national defense center for environmental excellence

n

National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence

Michael A. Katz and Jerry R. Hudson

The National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence (NDCEE) was established in 1991 to provide environmental solutions for the Department of Defense (DOD). This is being accomplished through the transfer of innovative technologies and implementation of management processes at DOD installations. In response to a wide variety of Defense and other federal agency stakeholder programs, the NDCEE has established an infrastructure in excess of $50 million-including approximately 400,UUU square feet of technology demonstration factory. It has conducted projects totaling over $140 million and consists of a stafof nearly 15Uprofessionals. In conjunction with this capability, NDCEE has developed strategic alliances and supportfvom private industry with an investment that currently exceeds $6 million. This partnership has enabled NDCEE to transfer environmental technologies to the private sector and has allowed private sector successes and lessons learned to be efectively and eficiently transferred to DOD operations.

The success of the program can be demonstrated, in part, through its ability to:

Provide Corpus Christi Army Depot with research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) assistance and site-installed equipment to eliminate ozone-depleting chemicals (ODCs) jkom their Depot operations; Assist Naval Aviation Depot Jacksonville with coating removal RDT&E to obtain a ten-month payback on its $1 million investment in an ultrahigh pressure water-jet (UHPWJ) system; Develop an effective Environmental Cost Analysis Methodology to prop- erly evaluate the complete life-cycle cost of technologies and weapons

Michael A. Katz is a member of the company Executive Management Team for Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC). He is the Executive Manager for the National Dejense Center for Environmental Excellence (NDCEE) and for the Corporate Committee for Environmental, Health 6 Safety. As a General Manager, he has the responsibility, authority, and accountability (RA,) for the company’s programs and activities related to environment and energy research, development, deployment, training, and education. Jerry R. Hudson is Director of Technical Services for CTC and is responsible for line management of process engineering, systems assessment, and environmental chemist y and metallurgical labmato y operations. Healsoplays a leadership role in support of the NDCEE.

Federal Facilities Environmental Journal/Spring 1998 CCC 1048-4078/98/0901105-17 Q 1998 John Wlley & Sons, Inc.

105

Michael A. Kutz and J e q R. Hudson

The NDCEE was created to assist the DOD, and in particular the office of the DUSD(ES), in complying with federal and state environmental laws and regulations.

systems; and Integrate a facility-wide monitoring and management system at Tobyhnnu Army Depot to ensure environmental Compliance and to implement pollution prmen tion (P2) technologies.

The trend toward more stringent environmental requirements started with the enactment of the Pollution Prevention Act and the Clean Air Act amendments in 1990. Fdlowing this trend, in 1993 the President issued a series of Executive Orders (EO), including: EO 12856, Federal Compli- ance with Right-to-Know Laws and Pollution Prevention Requirements; EO 12843, Procedure Requirements and Policies for Federal Agencies for Ozone-Depleting Substances; and EO 12873, Federal Acquisition, Recy- cling, and Waste Prevention, that affected environmental activities at federal facilities. In 1995 the Defense Science Board Task Force on Environmental Security assessed environmental security activities of the Department of Defense (DOD). That same year, the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Environmental Security [DUSD(ES)] issued the DOD Environmental Technology Requirements Strategy, that provides technology goals for each of the four environmental pillars (cleanup, compliance, pollution prevention, and conservation) and prioritizes needs on an annual basis.

As a landowner, operator of facilities, and user of weapons systems, the DOD recognized the potential impact on readiness that environmental problems can create. There was a strong need for an integrated environmental program to ensure the coordination of the environmental activities of the individual services. In addition, private industry has significant experience in addressing environmental problems, and this knowledge should be brought to bear on DOD needs. Finally, technology would play a key role in meeting DOD environmental problems- technologies that could provide cost-effective solutions. Recognizing the impending need for a coordinated approach to implement environmental technologies and management systems, the DOD established the National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence (NDCEE) in 1991. The NDCEE mission directly supports the Presidential Executive Orders, the Defense Science Board recommendations, the DUSD(ES), and the Tri-Service Environmental Strategic Plan.

THE NDCEE The NDCEE was created to assist the DOD, and in particular the office

of the DUSD(ES), in complying with federal and state environmental laws and regulations. The goal was to establish a unique center that could not only coordinate environmental programs within the DOD, but one that could also leverage and integrate into DOD programs the environmental and technological developments of other federal agencies, state and local governments, and industry. This combination of efforts supports the NDCEE mission of assisting the DOD in developing and implementing programs that go beyond compliance by aggressively addressing issues across all of the DOD pillars: compliance, cleanup,

106 Federal Facilities Environmental Journal/Spring 1998


The NDCEE’s mission requires activities starting with research and development and concluding with the installation of systems and training of O&M staff.

conservation, and most importantly, pollution prevention. The NDCEEs initial focus was the establishment of an environmental

technology transition capability to ensure the implementation of pollution prevention and other technologies at DOD installations. The NDCEE Charter encouraged the Center to further the RDT&E of all technologies that provided cost-effective solutions to environmental issues, regardless of the pillar. By effectively implementing these technologies, the NDCEE assists the DOD in achieving its military mission, while establishing a sustainable framework for weapons systems and facility operations.

The technologies are primarily applied to the acquisition, operation, and maintenance of weapons systems, and the industrial facilities supporting these systems. These new technologies are integrated across the entire life cycle of the weapons system, from the initial design and development by the manufacturer, to the sustainment community, to mission operational activities, and finally to ultimate recycling or disposal of the system or its components. Thus, the NDCEE’s mission requires activities starting with research and development and concluding with the installation of systems and training of operations and maintenance (O&M) staff to ensure effective technology transition.

NDCEE provides a factory setting for evaluating seven environmentally acceptable process areas:

The organicfinishing technology area focuses on technologies that reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants, hazardous solvents, and waste materials in pretreatment and paint operations. The inorganic finishing technology area demonstrates finishing processes and materials that reduce heavy metals and other hazardous discharges. The advanced cleaning technology area evaluates available technologies and prototype systems. The coatings removal technology area is used for demonstrating environmentally acceptable processes that strip large and small parts made from a variety of substrates. The recycle/reuse technology area facilitates testing of systems that recover and recycle process materials, including water, to attain near-zero discharge. ThedispsaZ technology area focuses on alternatives to open burning, open detonation, or landfilling of halogenated, nitrogenated, and oxygenated organic waste streams. The remediution/recycling technology area focuses on recovery, recycling, treatment, and disposal of non-energetic materials from contaminated environments.

NDCEE has over 400,000 square feet of floor space available for demonstration and validation technologies. These climate-controlled industrial high-bay spaces incorporate computerized system control and data collection, fiberoptic communications, and all necessary utili-

Federal Facilities Environmental Journal/Spring 1998 107


The ETF, designed specifically to support the NDCEE Program, has characteristics that give i t flexibility to accommodate a broad spectrum of technologies.

ties. These facilities and equipment support the activities of the Centers of Excellence for the DOD [the National Center for Excellence in Metal- working Technology (NCEMT), National Electronic Commerce Re- source Center (NECRC), and the NDCEE], DOD installations and contractors, managers of weapons systems, and the private sector. To date, NDCEE has performed demonstrations at Air Logistic Centers, Army depots and ammunition plants, Navy shipyards and aviation depots, and DOD weapons system contractors. The combined value of the current equipment available to the NDCEE is over $100 million, with new equipment being installed, upgraded, and transitioned continually to other sites.

The full-scale demonstration factories, housed in the Environmental Technology Facility (ETF) and the Manufacturing Technology Facility (MTF), provide a distinctive capability for the NDCEE Program. The ETF, designed specifically to support the NDCEE Program, has characteristics that give it flexibility to accommodate a broad spectrum of technologies. It provides a venue for independent, third-party verification of environmentally beneficial technologies. It also provides the capability for the DOD to demonstrate, validate, test, and evaluate technologies, and thus lower the risk of implementation. The current layout of the ETF is shown in Exhibit 1.

The MTF provides demonstration space with advanced process and laboratory equipment to support materials and process optimization. It provides significant additional capability for the NDCEE Program to accelerate technology development and deployment. It provides additional risk reduction mechanisms to ensure efficient and effective implementation of mission enhancing technology. The MTF factory layout and a listing of assets in this facility are shown in Exhibit 2.

Within these facilities are technology laboratories that provide testing and related technical consulting expertise in destructive and nondestructive product evaluations, environmental sampling and monitoring, industrial chemistry, process control chemistry, surface analysis, material compatibility, and raw materials characterization. Laboratory equipment holdings can support testing of chemical/environmental/process control, coatings and materials destructive and nondestructive testing, surface cleanliness inspection, air monitoring, metallography sample preparation, and microscopy and image analysis.

In addition, experienced personnel bring extensive technical knowledge of environmental technology and related fields to the NDCEE Program. The staff supporting this Program includes scientists; engineers; financiers; economists; regulatory and legal staff; operations and maintenance experts; market researchers; and ex-DOD installation, logistics, and weapons system managers. NDCEE staff hold over 70 regstrations and certifications including registered professional engineers, certified toxicologists and hygienists, and certified quality managers and IS0 9000/QS 9000/ISO 14000 lead auditors, certified NACE corrosion specialists, and registered environmental professionals. Some additional staff capabilities supporting the Program include statisti-


National Defense Center for Environmenfal Excellence

Exhibit 1. Environmental Technology Facility

suppolt Onlm

1 Organic Finishing 4 Coatings Removal

a) Powder Coat b) Conventional Spray c) E-Coat d) COP Spray e) Nonchromate Conversion

Coating

a) Ultrahigh-Pressure Waterjet

b) Solid Media Blast c) CO, Pellet Blast & Turbine

Wheel d) Flashjet

2 Inorganic Finishing 5 Miscellaneous

a) ion Plating Weatherometers b) Ion Implantation b) Ion Beam Assisted Deposition c) Closed Loop Manual Plating 6 LabSupport

3 Advanced Cleaning 7 Future Process Area

Power Washer Dual-Use Ultrasonic Honeycomb Cleaning

cians, environmental regulatory analysts, epidemiologists, pharmacokineticists, hydrologists, geologists, GIS experts, demogra- phers, wildlife and aquatic biologists, and fate and transport specialists. To support the design, installation, demonstration, and training necessary to transition environmental technologies, NDCEE has a complete staff of senior and certified electricians, plumbers, WAC specialists, mechanics, technicians, and other tradespersons.

Federal Facilifies Environmenfal Journal/Spring 1998 109


1 Powder Metallurgy

VT-110 Powder Injection Molding Machine

Furnaces (3000°F 2- Atmosphere and Vacuum)

100 Ton P/M Press Powder Characterization

Lab Powder/Feedstoc k

Exhibit 2. Manufacturing Technology Facility

3 Forming

Superconductor Manufacturing Center

Wire Drawing Bench Rolling Mill 850 Ton HPM Press Superplastic Forming Press

4 Transportation Initiatives

7

6 Metallography Lab

8 Handling Lab Hybrid Vehicle Development

Center

Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) 2 Semi-Solid Metalworking High Mobility Multipurpose

Induction Heating System 600 Ton Die Cast Machine 5 Welding Technology Material Handling System Material Characterization Dies Environmentally Controlled

GMAW & Thermal Cutting GTAW

Weld Area

9

Camscan SEM with TSL Unit ADEM SEM Olympus Metallograph with

Reichert Metallograph Glow Discharge Spectrometer

Materials Testing

MTS-1 (50 kip) Cam Plastometer T-0 (1 20 kip) MTS-4 Sheet Metal Tester

Machine Shop

CNC Vertical-Horizontal Mill Centers

CNC Turning Center Fanuc Wire EDM Environmentally Controlled

Inspection Room

Surfacing

Plasma Spray Workcell Automatic Nonferrous Saw HVOF

Image Analysis

10 Systems and Controls Lab

Electronics Corrosion IPM


National DqCense Center for Environmental Excellence

The DUSD(ES) provides policy, guidance, and oversight for all the services and is the sponsor for the NDCEE Program.

PROGRAM SPONSOR DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY

The DUSD(ES) provides policy, guidance, and oversight for all the services and is the sponsor for the NDCEE Program. The $5 billion-per-year budget that the DUSD(ES) expects to maintain in support of the environmental security mission is, in part, based on recommendations from the Defense Science Board Task Force. Stabilizing this budget for the long term will require an investment to eliminate the source of environmental problems in order to spend less on fixing problems. The DUSD(ES) plans to allocate a higher percentage of its budget in source reduction so that future budgets, which focus on environmental management, will enhance rather than take away from the way that the DOD performs its mission. The need to do more with less means that existing budgets must go further, and DOD environmental requirements must be met at lower costs. The NDCEE Program will continue to serve as a key element supporting the DUSD(ES) emphasis on risk reduction, cost savings, and enhanced readiness by:

Focusing on pollution prevention activities that have positive financial impacts; Demonstrating technologies through an approach that rapidly validates and transitions technologies; Providing a coordination role for addressing needs common to more than one service throughout the weapons systems life cycle; and Providing alink tocommeraalindustry,including DODcontractors, in which technological advances are occurring rapidly.

The NDCEE Program provides support to the DUSD(ES) through direct activities with its offices in a variety of areas. Specific support that the NDCEE Program provides to the DUSD(ES) includes:

Providing and exchanging environmental technology information; Developing an integrated matrix that matches similar tri-service environmental needs; Identifymg gaps where tri-service environmental needs are not being supported; Sending environmental technology experts to DUSD(ES) meetings and sponsored events; Developing environmental tools for the DOD to use; and Playing a key support role on joint DOD acquisition programs.

Exhibit 3 shows the existing relationships and supporting activities with the DUSD(ES).

NDCEE SUPPORT TO DOD In 1995 the Defense Science Board Task Force on Environmental

Security provided recommendations for a proactive DOD position to



Exhibit 3. Existing Relationships and Supporting Activities with the DUSD(ES)

DUSD(ES) Organization

DUSD( ES)

DUSD(ES)/PI

DUSD(ES) /PI

ADUSD(EQ)

Relationship

Program sponsor

Environmental technology integation

ESTCP SERDP

Pollution prevention technologies

Activity

Directs and supports CTC activity associated with the NDCEE core program

Establishes the NDCEE mission and charter

NDCEE DOD Working Group

Environmental program member

integration

Environmental technology research and development

Environmental technology demonstration

Environmental technology evaluation and tool development

Technology expertise

Tri-service integration

Policy support

improve its management of environmental security. Recommendations for improvement included:

Creating a management program of cleanup, compliance, pollution prevention, and conservation based on comparative risk reduction; Increasing focus on pollution prevention; Accelerating technology development and deployment; Integrating environmental consideration into weapons systems life cycles; and

112

_____

Federal Facilities Environmental Journal/Spring 1998


n n

The DOD has taken a proactive stance with regard to environmental security-one that recognizes financial, health, safety, and community benefits.

Assuring efficient and effective implementation through benchmarking and appropriate metrics.

The DOD has taken a proactive stance with regard to environmental security-one that recognizes financial, health, safety, and community benefits. Consideration of these factors, combined with an expected continuation of DOD budget reductions, means that existing budgets must go further and solutions must be provided at a lower cost. The DUSD(ES) summarizes its mission statement by stating, “The DOD will invest in pollution prevention to reduce the cost of cleanup and compliance, promote technology innovations to obtain better and cheaper environmental performance, and support community revitalization with fast-track cleanup of closed and realigned facilities.”

The NDCEE supports DUSD(ES) efforts by:

Providing a coordination role for addressing tri-service and federal agency needs; Developing and implementing methodologies for designing, manufacturing, and maintaining environmentally compliant weapons systems; Leveraging existing organic and external capabilities to meet requirements; Independently evaluating technologies to select the best technical solutions; Demonstrating technologies through an approach that rapidly validates and reduces the risk of transitioning technologies; Establishing a link to industry, in which technology advances are occurring rapidly; Providing an easy-to-access capability for the DOD to address environmental requirements in all pillars; and Supporting international environmental technology activities.

In addition to the Defense Science Board recommendations, the DOD is responsible for complying with other national and international mandates. Two of these mandates are the Montreal Protocol 1990 (that requires the reduction in substances that deplete the ozone layer) and the Kyoto Protocol 1998 (that requires significant reductions in energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions). Assisted by NDCEE, DOD is effectively working toward the goals of the Montreal Protocol and has led the nation in efforts to eliminate the use of ozone depleting substances. Depots supported by NDCEE Program activities have received awards for their success in meeting the goals of the Montreal Protocol.

The DOD is the largest single energy user in the United States, representing over 1.5 percent of the total energy consumed annually. As a single agency, the DOD will probably be asked to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with President Clinton’s Global Climate Change framework. This means achieving a 30 percent energy reduction by the year 2005, as mandated by the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

Federal Facilities Environmental Joumal/Spring 1998 113


A tri-semice perspective is critical to making environmental management a cost- eflective success sto y for the DOD.

According to the DUSD(ES), the DOD must meet the reduction targets in energy usage and greenhouse gases without affecting national security goals. The NDCEE is helping DOD to meet that challenge by identifymg and assisting in the implementation of technologies and management procedures to decrease industrial operations and increase weapons systems energy efficiency.

NDCEE'S TRI-SERVICE PERSPECTIVE Over the past six years, the NDCEE has established working relation-

ships with key organizations within the federal government and private industry. Contributions and leveraging from these relationships have included technical expertise, equipment, and materials to ensure that modern technologies and approaches are adopted to minimize or eliminate environmental releases from DOD operations. These relationships exist both formally and informally and are exercised frequently to support the DUSD(ES). The continued maintenance of these unique interfaces ensures that DUSD(ES) activities are coordinated and integrated and that the efforts of other federal agencies and the private sector are optimized for application at DOD facilities and in defense weapons systems.

Exhibit 4 shows the stakeholders and activities currently supporting the development of DOD solutions.

Although DOD has taken sipficant strides toward addressing its environmental requirements and the rate of technology transition is accelerating, much remains to be done. DOD environmental security needs remain and may be quantified as follows:

$5 billion budget to address the four pillars of pollution prevention, compliance, conservation, and cleanup; 6.7 million pounds of toxic release inventory (TRI)-reported discharges; and 570 environmental security needs identified by the services, as reported by the Environmental Security Requirements Group in 1997.

The DUSD(ES) must meet the challenges posed by the Defense Science Board Task Force recommendations and other national and international mandates within the constraints of a budget, with a seem- ingly unending list of competing demands. Consequently, the move toward jointness in the DOD makes sense strategically and economi- cally. A tri-service perspective, with interaction at all levels within each of the services, is critical to making environmental management a cost- effective success story for the DOD. The tri-service perspective that the NDCEE Program brings to the DOD, through integrated product teams, joint panels, and a number of broad-based information and advisory forums, is key to making environmental management a cost-effective success story. Exhibit 5 shows the organizations with which NDCEE routinely interacts, while supporting the environmental security mis-

114 Federal Facilities Environmental Joumal/Spt.ing 1998

National DqCense Center for Environmental Excellence

Exhibit 4. NDCEE Coordination and Leverage Ensures a Timely and Cost-Effective Solution to DOD Environmental Security Problems

IrE Regulators

Air Logistics Amy Depot =1 p Shipyard

~~~

Joint Test Pmtocols

Multi-Service Needs

Regulatory Analysis & Prediction

~~

Technology Evaluation Environmental

Cost Analysis Technology

Demonstration Risk Assessment

Technology Justification Environmental

Management Technology Transition

WeaponS Systems

Supplier A

Weapons Weapons Systems Systems

Supplier 6 Supplier C

CoordiMted b Leveraged Solution

Development

sion of the DOD. This interaction forms the bases for NDCEE leveraging resources and for cost effectively addressing complex issues.

DOD ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FOCUS AREAS The DOD has taken an aggressive approach in managing environ-

mental protection, safety, and occupational health. It is moving in a joint- service direction, but getting there requires integration from an unbiased perspective such as that provided by the NDCEE. Understanding the service-specific initiatives and how they fit within the larger DOD environmental management umbrella is key to effective integration.

The NDCEE works at different levels of the DOD organization. From an environmental perspective, determining the needs of the DOD requires understanding the interests of the different communities with environmental responsibilities. The joint and individual service communities supported are depicted in Exhibit 3. These include the functional areas and organizations with responsibility for:

~ ~~ ~~

Federal Facilities Environmental ]ournal/Spring 1998 115


Joint

Navy

Air Force

Exhibit 5. Representative NDCEE Program Interface Organizations

Policy/Guidance and Oversight

DUSD( ES) Deputy Director Research & Engineering

Army Materiel Command (AMC) Corps of Engineers Assistant Secretary of the Army, Research, Develop- ment, and Acquisi- tion Assistant Secretary of the Army, Installations, Logistics, and Equipment

Chief of Naval Operations (N45)

Naval Facility Command

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Manpower Reservc Affairs, Installa- tions, and Environ- ment Secretary of the Air Force Installations, Logistics & Envi- ronment Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC:

Research and Ievelopment (R&D)

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Strategic Environmental R&D Program

Advanced Research Laboratories Tank, Automotive, and Armament Research, Devel- opment & Engi- neering Center Civil Engineering Laboratory

Naval Research Laboratory

Naval Surface Warfare Center Naval Air Warfare Center Naval Facility Engineering Service Center

Air Force Research

Product centers Wright Laboratory

Laboratory

Acquisition

@ Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)

B Joint Group on Acquisition Pollution Prevention (JG-APP)

B Program Executive

@ Program Managers Officer

@ Naval Air and Naval Sea System Command Program Offices

@ AFMC B Product centers B Air Force Program

Offices

Operations and Sustainment

Joint Depot Environ- mental Program Interservice Environ- mental Education Review Board Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP)

Armyhdustrial Operations Command and Depots Major Command Installations

Navy Environmental Leadership Program Naval Aviation Depots Shipyards Engineering Field Divisions Installations

Air logistic centers Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence Majorcommand Installations



Exhibit 5 (continued)

Other Fnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) Executive branch Congress State and local governments

University Research

DOD centers EPA Office of R&D Other government

Centers

R&D

Defense industrial

DOD contractors base

Defense Industrial Base Federal Laboratory Consortium National Technology Transfer Centers

Policy, guidance, and oversight; Research and development; Acquisition; and Operations and sustainment.

Policy, Guidance, and Oversight The policy, guidance, and oversight organizations have a big-picture

focus on prioritizing the application of resources. They ensure that local interests do not work to the detriment of overall objectives. The NDCEE Program relationship with the DUSD(ES) requires a deep understanding of joint environmental issues. NDCEE also works at the individual service level with organizations that affect policy and guidance. These organizations generally reflect the perspectives of both the operational forces, as well as with those of facilities or land managers. Interfacing with ASARDA, ASAILE, SAF/ILE and AFMC, as well as the Chief of Naval Operations (N45), provides a policy perspective. Much of the recent funding for the NDCEE Program comes from the research and development (R&D), acquisition, or sustainment communities, and gains support from the policy, guidance, and oversight organizations.

Research and Development (R&D) R&D organizations provide an understanding of the direction of

future technology and the technology gaps between current and future needs. By working with these organizations, NDCEE helps leverage work sponsored by an individual service for tri-service benefit. Repre- sentative organizations with an R&D perspective that NDCEE has worked closely with include the Naval Research Laboratory, Wright Laboratory, the Army R&D Engineering Center, other DOD Centers of Excellence, the Naval Surface and Air Warfare Centers, and a number of DOD research-oriented university programs.

Acquisition The acquisition organizations understand the challenge of eliminat-

ing root causes of environmental impact from the life cycle of weapons systems. Addressing acquisition issues that have multiservice implications not only fixes an environmental problem, but has significant, long-



The demonstration facilities established by the NDCEE Program were designed to support the needs of the operations and sustainment community.

term, life-cycle cost-saving implications. NDCEE plays a leading role in supporting the Joint Group on Acqui-

sition Pollution Prevention (JG-APP). In this role, the program works directly with the DOD and the defense industrial base to agree on common approaches to fixing problems and sharing the solutions across weapons systems acquisition programs. This approach to solving problems is resulting in both short- and long-term cost savings for the DOD.

NDCEE working relationships in the acquisition community include each of the individual services as well as the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). NDCEE understands DLA's environmental management issues through both business and technical support of their mission. Tasking in support of the DLA has included work to address hazardous materials inventory management, as well as assessment of procurement decisions related to hazardous waste treatment products. NDCEE works with the Army acquisition commands, such as the Tank and Automotive Com- mand, in addressing issues related to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and in providing improved information management tools. NDCEE supports Navy system command program offices such as the New Attacksubmarine Program, and the LPD-l7Program, and works closely with Air Force integrated product centers and other Air Force program offices in addressing manufacturing and maintenance inefficiencies.

Operations/Sustainment The operations and sustainment organizations understand the op-

portunities to apply technology to day-to-day operations, maintenance, and remanufacture activity. NDCEE interfaces with the field operations sustainment community on a routine basis. The demonstration facilities established by the NDCEE Program were designed to support the needs of the operations and sustainment community.

NDCEE involvement with the Joint Depot working group provides detailed understanding of tri-service environmental issues. Direct support of organizations, such as the Air Logistics Centers, Naval air depots and Naval shipyards, and the Army depots and the Army Industrial Operations Command, keep the NDCEE Program current on environmental management issues in the sustainment community. NDCEE works directly with field operation commands and those with direct operational interests related to environmental issues. For example, NDCEE works directly with the Navy Environmental Leadership Pro- gram activities at Mayport, Florida and North Island, California, to stay current on the needs and issues in the operational community. In addition, NDCEE has deployed environmental technologies to U.S., Eastern Block, and NATO sites.

PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOD INDUSTRIAL BASE A stronger partnership with the Defense industrial base is another

key element of the DOD strategy to improve environmental management while reducing costs and improving readiness. The NDCEE Pro- gram infrastructure clearly strengthens this partnership.



The NDCEE Program ensures that industy insight is incorporated into decisions that aflect program resources.

Environmental challenges faced by industry are similar to those faced by the DOD. Understanding industry issues is important to the DOD; understanding industry solutions and lessons learned may be even more important. The ability to allocate resources to problems that have not been solved and to implement changes based on what has been solved is the focus of the partnership between the DOD and its industrial base. The NDCEE Program plays a key role in strengthening this partnership.

The NDCEE Program ensures that industry insight is incorporated into decisions that affect program resources. The NDCEE Program Executive Advisory Council brings together senior industry managers with knowledge of the environmental issues associated with weapons systems acquisition, operation, and maintenance. The NDCEE Program participation in service-integrated product team forums provides additional insight about industry solutions to environmental issues related to weapons systems.

The NDCEE Program plays a coordinating role in exchanging and disseminating technical information. Technology information exchanges bring together technology suppliers, users, and enablers from government and industry to share problems and solutions. The NDCEE has held events for critical environmental technology areas such as:

Paint and depaint technology; Plasma arc;

Modeling and simulation; and Fuel cell applications.

Alternatives to cadmium and chromium;

Process solution, recycle, and recovery;

The NDCEE Program tasks leverage the resources of industry and other government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy, in identifying small business innovative technologies that potentially could be used for application to Defense environmental problems. The NDCEE Program’s environmental information analysis infrastructure provides a real-time information tool to access, analyze, and apply technology solutions from industry to reduce DOD implementation costs. The NDCEE Program support of JG-APP facilitates the sharing of solutions and the institutionalization of enhanced environmental management processes used in industry.

NDCEE SUCCESS STORIES The NDCEE has performed projects in each of the four pillars. Nearly

50 percent of the tasks have been focused on pollution prevention activities, with about 20 percent affecting improvements in conservation/stewardship, compliance, and cleanup/restoration. An important aspect of the NDCEE approach is highlighted by the ”cross-cutting” nature of the remaining 30 percent of the tasks. They include the integration of multi-media and multi-pillar solutions to DOD problems. Through an assessment of the full scope of the problem(s) facing a


Michael A. Katz and J e w R. Hudson

NDCEE projects have saved millions of dollars without aflecting DOD's mission capability or readiness.

weapons system or installation, NDCEE has developed solutions that result in a combination of technologies and management systems. These combinations are selected to achieve the most cost-effective solution while meeting or exceeding all applicable regulations.

NDCEE projects have saved millions of dollars without affecting DODs mission capability or readiness; transitioned new technologies to installations; established new and innovative applications of existing environmental technologies; and, through technology verification studies, avoided the costly implementation of "snake-oil" solutions.

The NDCEE has assisted in the design, development, installation, and optimization of ultra-high pressure water-jet technology (UHPWJ) at CorpusChristi Army Depot (CCAD) andNaval AviationDepot (NADEP) Jacksonville. NDCEE's assistance increased the number of applications for the coating removal system, decreased the time required to implement the new applications, reduced or eliminated the need for chemical stripping techniques, and has resulted in annual operating cost savings that exceed the cost of the equipment (less than one-year payback).

For example, at NADEP Jacksonville, flame-spray coatings on cool- ing plates were removed using nitric acid and sandblasting and required nearly 12 man-hours to complete. The defect rate using this process was in excess of 50 percent. Using the UHPWJ, the process time was reduced to 20 minutes using only water, and the reject rate was virtually eliminated. Using only water, over 40,000 pounds of abrasive blast media and 2,400 gallons of spent nitric acid were eliminated. The cost of the system and per-unit, as described above, was also reduced. Thus, the new process enhanced readiness, improved productivity and product quality, reduced operating costs, and was significantly safer for Army staff and the environment.

At CCAD, NDCEE has been an integral partner in the transition from ODC/VOC cleaning to aqueous systems. NDCEE transitioned rotary basket, advanced immersion, and power washer systems to the maintenance floor to increase productivity, improve the consistency of the quality of the cleaning process, and decrease costs. The result of these efforts also included the elimination of O K s from CCADs cleaning operation and improved OSHA compliance.

The Environmental Cost Analysis Methodology task has enabled DOD to identify and account for environmental costs during the assessment of new environmental technologies and the acquisition and life cycle of weapons systems. The improved cost analysis tool canbe used for evaluating investment alternatives, budget forecasting, and cost/benefit studies. The tool is consistent with EPA cost accounting principles, activity-based costing concepts, and life-cycle cost methodologies.

The Facility Environmental Monitoring and Management System (FEMMS) was installed and tested at Tobyhanna Army Depot (WAD), and staff were trained in the operation of this innovative environmental management system. In addition, P2 /compliance technologies were designed and installed at Tobyhanna. The systems were installed to improve TYADs environmental posture through the ability to monitor

~ ~ ~_______ _______ _______ ______________

120 Federal Facilities Environmental Joumal/Spring 1998


operations, provide preemptive and effective reactive response to environmental events, and ensure long-term compliance. Through the application of this approach and the assistance of the NDCEE, TYAD has positioned itself to be IS0 14000 compliant should the need arise in the future.

The NDCEE performed a feasibility study of sorbent treatments for hazardous wastes. The study, conducted for DLA, demonstrated that treated clays and geolithic materials were effective in treating metal containing waste acid streams. However, as part of the performance study, the two sorbent materials did not provide a cost-effective alternative to current DOD industrial waste treatment practices.

Tinker AFB uses more than 70,000 pounds of perchloroethylene in two vapor degreasers to overhaul and repair jet engine components each year. Because perc is an EPA-17 chemical and a known carcinogen, the elimination would result in improved ESOH at the base. NDCEE identified and is currently testing the performance of each alternative. In some cases, NDCEE is modifying equipment in its demonstration factory to determine the performance and necessary technology transfer parameters to apply the environmentally friendly approach.

The successful alternatives will be installed at Tinker AFB and their staff trained by NDCEE on the operation of the new materials and systems. During 1998, it is anticipated that the new processes will eliminate the entire 70,000 pounds used annually.

The NDCEE continues to demonstrate its ability to assist the Depart- ment of Defense and the military industrial base in converting from hazardous materials and processes to more effective and environmentally acceptable alternatives. The true success of the Program is mea- sured by the tri-service participation in its activities and the continued funding by DOD and other federal agencies, as well as the leveraging and support of the military industrial base. *:*


national defense center for environmental excellence

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