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Show 6 Hilltop Times April 20, 1995 Hill joins Earth Day observances arth Day celebrates its 25th birthday Saturday. The old military would have iemored it. but the new Air Force is a willing participant of the celebration. The Department of Defense recognizes that in the past it did not place a high priority on protecting the environment and it is trying to turn around the damage done by past practices and put into place programs that protect human health and the environment by: Restoration Cleaning up contamination created by past disposal practices. Compliance Ensuring total compliance with all federal, state and local environmental laws or reaching compliance agreements with these I I agencies that are achievable. It is interesting to note that under the Federal Facilities Compliance Act, the somemilitary is subject to fines thing that would not have happened in the Cold War era. Pollution Prevention Reducing the generation of hazardous waste to as near zero as possible to prevent future pollution. Planning Improving environmental impact analysis processes so they are timely and efficient and ensuring that provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act are met. Conservation and protection of natural and cultural resources Protecting and enhancing our natural resources. 25th Anniversary AFNEWS Widnall, Fogleman support conservation efforts Our pollution prevention program seeks to eliminate pollution at the source by identifying hazardous materials, finding less toxic replacements and managing their procurement in a way that eliminates the need to dispose of hazardous wastes. Every installation has a recycling program and 27 installations have composting programs, which reduce our input to landfills and our purchases of fertilizers, mulch and soil additives. We have helped conserve priceless natural and cultural resources through our management of 9 million acres of land, including 500,000 acres of commercial forests and 1,100 miles of rivers and streams. This includes 30,000 archeological sites on Air Force ranges. by Sheila E. Widnall Secretary of the Air Force and Gen. Ronaid R. Fogleman Air Force chief of staff s we observe Earth Dav. trip Air Fnrra pan look back with pride at its contributions to Ithe environment and afirf th challenges that remain. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, the Air Force has responded positively to many challenges in a broad spectrum of areas. We've cleaned up waste sites and. in the area of environmental compliance, set a goal of no notices for compliance violations. This year's Gen. Thomas D. White Environmental Aivard winners AFB congratulates the 1995 Secretary of Defense and Air Force General Thomas D. White Environmental Award Winners James R. (Bob) Van Orman, Hill Hill AFB Individual Environmental Quality Robins AFB, Ga. Environmental Quality Kelly AFB, Texas Pollution Prevention-Industria- l Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. Recycling Installation Air Force Environmental Awards (Department of Defense Honorable Mention) Diane Arreola, McClellan AFB, Calif. Natural Resources Conservation-Individ- ual Copt. Matthew AFB, Calif. T. Leonard, Travis Pollution Prevention-AccquisitioScott Ammon, Whiteman AFB, Mo. n Recycling-Individua- l Eielson AFB, Alaska Environmental Restoration by MSgt. Gary Pomeroy Air Force News Service -WASHINGTON When the C-- Galaxy was developed more than 30 5 years ago, the jumbo airlifter required 3,000 substances for its maintenance and operation. ozone-depletin- g Today, deplet- F-2- 2 ozone-depletin- g tal Quality. We all benefit from this team approach since there is a clear connection between protecting the environment, maintaining readiness and improving the quality of life for our people. We are proud of our efforts and confident that the Air arte will continue to set the environmental pace wtc private ana public sectors. Air Force places emphasis on Pollution Prevention "The public and halon. sectors are taking private a hard which is found in the engine and look at thorough fire suppression system processes and uses remains included in the de- hazardous materials so of they adcan either change processes velopment of the vanced fighter, which is due to make them less hazardto enter the Air Force in- ous or eliminate hazardous ventory early next century. materials used in the By then, a replacement processes." Ludtke said. for halon will more than Stated simply, "Pollution likely be in use since the prevention stops waste at United States has signed an the source." Ludtke said. international accord the And though the Air Force's Montreal Protocol banenvironmental program ning production of all contains three additional substances by the pillars compliance, end of 1995. cleanup and conservation This turnaround graphipollution prevention is curcally demonstrates the emrently receiving enormous phasis placed on pollution emphasis. Air Force Secreprevention in the Air Force tary Sheila E. Widnall and and across the country, said Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman issued a stateCapt. Hetty Ludtke. a pollution prevention program ment noting the importance manager assigned to the of leveraging resources by Pentagon. using new technology and one-ozon- e ing substance Our work to conserve cultural resources has resulted in a cooperative effort with the National Park Service to develop a comprehensive program for managing historic objects throughout the Air Force. These efforts have not gone unnoticed we've been recognized by the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, the Environmental Protection Agency. Renew America and the President's Council on Environmen- gun hazardous material "pharmacies" to centrally control hazardous materials and issue them only in minimum quantities. Because of the "pharma- by "developing libraries of alter- - environmental natives." The Air Pnrro . . an investment strategy" that focuses on pollution "preven- v.v... hazards and reducing costs. the aiuiement read. All bases have recycling programs for items such as paper, cardboard and aluminum cans. Many other bases have begun compost-ngrass clippings, food waste and other biodegrad-ablefor use as Seymour Johnson topsoil. AFB N C ' has taken stop further composting by using t materials to clean up m-vu- s g s com-pos- Si. for using landfills are reduced because less trash is being sent to landfills." Most bases have also be- Cntaminat "Recycling and compost- can be used for landscap-"K- . Ludtke said, "and cies." many units "no longer order 55-gallo- n drums of cleaning solvents when they only need a gallon." Ludtke said, adding that previously a portion of the solvents would expire on the shelf and become toxic waste before they were used. Making the Air Force's pollution prevention pro gram successful requires "continuous innovation with source reduction al- ways considered first." Ludtke said. "If we can't eliminate a material, it should be recycled or reused. If it can t be recycled or reused, it should be treated to reduce its toxicity. And if treatment as won't work, it should a last resort be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner." |