Department of Defense chooses Environmental Award recipients

The West Walker River is rated as one of the world’s top fly-fishing spots and runs through the 60,000 acres of land that is home to the training areas of the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, Calif. The training center makes great efforts to ensure the land and wildlife is preserved and protected from contaminants and hazardous waste as part of the Defense Department’s environmental protection policy. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ali Azimi.

WASHINGTON — Nine individuals, teams or installations have been selected to receive the 2016 Secretary of Defense Environmental Award in recognition of their exceptional achievements and innovative, cost-effective environmental practices, according to a DoD news release issued yesterday.

“Our men and women work hard to keep environmental stewardship a top priority, while simultaneously advancing our national defense mission,” Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall said in the release.

"The awardees’ efforts 'foster a special type of innovation worthy of national recognition'".

For more than 50 years, DoD has recognized the work that the men and women within the department do each day to protect the environment and the nation’s resources, the release said. Military services and defense agencies submit nominations for each of the nine award categories, the release said. A diverse panel of judges representing federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector select the winners, according to the release.

The nine award recipients chosen from a total of 30 nominations are:

-- Natural Resources Conservation, Small Installation: Camp Dawson Army Training Site, West Virginia Army National Guard -- achieved key natural resources conservation goals through strategic local partnerships and efficient resource management.

-- Natural Resources Conservation, Individual/Team: Fort McCoy Natural Resources Branch, Wisconsin -- demonstrated sound natural resources stewardship while supporting and sustaining a military training environment, biological diversity, and commercial and recreational opportunities.

-- Environmental Quality, Non-Industrial Installation: Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California -- implemented a collaborative and innovative environmental management program to reduce water usage, minimize waste, and positively impact the community.

-- Environmental Quality, Individual/Team: Eglin Air Force Base Environmental Quality Team, Florida -- demonstrated a holistic environmental management approach to exceed waste diversion and renewable energy goals, maintain compliance, and minimize impacts to the mission.

-- Sustainability, Industrial Installation: Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island, Florida -- displayed environmental leadership by exceeding DoD goals in energy intensity reduction, e-waste disposal, and high performance and sustainable buildings.

-- Environmental Restoration, Installation: Beale Air Force Base, California -- used an objective-focused restoration approach and collaborative partnerships to protect human health and the environment, and make significant progress in cleaning up contamination from past defense activities.

-- Environmental Restoration, Individual/Team: Vieques Environmental Restoration Program Team, Puerto Rico -- addressed unique restoration challenges through accelerated and innovative cleanup activities, groundbreaking technologies, and strategic partnerships.

-- Cultural Resources Management, Large Installation: White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico -- collaborated with local stakeholders to ensure preservation of White Sands Missile Range cultural history and streamlined cultural resources management.

-- Environmental Excellence in Weapon System Acquisition, Large Program: KC-46 Program Environment, Safety and Occupational Health Team, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio -- employed a cross-functional team to integrate cost-effective environment, safety, and occupational health measures into the full system design lifecycle of the replacement aircraft for the Air Force’s aging tanker fleet.

In fiscal year 2015, DoD invested approximately $3.8 billion for its environmental programs: $1.8 billion to cleanup contamination from past DoD activities; $1.3 billion to comply with environmental laws; $377 million to protect natural and cultural resources; and $184 million for research and development to reduce environmental impacts of DoD activities and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental solutions, the release said.

These investments help DoD to continue ensuring the protection of human health and the environment, and to sustain the resources required to support the readiness of the nation’s armed forces, according to the release.

Published May 4, 2016