkey bowhunting program that

� Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, CANaval Weapons Station(NAVWPNSTA) Seal Beachcomprises 5,000 acres ofland on the Pacific coastwithin the city of Seal Beach,CA. About 911 acres withinthe station’s southwestportion have been designatedas the Seal Beach NationalWildlife Refuge. The Refugebuffers the station’s ordnancesupply operations from thesurrounding metropolitanarea while the station insu-lates the refuge from theencroachment of new develop-ment. NAVWPNSTA maintainsan ongoing stewardship program forpreserving sensitive ecosystems andenhancing beneficial wetlandshabitat for migratory, endangeredand threatened bird species. Thestewardship program generatesnearly $1,000,000 annually.

A major part of this program is theagricultural outlease program. Witha large portion of the stationencumbered by explosives safetyareas, the outlease program hasproven vital. Outleasing this landfor the planting of low-growthcrops eliminates the need to mowand maintain the otherwise unusedlands, saving $250,000 in annualmaintenance costs. The low-growthcrops aid security by providing aclear sight line, and pose little orno potential fire hazard.

Other projects funded through theprogram included avian predatormonitoring, a herpetologicalsurvey, windbreak/dustbreakplanting and maintenance andburrowing owl management. Otherstation programs include amonofilament fishing line recyclingprogram, a saltwater weed controlpilot study, a burrowing owl activerelocation program, limited roden-

ticide usage during peak raptormigration, invasive snail surveysand removal and beach and shore-line cleanup and noxious weedremoval. NAVWPNSTA supportseducational events inside andoutside the station, includingNational Public Lands Day events,Eagle Scout projects and an annualpublic volunteer event to preparethe California least tern three-acrenesting site.

Individual or Team� Natural Resources Conservation

Team, Naval Base Coronado, CANaval Base Coronado’s SanClemente Island (SCI) is located 68nautical miles west of San Diego,CA. With its associated offshorerange complex, it is the primarymaritime training area for the U.S.Pacific Fleet, U.S. Marine Corps,U.S. Air Force and other users. InJune 2000, the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service received a petitionto list the Channel Island Fox as anendangered species under theEndangered Species Act (ESA).ESA listing of the fox on SCI hadthe potential to severely impactNavy and Marine Corps operationson the island. Dr. M. Kelly Brock,

Navy Region Southwest wildlifebiologist, had significant concernsabout the validity of using existingdata to draw conclusions about thefox population on SCI and recog-nized the potential impact to SCIoperations. Dr. Brock worked torefute claims that the datasupported the need to list the SanClemente Island Fox subspecies forprotection. In 2005, Mr. RubenGuieb, natural resources specialistfrom the Naval Facilities


A young volunteer helps to plant native flowers during a National Public Lands Day event onboard NAVWPNSTA Seal Beach. The station supports several large-scale public events

each year that target restoration and rehabilitation of wildlife habitat.

A young San Clemente Island fox in the dunehabitat of SCI. A robust monitoring and

research program helped identify a larger population of the foxes than originally thought.

Engineering Command Southwest,teamed with Dr. Brock to supportthe natural resources programs shemanaged. In FY 2006 and FY2007, they developed a scientifi-cally robust monitoring programfor the San Clemente Island Fox. Acooperative agreement with TheNature Conservancy framed veryspecific requirements for a thor-ough scientific assessment of thefox monitoring program. As aresult a more robust fox populationhas been identified, preventingunnecessary listing and limitingimpact to essential SCI operations.

� Natural Resources ConservationTeam, Naval Undersea WarfareCenter Division Newport, RINaval Undersea Warfare Center(NUWC) Division Newport’sEnvironmental Planning andNatural Resources Programprovides customers with a broadspectrum of environmental andnatural resource managementservices ranging from site selectionplanning and analysis for conser-vation purposes to mitigation plandevelopment with at-sea supportto minimize acoustical impacts tonatural resources. The programteam performs marine mammalmonitoring, protected marinespecies observer training,Geographic Information Systems(GIS) mapping for environmentaland natural resource management,ESA Section 7 consultation, andmarine mammal permitting; andhas prepared 126 NEPA andExecutive Order (EO) 12114documents in the past two years.In 2006, the team established theEnvironmental Planning andAnalysis Laboratory, whichprovides customers with environ-mental planning services such asGIS mapping, data visualizationand simulation and geospatialanalysis capabilities. The team is

using GIS to characterize marinespecies behavioral data, environ-mental factors and marinemammal and endangered speciessighting data. The team is devel-oping a way to integrate data onacoustic risks to marine mammalswith three- and four-dimensionalbehavioral data as a visual aid toNavy planners and naturalresource managers as they work toassess risk to protected species andprovide more accurate predictionsof where marine mammals andendangered species may be foundthroughout the year.

� Antenor Nestor A. Guzman, U.S. Navy Support Facility Diego GarciaMr. Guzman, Natural ResourceProgram Manager for U.S. NavySupport Facility Diego Garcia, isthe sole expert on naturalresources, cultural resources andother biology-related matters onDiego Garcia, a small atoll ofdiverse marine and terrestrial

wildlife located seven degrees southof the equator in the middle of theIndian Ocean. The facility operateson 3,700 acres of land and 17,920acres of lagoon. Mr. Guzman’scontributions during the awardsperiod included controlling thespread of invasive plant species, ratcontrol, feral cat removal, sea turtleconservation and study, bi-annualisland-wide voluntary beachcleanup coordination and spon-soring conservation events. Heclosely supervised projects torestore soil damaged by the naturalshifting of shoreline sand andstrong storm-driven sea waves. Oneproject included construction andrepair of interim shore defensesfrom erosion by reutilizing 280 tonsof concrete construction debris and80 tons of excavated fill materials.This effort prevented further attri-tion of two miles of shoreline andprotected most of the northwesternportion of Diego Garcia where U.S.military assets are situated. This


NUWC Division Newport and its detachments are prime habitats for a variety of fish, birds and marine mammals.

eliminated the importation ofmaterials and the relative risksof introducing invasive plantand animal species, and real-ized a total cost avoidance ofnearly $327,000 on importedfill material and boulders.

Cultural ResourcesManagement AwardThe purpose of this award is torecognize efforts to promote themanagement of cultural resources,including the identification,protection and restoration ofhistoric buildings and structures,archaeological sites, curation andthe promotion of the culturalresources conservation ethic.

Installation� U.S. Fleet Activities

Sasebo, JapanU.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo(FLEACT Sasebo) is a small,non-industrial installation locatedon the western coast of KyushuIsland, in Sasebo-shi, NagasakiPrefecture, Japan. FLEACT Sasebostrives to maintain cultural andhistoric resources by partneringwith the city of Sasebo and thegovernment of Japan. In the lasttwo years FLEACT Sasebo hasprogrammed and funded the 2009update to the base’s IntegratedCultural Resource ManagementPlan; finalized results of an archae-ological survey at the Yokose fueldepot; strengthened its partnershipwith the City Education Officegaining local expertise for evalua-tion of base properties; completed

the joint historic/architecturalreview of Imperial Japanese Navy(IJN) era officer housing with theSasebo City Education Office; eval-uated and collected representativedetail pieces related to the IJNofficer housing units prior to theirdemolition; raised awareness ofhistoric structures at the main basethrough a walking tour, installationof historic markers and creation ofa bilingual brochure; expandedefforts with local news agencies toproduce favorable articles regardingJapanese history preserved withinthe property; and partnered with alocal historian to publish a hard-bound history of the base.

Environmental Quality AwardThe purpose of this award is torecognize efforts to ensure missionaccomplishment and protection ofhuman health through implementa-tion of environmental managementsystems, pollution prevention andenvironmental compliance thatpromotes sustainability in the areas ofenvironmental planning, wastemanagement, and land, air and waterresource protection.

Non-industrial Installation� Commander Navy Region

Southwest AsiaCommander Navy RegionSouthwest Asia’s (CNRSWA) envi-


CNRSWA held several environmental training classes and exercises in Bahrain, Djibouti

and the United Arab Emirates.

The origins of FLEACT Sasebo reach back over 100 years to the creation of Sasebo Naval Station under theImperial Japanese Navy in the 1880s. A history of the base through the arrival of American forces in 1945

has been published and will be donated to local libraries and the Sasebo City Education Office.

ronmental program continued its proactive and orga-nized approach to providing timely and quality service.In the past two years, CNRSWA achieved hazardouswaste disposal cost avoidance of over $2.4 million andreduced hazardous waste disposal quantity by over 2.2million pounds. A new hazardous waste minimizationprogram was initiated at Camp Lemonier in theRepublic of Djibouti reducing hazardous wastedisposal quantity by over 200,000 pounds andreducing hazardous waste disposal cost by over$150,000 in less than six months. For the first time inthe camp’s history, the Republic of Djibouti’s Ministerof Environmental Affairs recognized the CNRSWAhazardous waste minimization and training programsfor being proactive and aggressive.

CNRSWA held several environmental training classesand exercises in Bahrain, Djibouti and the United ArabEmirates, improving readiness and enhancing CNRSWA’slong-standing relationship with supporting nations.

U.S. Navy Acquisition Category I Program� Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst, NJ

NAES Lakehurst accomplished numerous improvementsto enhance environmental quality through continuedimplementation of the NAES Environmental

Management System (EMS). For encroachment preven-tion, the station successfully entered into partnershipswith state and local organizations and acquired an ease-ment on 246 acres of farmland adjacent to the station,preventing the risk of future mission conflicts. In theareas of pollution prevention and waste reduction, theEMS was instrumental in dramatically reducing air emis-sions and hazardous waste generation and in increasingrecycling. Greenhouse gas reduction efforts initiated aspart of the EMS’ air emission aspect resulted in signifi-cant reductions in nitrogen oxide (19 percent), carbonmonoxide (11 percent), and carbon dioxide (13 percent)emissions from 2005 to 2006. After the addition of elec-tronic recycling in 2007, the amount of electronic wasterecycled jumped 44 percent in one year. Materials recy-cled such as office paper, cardboard, metal, glass, plastic,asphalt and concrete increased by over 3,700 tons. Thestation’s solid waste diversion rate, including recycledconstruction and demolition materials, rose from 60percent in FY 2005 to 83 percent in FY 2007.

� Naval Station Mayport, FL Naval Station Mayport focused on sustainability andused the station’s EMS to reduce waste streams, iden-tify and evaluate pollution prevention opportunities


Aerial view of NAES Lakehurst.

and improve industrial processes.Both the water and wastewatertreatment plants are being modi-fied to replace chlorine gas withliquid sodium hypochlorite andsulfur dioxide gas with liquidsodium bisulfite. These modifica-tions remove the hazard topersonnel and negate the require-ment for the Risk ManagementPlan required by the Clean AirAct. The station also initiated aMemorandum of Understandingwith the City of Jacksonville torecycle shipboard- and shore-generated cooking oil. The cityprocesses the oil for biofuel,which is used to fuel city vehicles.Approximately 14.5 tons of cookingoil is recycled each year at Mayport.Funds from agricultural leases wereused to install two walkovers,allowing people to walk to thebeach without disrupting the fragiledune ecosystem. Mayport replacedtwo above-ground storage tanks,and the operating services contract

was modified to include additionalcompliance inspections. The stationis an annual participant in the St.Johns River Celebration and RiverCleanup, collecting more than6,000 pounds of trash, debris andrecyclables over the past two years.

Individual or Team� Command Monitoring Team,

Fleet Readiness Center East, NCThe U.S. Navy Fleet ReadinessCenter East (FRC East) in CherryPoint, North Carolina, has anexceptional compliance history,has been awarded numerous stateand federal awards, and has beenrecognized as a benchmark forEMSs by Department of Defense(DoD) and external activities. Inlarge part, all environmentalawards and recognitions earned byFRC East in the past two yearswere based on a demonstration ofcore business practices across allsupporting competencies. FRCEast is one of very few industrial

activities that successfully inte-grates Quality, Environmental/EMS, Safety and Aerospace stan-dards. FRC East is “Third Party”registered to each of thosemanagement systems. Thiscomprehensive approach to stan-dards compliance is called anIntegrated Management System(IMS). It is the responsibility of theCommand Monitoring Team(CMT) to integrate the 106 over-lapping elements comprised acrossthe IMS standards. In the past twoyears, the CMT has repeatedlydemonstrated that all core busi-ness practices across all competen-cies equate to a solid and robustEMS that exemplifies the truebenefits of an integrated andsystematic approach.

FRC East is an aircraft manufac-turing facility in that employsabout 4,000 civilians, generatesapproximately $285.6 million insalaries and is a Clean Air ActTitle V facility.


In an effort to diminish pedestrian traffic onthe fragile dunes, two walkovers were

installed on the beach at Mayport.

The City of Jacksonville processes used cooking oilfor biofuel, which is used to fuel city vehicles.


compliance and encroachmentissues. EIMS was delivered to theFleet for shipboard use, and thefirst EIMS module, the ProtectiveMeasures Assessment Protocol(PMAP), was granted “Approval toOperate” from the Naval NetworkWarfare Command in 2007. TheEIMS toolset integrates over 1,000datasets from 150 sources todevelop a visual picture of theenvironment. The PMAP teamsupplies unit level commanderswith information about marinemammals, including a printout ofprotective measures that can beimplemented proactively beforeand during a training exercise. Byentering three data fields, the

A screen shot from the PMAP EIMS depicting information about the geography of the land and ocean available to the user during environmental planning activities. Additional information provided to the user includes environmental issues and topography.

Brenda Smith, FRC East CMT Auditor, andAndrew Krelie, FRC East CMT Lead Auditor,perform an audit in the support equipment maintenance area.

� Environmental InformationManagement System/ProtectiveMeasures Assessment ProtocolTeam, Naval Sea SystemsCommand, Washington, DCTo meet the challenges ofcomplying with environmentallaws and regulations including theMarine Mammal Protection Actand ESA, the Fleet requested devel-opment of an EnvironmentalInformation Management System(EIMS). The Fleet recommendedthe Navy develop a comprehensiveGIS-based program for use in oper-ational and environmental plan-ning to support operationalrequirements, at-sea environmentalissues, range operational area

Commanding Officer is suppliedwith specific standard operatingprocedures (based on place, dateand type of training event) toprotect marine resources duringtraining events or exercises.

� Environmental Quality Team, U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, CubaThe Environmental Quality Team atNaval Station Guantanamo Bay,Cuba (GTMO) made significantprogress in all aspects of environ-mental management in the last year.Noteworthy achievements includeuse of an EMS to enable the team toidentify and remedy four newaspects, upgrades and improvementsin wastewater systems which aidedin reducing sewage spill to six non-

reportable spills in FY 2007. Otherachievements included erosion andsedimentation control for stormwater management, HazardousWaste/Hazardous Materials(HAZMAT) volume and cost reduc-tions, contractor and tenantcommand storage facilities inspec-tions, enhanced pollution preven-tion, solid waste reductions and thereclamation of 18,365 square feet ofvaluable landfill space, plus theremoval of 3,000 tons of scrap metal,opening up 20,000 square feet ofspace in the scrap metal yard.

GTMO occupies approximately29,000 acres of land and waternear the southeastern tip of Cuba.Approximately 4,000 acres aredeveloped; the remainder is

comprised of open water and landsupporting Joint Task Forcerequirements for OperationEnduring Freedom, training areas,observation posts, magazine areasand migrant camps.

Large Ship� USS DENVER (LPD 9)

USS DENVER is a Low Probabilityof Detection (LPD 9) amphibioustransport dock. Throughout FYs2006 and 2007, the ship estab-lished itself as a waterfront leaderin all facets of environmentalprotection and conservation. Inorder to fully comply with environ-mental standards, DENVER aggres-sively overhauled all installedenvironmental protection equip-ment. Self-identification of discrep-


Sailors assigned to the amphibious transport dock USS DENVER (LPD 9) “man the rails” as the ship gets underway for deployment.

U.S. Navy photo Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Bre’ N. Cameron-Smith

ancies along with assistance fromthe outside resulted in upgradingthe ship’s air conditioning plants to134-A Freon, performing aCollection, Holding and Transfer(CHT) system flush, and acomplete refurbishment of MK IIOil Spill Containment Kits. Thesemaintenance projects provedinvaluable in increasing DENVER ‘sability to comply with environ-mental protection standards whilereducing ship-wide energy usage.DENVER also conductednumerous repairs to the ship’s solidwaste processors. Due to a 50percent turnover in crewmembers,a revamped training plan proved

critical for improving the ship’sEnvironmental Quality Program.Annual ship-wide environmentalprotection training was increasedfrom a completion rate of 5 percentto over 95 percent. In addition, OilSpill Response Team qualificationsincreased to 50 percent above therequired limit, and trash disposalequipment qualifications increasedsignificantly. HAZMAT training alsoproved successful, as the ship’sHAZMAT program received a scoreof 95 percent during a 2006 Boardof Inspection and Survey(INSURV) and a 2007 SupplyManagement Certification.

� USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65)With an unbeatable environmentalsafety record and adherence toregulatory standards, USS ENTER-PRISE, a nuclear-propelled aircraftcarrier (CVN) demonstrated supe-rior commitment to environmentalstewardship through sound envi-ronmental management practiceswhile providing sustained combatoperations from the sea. ENTER-PRISE achieved a 50 percent reduc-tion in air conditioning refrigerantleaks from previous years with anassociated refrigerant savings ofover 25 percent of targeted quanti-ties based on U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) standards.

Annual environmental protection training onboardthe USS DENVER was increased from a

completion rate of 5 percent to over 95 percent.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) pulls into its homeport of Naval Station Norfolk.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joshua Adam Nuzzo


ENTERPRISE garnered high praisefrom INSURV environmentalinspectors for superb programadministration and self assessment.The inspectors gave the ship highermarks than the previous twocarriers inspected. ENTERPRISEconducted two accelerated work upcycles and deployed for 94 monthson two separate deployments,completing 46 underway replenish-ments and 10 foreign port visitswhile traveling over 75,000 nauticalmiles with zero environmentalrelated incidents.

� USS GEORGE WASHINGTON(CVN 73)GEORGE WASHINGTON main-tained an all-hands commitment tothe success of the U.S. Navy in taskperformance without detrimentalenvironmental impact. From theEngineering Department main-taining meticulous control ofhundreds of thousands of gallonsof sewage in the CHT system, tothe Deck Department painting 2.3million square feet of hull, to theReactor Department consistentlymaintaining discharge water withless than 15 parts per million oilcontent, the ship demonstrated itsenvironmental policy -- combatreadiness without environmentalsacrifice. Prior to entering an 11-month Planned IncrementalAvailability Plus Docking (PIA+D)2006-2007, GEORGE WASH-INGTON worked closely withNorfolk Naval Shipyard to assesspotential environmental risks andestablish procedures to meet strictEPA requirements at the shipyard’sfacility. Ship and shipyardpersonnel developed a plan ofaction and milestones to ensure fullenvironmental complianceincluding the containment of paintchips, dirt and debris from chip-ping, grinding and sanding opera-tions. By strictly adhering to this

plan, GEORGE WASHINGTONavoided any unscheduled workstoppages due to environmentalmishaps. At the completion of thePIA+D, GEORGE WASHINGTONtransited the Elizabeth River safelyand on time.

Pollution Prevention AwardThe purpose of this award is to recog-nize efforts to prevent or eliminatepollution at the source, includingpractices that increase efficiency in the

use of raw materials, energy, water orother resources.

Industrial Installation� Commander Fleet Activities

Yokosuka, JapanThe Commander Fleet ActivitiesYokosuka (CFAY) QualityRecycling Program (QRP) has beeninstrumental in diverting thou-sands of tons of material fromsolid waste landfills annually, withapproximately 2,000 tons divertedin FY 2007. Within the last two


Linehandlers stand on the pier as the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) goes out to sea.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Lolita M. Lewis

years, the QRP added five collection points for whitepaper and cardboard throughout Yokosuka’s main base,and expanded collection services to include three loca-tions in the CFAY area of responsibility. The QRP estab-lished seven new scrap metal collection points andimplemented of bi-weekly inspections for abandonedscrap metal at Yokosuka Naval Base. Call-in serviceswere established for scrap metal and cardboard collec-tions. In a nine-month period, the newly introducedcall-in services resulted in over 50 additional servicerequests and over 15 tons of scrap metal collected,yielding over $2,000 in generated revenue. The QRPhas been instrumental in assessing the needs of theCFAY naval community and responding appropriatelyto such needs. The QRP expanded the scope of itsprogram from scrap metal and paper products toinclude bicycles, vehicles, commercial grade refrigera-


tion equipment and white goods. With its expansion ofservices, the QRP generated more than an 80 percentincrease in revenue from FY 2005 ($235,000) to FY2007 ($480,000). The QRP increased its yearly segre-gated recyclable material by almost 20 percent duringthe award period.

� Naval Base Kitsap, WANaval Base Kitsap (NBK), an advanced full-servicesubmarine and aircraft carrier homeport, encompasses9,000 acres of forest, and neighbors the cities ofBremerton, Silverdale and Poulsbo. By focusing on fullfleet support, proactive environmental compliance, andEMS applications, the Pollution Prevention Teamconserved natural resources, implemented an EMS, andachieved its goal of reducing environmental impact.Among its notable achievements, the Pollution

The Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka QualityRecycling Program has been instrumental in

diverting thousands of tons of material from solid waste landfills annually, with

approximately 2,000 tons diverted in FY 2007.

Sailors man the rails aboard USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74) while departing Naval Base Kitsap Bremerton.U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul J. Perkins

Prevention team evaluated, stan-dardized and installed a safecleaning agent for weapons andassociated equipment. This changeresulted in improvements to theNBK environment in FYs 2006 and2007 including a reduction insolvent waste, solvent air emissionsand general material usage by 60percent. The team eliminatedHazardous Air Pollutants (HAP);minimized Volatile OrganicCompounds (VOC); eliminatedantiquated parts washers and toxicsolvents related to their use; andinitiated solvent recycling usingspecialized equipment attached tothe parts washers. The result will beincreased solvent life (projected tobe four to five years). The base alsodiscontinued the use of PD-680and other toxic solvents, andreduced hazardous waste perstation by a minimum of 200gallons per year, resulting in anaverage $3,500 savings each year.

� Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, ME Portsmouth Naval Shipyard realized substantial pollutionprevention gains by using theConsolidated Hazardous MaterialReutilization and InventoryManagement Program (CHRIMP).CHRIMP provided significantimprovements in HAZMATmanagement. The shipyard wasable to significantly reduce excessHAZMAT inventory and increasethe accuracy and accountability ofHAZMAT management. Significant

results since the implementation ofCHRIMP included HAZMATinventory reduction; increasedreuse of returned materials; andidentification and elimination ofexpired and excess material. Theimplementation of barcoding onevery container of HAZMATallowed tracking from receipt untildisposal. Establishing a network ofpermitted and controlled storageclose to job sites resulted inreduced labor costs. The majorreduction in the number ofHAZMAT storage locationsrequired fewer personnel to staffthe storage locations and reducedtime for production personnel toobtain and return HAZMAT.Material savings were realizedthrough prompt identification andremoval of excess and expiredHAZMAT and through the reuse ofreturned HAZMAT. In calendaryear 2006, over $225,000 in mate-rial savings was identified. Trainingall personnel who regularly useHAZMAT resulted in a reducedoccurrence of inappropriatelyhandled HAZMAT.

Environmental RestorationAwardThe purpose of this award is to recog-nize efforts to protect human healthand the environment by cleaning upidentified DoD sites in a timely, cost-efficient, and responsive manner. Theprogram is known within DoD as theInstallation Restoration Program (IRP).

Installation� Naval Air Station Fallon, NV

Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon isworking to complete remedialactions for their remaining six activeIRP sites and two UndergroundStorage Tank (UST) restoration sites.At three landfill sites, Fallonconducted groundwater monitoring,regraded the landfill covers, repairedthe existing soil covers with nativefill, and replanted the regraded areas—all part of the remedy selected forthese sites. At one site, aftercompleting a vacuum extractionpilot study to remove fuel from thesubsurface, the Navy implemented alow-maintenance, non-vacuumpump system in April 2007. Also in


Magnum Spill Buster at Fallon’s IR Site 2.Spill Buster is an interim measure that removes

floating petroleum product previous to determining final remedial action.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was able to significantly reduce excess HAZMAT inventory and increase the accuracy and accountability

of HAZMAT management.

2007, the Navy evaluated the effec-tiveness of another site’s containmentsystem and groundwater and surfacewater interactions in the vicinity ofthe site’s E4X drain, which interactswith the water table. The Navyconcluded that the containmentsystem had reached a point ofdiminishing returns for removingfloating product and could be mobi-lizing chlorinated solvent contami-nation toward the E4X drain. As aresult, the Navy plans to decommis-sion the system and install sentinelgroundwater wells to verify thatpetroleum hydrocarbons and chlori-nated solvents in groundwater arenot adversely affecting the surfacewater in the drain. In January andFebruary 2007, the SiteCharacterization and AnalysisPenetrometer System was imple-mented at most of the remainingactive sites to delineate areas offloating fuel. The Navy wassuccessful in using this environ-

mental screening tool to define theextent of free product and to identifyadditional sources of free productand data gaps to be resolved in theremedial investigation.

� Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, CANaval Weapons Station (NAVWP-NSTA) Seal Beach serves as animportant strategic munitionssupply point for operating navalforces in the Pacific, and thesurrounding communities’ accep-tance of the NAVWPNSTA missionis essential. Collaborative workingrelationships with regulatory agen-cies and community membersduring the planning and executionof environmental restorationprojects demonstrated the Navy’scommitment to cost-effectivecleanup of contamination leftbehind from previous operations.Of the 75 potentially contaminatedsites identified since the inception

of the IRP in 1985, 73 sites met theNavy’s criteria for Remediation inPlace/Response Complete (RIP/RC)by the end of FY 2007. Of those73 sites, nine obtained RIP/RCstatus during FY 2006 and 2007.Obtaining RIP/RC status meansthat the required actions orprocesses have been put in place.Eight sites received written regula-tory closure during that timeframe.More than 30 environmentalrestoration documents wereprepared and distributed to regula-tory agencies for review, and ninesets of mailers were delivered to 15Restoration Advisory Board (RAB)members and 225 communitymembers and groups. Of thesereports, one Proposed Plan, threeEngineering Evaluation/CostAnalysis (EE/CA) documents, andfour major decision documents,including one Record of Decision(ROD) and three action memo-randa, were completed. All of these


Sonic drilling technology was used during the installationof groundwater injection and monitoring wells

as part of Seal Beach’s remedial action.

decision documents werecompleted in record time—twomonths for the action memorandaand six for the ROD.Approximately $5 million of theIRP’s $6.3 million budget for FY2006—2007 was awarded to smalland underprivileged businessfirms, greatly exceeding the NavalFacilities Engineering Commandgoal of 41 percent.

� Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, VAIn operation since World War I,Naval Weapons Station Yorktown(WPNSTA) and its CheathemAnnex (CAX) are within theChesapeake Bay Watershed. Thegoal of the Navy EnvironmentalRestoration Program (NERP) atWPNSTA has been to implementfast-tracked remedial actions toavoid land use controls. Duringthe award period, the WPNSTA

NERP signed a No-Action (orstatus quo) ROD for Site 27. TheNERP also proceeded with anEE/CA at another site where a NoFurther Action (NFA) ROD isanticipated, accelerated the repur-posing of the Closed CAX MarinePistol and Rifle Range as a recre-ational vehicle park for servicemembers, partnered with TheCollege of William and Mary’sVirginia Institute of Marine Science(VIMS) to field test their cuttingedge residual explosivecompounds detection system, andpartnered with local stakeholders(such as VIMS) and the commu-nity for a major landfill removaland restoration project along theYork River. The program installedgeotubes to protect the York Riverfrom site debris eroding along theshoreline. It also awarded over $1million to small and disadvantagedbusiness interests in the area.

Individual or Team� Cecil Field Base Realignment and

Closure Cleanup Team,Jacksonville, FL The majority of the former NASCecil Field has been transferred tothe City of Jacksonville and theJacksonville Airport Authority. Theacreage that remains is undergoingenvironmental cleanup. The CecilField Base Cleanup Team inconjunction with the RAB and ateam of experts, has been workingon innovative solutions and tech-nologies to achieve its mission ofproperty transfer while adhering toits vision of partnering. Fortypercent of the work has beensubcontracted to local, small anddisadvantaged businesses. Theteam has made significant progresstoward their goal as well savingover $10 million on variousprojects during the awards period.Their accomplishments include:completing investigations of 644sites allowing transfer of 97 percentof the base acreage; successfullysigning 23 RODs and eight NFAdecisions; overseeing long-termmonitoring at 14 InstallationRestoration (IR) sites and 10 petro-leum sites; achieving a partialdelisting from the NationalPriorities List in EPA Region 4; andimplementing bioaugmentation toenhance bioremediation at atrichloroethylene plume.Bioaugmentation is the introduc-tion of a group of natural microbialstrains or a genetically engineeredvariant to treat contaminated soilor water. The team successfullytransferred the golf course,precluding it from becoming aComprehensive EnvironmentalResponse, Compensation, andLiability Act site, saved $2.5million in remediation costs byapplying statistics to attain FloridaSoil Cleanup Target Levels, andsaved $2.4 million in remediation


Protection of the environment continues with the installation of geotubes at Site 7, Yorktown.The geotubes protect the York River from debris sloughing. A debris and contaminated soil removal action in FY 2008 will further protect human and ecological receptors.

costs at the North FuelFarm. They alsocompleted the removal ofMunitions and Explosivesof Concern to avoid anyinterference with construc-tion activities.

� EnvironmentalRestoration Team, NavalAir Station Pensacola, FLThe Naval Air StationPensacola (NASP) Teamhas protected the publicand environment withfast-track responses, inno-vative remedial technolo-gies, and active partneringwith regulators and thecommunity. Their effortssaved more than $105million in restorationcosts at NASP during FY2005-2207. FromOctober 2005 throughSeptember 2007, theNASP Team accomplishedseveral milestones. Theyearned RODs fornumerous sites by stream-lining state and federalreview processes. The teamachieved 95 percent of the Navy’sgoal to complete action at high-risk sites by 30 September 2007;they investigated and remediated14 IR sites and 19 undergroundstorage tank sites, investigated andremediated 127 50-year-old gas-containing cylinders, and investi-gated and identified 90 percent ofNASP wetlands for No Action,saving more than $99 million.

� Environmental Restoration Team,Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, CANaval Air Weapons Station(NAWS) China Lake is located inthe northern Mojave desert,approximately 150 miles north-east of Los Angeles. The weaponssystem development activities


Treatment of groundwater at NAS Cecil Field’s North Fuel Farm encompasses 17 acres and is the largest air sparging site in Florida. Air sparging is a technology that involves the injection of contaminant-free air

into a subsurface saturated with contaminants. The hydrocarbons are vaporized and extracted through a Soil Vapor Extraction collection system. The highly successful system is operating ahead of schedule.

In late 2005, cemetery workers discovered five compressed-gas cylinders at Barrancas NationalCemetery. The NASP Team located 122 more,all of which were unearthed, safely handled and properly disposed offsite.

conducted at NAWS China Lakeare varied. As a result, the envi-ronmental restoration require-ments present unique challenges.NAWS China Lake has 79 IRPsites, ten active UST sites and twoMunitions Response Programsites. Major environmentalrestoration accomplishments overthe award period includedcompletion of a groundwaterstudy that concluded no contami-nation had migrated from thesites closest to neighboringcommunities, and completion of aROD for the Armitage FieldOperable Unit (a former fuelfarm) utilizing a combination ofsource removal and monitorednatural attenuation. This alterna-tive was estimated to cost $12.1million, a 64 percent savings over

the most expensive alternatives.Other accomplishments includedoff-site disposal of 2,000 tons ofpesticide-contaminated soil,closure of two UST sites after sixyears of groundwater monitoring,and completion of an ROD for awaste propellant open burn areawith landfill cover improvementfor the waste disposal trenches.This alternative was estimated tocost $0.8 million, an 80 percentsavings over the estimated excava-tion and off-site disposal cost of $4 million.

Environmental Excellence in Weapon System Acquisition AwardThe purpose of this award is torecognize efforts to incorporate envi-ronmental, safety and occupationalhealth requirements into the weaponsystem acquisition program’s deci-sion-making process.

Team� F/A-18E/F & EA-18G Acquisition

Programs, Green Hornet TeamUnder the purview of ProgramExecutive Officer, Tactical AircraftPrograms, (Program Manager Air(PMA) 265), the F/A 18E/F(Super Hornet Strike Fighter) andthe EA-18G (Airborne ElectronicAttack Aircraft) AcquisitionPrograms’ Green Hornet Team hasa consistently high level ofcompliance with Environment,Safety, and Occupational Health(ESOH) requirements. The teamhas a record of successfully incor-

porating ESOH requirements intotheir systems engineering and theWeapon System AcquisitionProgram’s decision-makingprocess. The Green Hornets werethe first U.S. Navy AcquisitionCategory I Program to complywith the Under Secretary ofDefense Policy Memo (7 March2007), Defense AcquisitionSystem Safety ESOH RiskAcceptance, dealing with Navaljet aircraft noise, requiring acommitment to review feasiblenoise reduction technical solu-tions on an annual basis. Theteam also managed the firstcarrier-based tactical aircraftprogram to surpass 100,000 ClassA mishap-free flight hours; theytested engine noise reductiontechnologies resulting in anapproximate 2.5-decibel reduc-tion over much of the frequencyrange; and supported a promisingnew technology initiative toreduce emission levels on GeneralElectric Aviation F-4XX seriesengines. Pollution and industrialwaste was substantially reducedin the manufacturing facilities ofthe aircraft and engine suppliers.

� P-8A Poseidon Environment,Safety, and Occupational Health(ESOH) Team The P-8A Poseidon is a long-rangeanti-submarine craft currentlyunder development. The PoseidonProgram’s ESOH Team hasemployed innovative, highly effec-tive strategies for integratingESOH requirements into their


The Navy conducted a time-critical removalaction at IRP Site 23 at China Lake. The sitewas contaminated with twenty different pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls and construction debris. Navy worked with theCalifornia Department of Fish and Game toavoid impacts to sensitive species and minimize loss to related habitat.

The Poseidon Program’s ESOH Team has employedinnovative, highly effective strategies for integrating

ESOH requirements into their system.

system. Three areas stand out:Halon elimination, environmentalassessment for flight testing, andHAZMAT management.

Early in the acquisition process, theP-8A ESOH Team recognized theneed to eliminate Halon, an ozone-depleting substance, from the P-8APoseidon design. The P-8APoseidon Program’s Halon replace-ment efforts will eliminate the needfor an estimated 8,700 or morepounds of Halon during P-8Aproduction and much more overthe life of the system. The ESOHTeam estimates that this will save atleast $83 million versus retrofittingthe system at a later date.

The need to prepare NEPA docu-mentation for P-8A flight testing

was evident early in the program,and the ESOH Team convened amonthly working group tomanage the NEPA process. Theteam developed a database totrack the progress of similarNEPA documents to ensureconsistency between their workproducts and those of other Navyaction proponents.

Although HAZMAT associatedwith new elements of a system’sdesign can be readily identifiedduring the design process, identi-fication is much more difficult forexisting commercial elementssuch as the basic 737 aircraftdesign for the P-8A PoseidonSystem. The solution was to use aBoeing automated system and

link appropriate data elementsfrom this system with design datain order to facilitate HAZMATidentification and build a chem-ical map for the P-8A Poseidon.This facilitates demilitarizationand disposal planning. �


The F/A-18E/F is the second major model upgrade to the F/A-18 aircraft, managed by

the Naval Air Systems Command’s PMA 265.Photo courtesy of Boeing Company

Easter ThompsonChief of Naval Operations

Environmental Readiness Division703-604-5426DSN: [email protected]

C O N T A C T

This Year’s Theme—Sustaining ourEnvironment, Protecting our Freedom

Navy and Marine Corpsinstallations across theUnited States andaround the world cele-brated the 38th anniver-

sary of Earth Day 2008 this past Apriland May with environmental aware-ness fairs, base andcommunity-widecleanups, tree plantings,children’s programs andplenty of enthusiasm.

Each command isunique in its environ-mental sustainabilityneeds and stewardshipefforts. NAS Meridian,MI, with its woodedsurroundings, focuseson land and wildlifeconservation whileNaval Base Guam placesemphasis on beach andreef cleanup and preser-vation. You will see thewide-ranging effortseach facility has under-taken in the lists ofevents that follow.

Though environmentalpriorities may be

different, the goal of Navy Earth Dayremains the same, “Sustaining OurEnvironment, Protecting OurFreedom,” the theme of this year’sEarth Day.

Via naval message, Assistant Secretaryof the Navy BJ Penn summed up the


meaning ofthis year’stheme, “Asmembers ofthe world’sfinest Navy andMarine Corps, wemust continue to make sure that aswe accomplish our military mission,we do not neglect our environmentalmission. Whatever your job, specialty,or rank, you are actively involved in

Navy Celebrates

EarthDay 2008

Marines assigned to NAS Corpus Christidid their part in Navy Earth Day by

picking up and hauling away debris.Photo by Linda Riley-Lattimore

U.S. Activity Event(s)

NAWS China Lake, CA Earth Day Site Cleanup

NAS Lemoore, CA Spring Cleanup

SUBASE Point Loma, CA Earth Day Base Cleanup and Tree Planting

NWS Seal Beach, CA Sustainability Awareness Fair

NAVBASE Ventura County, CA NEX Earth Day Celebration—Port Hueneme NEX

SUBASE New London, CT Community Outreach Park and Beach Cleanups in Groton,

Ledyard, Mystic and New London

Washington Navy Yard, DC Earth Day Base Cleanup and Exhibition

NAS Key West, FL Earth Day Beach Cleanup

NSA Panama City, FL Year 13 Tree City Planting

NAVSTA Pearl Harbor, HI � Pearl City Bike Path Cleanup � Navy Earth Day Fair

PMRF Kauai, HI PMRF Beach Cleanup and Cultural Walk with Waimea High and Niihau (Kekaha) Schools

NAVSTA Great Lakes, IL � Base Cleanup � Cache In, Trash Out! Earth Day Geocache Event

NAS Joint Reserve Base “50 Years of Environmental Stewardship” Presentation

New Orleans, LA

NSA Annapolis, MD North Severn Complex Cleanup and Barbecue

NAS Brunswick, ME KidFest—Environmental Participation/Display

NWS Earle, NJ Child Development Center Tree Plantings

NAES Lakehurst, NJ Tree Planting Ceremony

NAS Fallon, NV Earth Day Celebrations

NSA Mechanicsburg, PA � Base Cleanup � Air Pollution Activity for Kids

� Recycling Giveaways

NSA Philadelphia, PA � Base Cleanup � Recycling Giveaways

NAS JRB Willow Grove, PA � Earth Day at the Child Development Center with Story Time and Arts & Crafts

� Base Cleanup & “Burger Burn”

NSA Mid-South, TN Base Litter Cleanup

NAS Corpus Christi, TX Earth Day Base Cleanup

NAB Little Creek, VA Base Cleanup and Planting

NAVSTA Norfolk, VA Base Cleanup

SCSC Wallops Island, VA Tree Planting/Trash Pickup

NAVSTA Everett, WA Earth Day 2008 Celebration “Sailing Greener Seas”

NUWC Keyport, WA Earth Day Tree Planting

NAVBASE Kitsap, WA � Naval Exchange Litter Cleanup � Showing of “Planet Earth” Documentary

� NAVFAC NW’s “Conversion to Native Conifers through Horse Logging”

NAS Whidbey Island, WA Dumpster Dive Recycling Awareness Event

NIOC Sugar Grove, WV 14th Annual Safety, Health and Environmental Fair


ronmental responsibility grows andpeople recognize their roles in theirrespective environments. Throughthese events, Department of the Navypersonnel are better able to collaborateand connect with the communities inwhich they reside and showcase theircommitment to defending not onlyour national security and our allies,but the environment as well.

Be sure to look for the next issue ofCurrents where we will highlight theextraordinary efforts of Navy EarthDay volunteers from Navy facilitiesacross the globe. �


Overseas Activity Event(s)

NSA Bahrain Base Cleanup/FOD Walkdown

NAVBASE Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Base Cleanup with Info Tables

NAVBASE Guam Dadi Beach and Reef Cleanup—

Old Wives Beach

NSA Naples, Italy 5K Earth Day Run

NAS Sigonella, Italy Mineo Housing Association &

Community Of Mineo Town Park

Cleanup & Beautification Project & BBQ

CFA Chinhae, Korea Earth Day Poster Contest

JMF St. Mawgan, United Kingdom Joint Forces Earth Day Beach Scrub

Source: Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Environment)

Matt WarnockEG&G Technical Services, [email protected]

C O N T A C T

Personnel from NAS Corpus Christi pick up litterfrom the Corpus Christi Bay beachfront.Photo by Arlan Andrews, Sr.

defending this nation. It is only fittingthat you help to preserve and sustainthat which you are defending.”

More so than ever, Navy Earth Dayevents are referred to as “celebrations”as world-wide attention toward envi-

If you need to be up-to-date on the latest envi-ronmental news, you need Currents. Award-win-ning Currents magazine is packed with valuableinsights into innovative management approaches,new technologies that affect your job, and the latest information on environmental trainingcourses, conferences and much more. Here’s whatyou’d already know if you read Currents:

� The Navy’s efforts at the former bombing rangeat the Vieques Naval Training Range in PuertoRico expedited the removal of surface muni-tions and rapidly reduced the imminent explo-sive safety risk to the unauthorized trespassers.

� Cooperative efforts of Coastal America, theNavy’s Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2 andother partners, are turning the Osborne Reeffrom an unsuccessful artificial reef venture toa great training opportunity for military salvage teams and a recycled fuel source forGeorgia and Florida.

� The Navy’s ongoing responsible use of activesonar allows it to conduct real-time trainingwhile minimizing the potential adverse impactto marine mammals.

By now, Currents subscribers know about theseand the many other initiatives Currents covers.You can too, when you subscribe to the officialenvironmental magazine of the U.S. Navy.

To sign up, go to www.enviro-navair.navy.mil, orsend an e-mail to our Distribution Manager,Lorraine Wass, at [email protected] with yourcomplete mailing address. It’s free!

Currents keeps you in the know . . . for free!

Subscribe to Currentstoday. It’s free!

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