The Department of Defense announces the winners for the 2017 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards.
The awards recognize individuals, teams, and installations for their exceptional environmental achievements and innovative, cost-effective environmental practices. “The winners’ efforts strengthen the Department of Defense's position as a resourceful environmental steward, both at home and abroad, and demonstrate our continued commitment to fulfilling mission needs through advanced environmental practices and technologies,” stated James A. MacStravic, performing the duties of the under secretary of defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.
Established in 1962, the Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards recognize outstanding environmental practices that not only protect the environment, promote efficiency, and improve quality of life, but also support mission readiness. Each year, DOD selects individuals, teams and installations that stand out in their ability to achieve these sometimes competing objectives. These awards promote the use of secure and renewable energy sources; development and implementation of innovative technologies that eliminate waste; reclamation of key water resources; and protection of our Nation’s irreplaceable natural and cultural heritage.
In 2017, DOD selected the following nine winners from a total of 30 nominees:
Natural Resources Conservation, Large Installation: Camp Ripley, Minnesota Army National Guard – achieved key natural resources conservation goals through strategic partnerships and successful wildlife and land management. For more information, visit:
www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2017SECDEF.cfm.
Environmental Quality, Industrial Installation: Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California – implemented a highly successful waste management program to reduce hazardous material usage, reduce the generation of hazardous waste, and increase diversion of non-hazardous solid waste on the installation. For more information, visit:
www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2017SECDEF.cfm.
Environmental Quality, Overseas Installation: U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Germany – created successful partnerships to implement innovative projects to clean up explosive residues, conserve natural resources, and avoid impacts to the environment. For more information, visit: www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2017SECDEF.cfm.
Sustainability, Non-Industrial Installation: Eglin Air Force Base, Florida – displayed environmental leadership by recycling or reusing municipal solid waste, pursuing alternative energy sources, enhancing the prescribed burn program, and achieving designation as a clean and resilient installation. For more information, visit: www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2017SECDEF.cfm.
Sustainability, Individual/Team: Mr. Jeffery D. Schone, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona – implemented innovative projects and techniques to recycle demolition debris, reduce costs from ordering excess materials, and improve the installation’s wastewater treatment plant effluent to an A+ standard. For more information, visit: www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2017SECDEF.cfm.
Environmental Restoration, Installation: Travis Air Force Base, California – implemented successful restoration projects, created collaborative partnerships to protect human health and the environment, and made significant progress cleaning up groundwater contamination. For more information, visit: www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2017SECDEF.cfm.
Cultural Resources Management, Small Installation: Commander, Fleet Activities, Yokosuka, Japan – collaborated with local stakeholders to preserve and promote cultural resources while reinforcing a continued partnership with Japan and improved historic building evaluations. For more information, visit: www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2017SECDEF.cfm.
Cultural Resources Management, Individual/Team: Cultural Resources Management Team, Alabama Army National Guard – collaborated with the Geographic Information Systems program to design and implement a cohesive integrated management tool for cultural resources management project planning across their installations. For more information, visit: www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2017SECDEF.cfm.
Environmental Excellence in Weapon System Acquisition, Small Program: Chromium-Free Wash Primer Replacement Team, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland – created and employed a testing framework to identify environmentally safe alternatives to wash primer containing carcinogenic hexavalent chromium. For more information, visit: www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2017SECDEF.cfm.
For more information about the Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards Program, including past winners, please visit: www.denix.osd.mil/awards.