september 2012 georgia army national guard environmental newsletter_v2_issue3

Dania Aponte Environmental Programs Director (678) 569-6707 [email protected]

Butch Thompson Sustainability Program Manager, South (912) 448-4192 [email protected]

Felicia Nichols NEPA Program Manager (678) 569-6755 [email protected]

Randy Drummond Restoration and Clean-up Manager,

Sustainability Program Manager, North

(678) 569-6750 [email protected]

Karen Corsetti Pest Management Program Manager (678) 569-6751 [email protected]

Yvonne Edwards Environmental Specialist, Recycling Program (678) 569-6752 [email protected]

Kathryn Norton Cultural Resources Program Manager (678) 569-6726 [email protected]

Frances Grieme eMS Program Manager, Technical (678) 569-6749 [email protected]

Michael Holloway Environmental Assessor – Cumming (678) 569-3841 [email protected]

Tangy Johnson Environmental Assessor – Ft. Stewart (912) 448-4195 [email protected]

Kip Rummel Environmental Assessor – CNGC, Atlanta (678) 569-3840 [email protected]

Paul Hansen Environmental Assessor – Macon (404)803-8578 [email protected]

Megan Spells Environmental Assessor – Tifton (678) 569-8458 [email protected]

Our Mission

Georgia Army National Guard

Environmental Stewardship

Branch Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 3

FALL IS IN THE AIR!

Our Vision

Our vision is one of maintaining readiness, while utilizing knowledge and resources

to make informed decisions regarding our environment. To protect and conserve

today’s resources for tomorrow’s National Guard Soldiers and the Citizens of

Georgia.

September2012

~Clay National Guard Center- 1000 Halsey Avenue, Building 70, Marietta, GA 30060~

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP BRANCH STAFF

The Georgia Department of Defense Environmental Stewardship Branch exists to

support Commanders and their Mission by reducing environmental liabilities and

promoting the US Army Environmental Stewardship Program.

Stenka Vulova

CFMO-ENV Activities heading into Autumn

Some of the major events and goals of the CFMO-ENV group:

AUGUST 2012 – CFMO-ENV said farewell this month to our sum-

mer intern, Ms. Stenka Vulova, a fourth year ecology student at the

University of Georgia, Athens. Stenka was most helpful during the

summer months, pitching in to assist all team members with water/

ecology issues and cultural resource items.

SEPTEMBER 2012 - The CFMO-ENV division participated in the An-

nual Georgia Environmental Conference (GEC), held in Savannah, GA

September 23-25th. Much of what you will read in this newsletter is

gleaned from presentations and information gathered at the work-

shops. Information presented each year in this training session is vital to us as environmental professionals be-

cause it represents the most current, leading edge knowledge in various areas of environmental science and stew-

ardship. See Page 9 for more information on the GEC.

Ms. Dania Aponte, Environmental Programs Director, attended National Guard Bureau’s Certified Officer Repre-

sentative (COR) and CFMO Contracting Compliance workshop the week of September 20th. The course offered

a basic overview of the contracting process and how that process fits into the CFMO framework.

Continuing Endeavors throughout the 3rd Quarter of 2012:

Natural Resources Management: The Georgia Army National Guard (GAARNG) recently launch an Environ-

mental Assessment (EA) to evaluate the potential physical, environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic effects of a

proposed Site Development Plan (SDP) at our Oglethorpe installation. Scoping letters with regulatory agencies

and tribal organizations went out this month to notify of the proposed undertaking.

Compliance Program: GAARNG assessors are located at Cumming, Clay, Macon, Tifton and Ft. Stewart. The

Southern Region program manager, Mr. Butch Thompson, is continuing training for all Guard personnel through

the Environmental Officer classes (EO/UECO training). He continues to work with all facilities to ensure that

EOs are properly trained and that we all strive for successful environmental practices. Remaining EO/UECO

training classes are scheduled as shown on Page 7.

GA Environmental Management System (GeMS): Our GeMS program was successfully launched in 2011. The

program is steadily moving towards conformance with ISO 14001 by December of this year. Please see article on

Page 3.

Cultural Resources Management : The Cultural Resources Program Division is in the beginning phases of con-

tracting an Armories Historic Survey for facilities that meet the age criterion since the last statewide survey. The

project will be advertised within the next week. Also, the cultural resources team is excited to announce an-

other Memorandum of Agreement signed with the federally recognized tribe, Thlopthlocco Tribal Town. Please

see article on Page 6.

“God Bless America. Let’s save some of it.” ~Edward Abbey

Recently Launched Programs

Georgia Army National Guard’s eMS Awareness Training

On June 19 – 21 2012, the GAARNG had senior leadership (TAG, CG, COS, EQCC) eMS Awareness Train-

ing. The opportunity to participate in this training was a critical step in successful implementation of eMS.

Mr. Bill Wiatt, with Dolphin Environmental, LLC, spent the time providing a framework for how an eMS

works, stressing the importance of command commitment, reviewing the elements of the ISO 14001 stan-

dard, emphasizing the significance of sustainability in all functions of the GAARNG, and providing eMS im-

provement steps.

The traditional belief was that environmental management was implementing the program to avoid negative

consequences. Today the use of eMS is to move forward with a vision to support mission accomplishment

and sustainability while integrating environmental goals throughout all functions. The eMS approach is the

collective responsibility of every soldier, civilian and contractor on the installa-

tion. Like the responsibility for safety, it should be a part of the daily workforce

routine. This change—over time and through active, consistent leadership com-

mitment—will eventually allow the GAARNG to make management of the envi-ronmental activities a natural part of everyone’s standard operating procedure.

We are continually moving forward with improvement and implementation of the

GAARNG GeMS. We are excited about getting everyone within the GAARNG

on board with how we manage our environmental responsibilities while staying

mission focused!

If you have any questions regarding the GeMS Program or eMS, please contact

(678) 569-6749 or [email protected].

Clay National Guard Center Recycling Program

We are pleased to announce that the Clay National Guard Center Recycling Program Initiative was imple-

mented on July 27, 2012. An event meeting was held on July 24, 2012, for the employees to learn about the

benefits of recycling and how the program works.

This program only recycles paper and cardboard at this time. Our goal is

to reduce the amount of paper into the waste stream. The average office

worker in the U.S. uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year.

This year we will be celebrating America Recycles Day. It is celebrated

nationwide each November 15, and celebrates the benefits of recycling

through an array of awareness-raising events nationwide.

For more information, please contact Ms. Yvonne Edwards at (678) 569-6752 or [email protected].

Georgia Environmental Management System (GeMS)

mailto:[email protected]

Resource Conservation

Ways to Conserve Water*

With drought covering all of the region, conservation is a must. So what can you do?

Outdoors

Add organic matter to the soil to improve water holding capacity.

Mulch around shrubs and garden plants to reduce evaporation and cut down on weeds.

Use soaker hoses to water shrubs and trees.

Read plant tags and choose the right plant for your sun/shade/soil conditions.

Consider drought tolerant plants.

Follow the State Outdoor Watering Rules: www.gaepd.org/Documents/outdoorwater.html.

Indoors

Keep showers under five minutes.

Repair leaks promptly.

Install low-flow showerheads and faucets.

Replace old toilets with water-efficient ones.

Check to see if your house is eligible for a toilet rebate: www.northgeorgiawater.org.

(*Source: Atlanta Regional Commission)

Restoration and Clean-up Program

Under the laws that regulate the cleanup and removal of contaminated soil or groundwater at our GAARNG

sites, the first goal is to identify and quantify three characteristics of the area:

1 – The depth of any contaminated soil or groundwater

2 – The nature (or type and characteristics) of all chemicals associated with any

contamination

3 – The extent (or width, shape, outline) of any contaminated area.

In order to identify these three factors, samples are taken by using hydraulic

equipment to either drill or push hollow steel tubes into the ground that al-

low us to take a continuous sample (called a core) that represents what is

below the ground. The pictures below are from recent samplings that we

have conducted at one of our locations.

In the coming months and years, more of our sites across the state will be

sampled to ensure that we have identified any and all of our property that

may need to be studied further and cleaned up if necessary. So anytime you

see equipment such as in the pictures here, you will know that the

GAARNG is hard at work as stewards of the environment. For more infor-

mation, contact Mr. Randy Drummond at 678.569.6750 or

[email protected].

http://www.gaepd.org/Documents/outdoorwater.html

http://www.northgeorgiawater.org

The Economic Benefits of Land Conservation

The Georgia Forestry Commission was established in 1949 by the General Assembly. Their mission, to pro-

vide leadership, service and education in the protection and conservation of Georgia’s forest resources.

Georgia has more acres of timberland than any other state in the nation. As can be seen from the chart,

Georgia’s timberland acreage has remained approximately 24 million acres since the 1950s. The marked in-

crease in timberland from 1936 to 1953 coincides with the establishment of the Georgia Forestry Commis-

sion in 1949.

It can clearly be seen that the benefit of continued

volumetric growth in Georgia’s forest population is

vital. Ecosystem services and ecological functions of

Georgia’s forests generate $37.6 billion/year. Cur-

rently, Georgia’s volume growth exceeds removal by

38%.

Forbes magazine ranks Georgia third in the nation for

potential biomass energy. We are ranked number

one in wood pellet production which will be covered

more in-depth in the article that follows.

A growing concern is that private property owners

and corporations be encouraged and given incentives to maintain forest volumes and refrain from develop-

ment that clear cuts, sometimes, thousands of timberland acres in one fell swoop. As can be seen from the

pie chart diagram, a majority of timberland is held in the state of Georgia by private owners, and another 25% is corporately owned.

Continued awareness around this subject is vital to the economic prosperity of many of Georgia’s counties.

Nearly 50% of Georgia’s counties are ranked as moderately to critically dependent upon their forested areas

for economic viability and continued growth.

The greatest single threat to Georgia’s forests is population

growth and urban sprawl. Our population is projected to

increase from 10 to 12 million people within the next 20

years, and we are realizing a loss of approximately 106 acres

of timberland per day to development.

The fact that we’re rated third in potential for biomass en-

ergy, makes it even more crucial that we continue efforts to

maintain and expand our acreages, so that this burgeoning

potential can realized.

For more information, contact Ms. Felicia Nichols at

678.569.6755 or [email protected].

Natural Resources Management

GAARNG Cultural Resources Management Making Headway in Several Areas

The GAARNG is currently in the pre-bid phase for a comprehensive historic survey of all armories that are

approaching or meet the age criterion for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

The baseline survey will determine their eligibility or ineligibility for inclusion on the NRHP, and will provide

valuable information for determination of impacts to cultural/historical resources due to proposed future

GAARNG undertakings. With a baseline survey in hand, time would not be needed integral to the project

life-cycle, as GAARNG would know the determination of eligibility before undertakings are proposed and

environmental studies have begun.

Also, in other cultural resources news, the GAARNG CFMO Environmental Stewardship Division has a

newly adopted Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, a federally recog-

nized tribal nation of Creek origin, with ancestral ties to the state of Georgia. The nation resides in

Okemah, Oklahoma. The GAARNG has had several highly successful consultations over the past few years

with Thlopthlocco Tribal Town and is excited and honored to have this document in place.

MOUs represent an agreement between the two government agencies to work towards good will, ease of

communication, and respect for one another’s interests. The document was signed by Thlopthlocco Tribal

Town on July 19th, 2012 and co-signed on August 17th, 2012 by the Adjutant General of Georgia, James But-

terworth. The GAARNG looks forward to a continued rewarding and cohesive working relationship with

the tribe.

In additional news, the GAARNG Cultural Resources Team anticipates participation in an upcoming FY2013

multi-state Native American Consulta-

tion. The consultation preparations are underway and are being planned

with our neighboring states of Ala-

bama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Flor-

ida, with Alabama Army National

Guard as lead agency. At this time,

the upcoming consultation is slated for

the summer of 2013. More informa-

tion will be provided as meeting plans

progress and solidify.

For more information on this program,

please contact Ms. Kathryn Norton at

[email protected] or

678.569.6726.

Cultural Resources Management

Scenes of the Headquarters, Georgia State Guard at the Atlanta Armory located on Confederate Avenue, c. 1944

Environmental Officer (EO)/Unit Environmental Officer (UECO) Training 17-

18OCT12

In accordance with AR 200-1 (Environmental Protection and Enhancement), CFMO-ENV will provide one 8

hour block of initial training and one 4 hour block of annual refresher training for personnel assigned Envi-

ronmental Officer (EO)/Unit Environmental Compliance Officer (UECO) responsibilities. The 8 hour initial

training is for personnel that have not received any EO/UECO training and the 4 hour refresher training is

for personnel that have received initial training and require annual refresher training.

Training will be conducted at the Georgia Garrison Training Center (GGTC), Ft. Stewart, GA 17-18OCT12.

Initial EO/UECO training will be conducted on 17OCT12 from 0800-1700 at Building (TBD) and Refresher

EO/UECO training will be conducted on 18OCT12 from 0800-1200 at Building (TBD). Building location will

be promulgated via separate email to attendees upon confirmation from GGTC for building reservation.

Class size is limited to 20 personnel for each class, to register send an email to Mr. Charles “Butch” Thomp-

son at [email protected] no later than 12OCT12. Ensure email contains rank, full name, and

unit/facility assigned to as EO/UECO.

EO/UECO training is offered once per calendar quarter by CFMO-ENV and specifically pertains to

GAARNG environmental programs, not host installations. GAARNG units on host installations must attend

the host installations training and comply 100% with host installation environmental program requirements.

GAARNG EO/UECO training rotates between locations at GGTC, Macon, and Clay NGC. All GAARNG units/facilities are required to have personnel assigned as EO/UECO and trained by the cognizant training

authority to manage environmental issues/concerns at the unit/facility.

EO/UECO training courses scheduled for CY-2013 are as follows:

16JAN13 – 8 hour Initial, DLC Macon

17JAN13 – 4 hour Refresher, DLC Macon

17APR13 – 8 hour Initial, Clay NGC, Building 2

18APR13 – 4 hour Refresher, Clay NGC, Building 2

17JUL13 – 8 hour Initial, GGTC, Ft. Stewart, Building TBD

18JUL13 – 4 hour Refresher, GGTC, Ft. Stewart, Building TBD

16OCT13 – 8 hour Initial, DLC Macon

17OCT13 – 4 hour Refresher, DLC Macon

Soldiers should register to attend the course nearest their home station to alleviate issues with obtaining

travel orders and funding. Training will be conducted from 0800-1700 for Initial course and 0800-1200 for

Refresher course on the specified dates. In accordance with AR 200-1 and FM 3-34.5 (Environmental Con-

siderations).

POC is Mr. Charles “Butch” Thompson at [email protected] or 912.448.4192.

Environmental Compliance



Clothing can also be recycled? Not just donated for reuse, but actually recycled through processes that al-

low the fibers to be reused to make new garments. Also, there are numerous on-line sites that allow trade,

donation, bartering, or sale for a minimal fee of clothing items. See some of the options below:

Did you know…

News You Can Use!

Production vs. Waste

It requires 700 gallons of water to grow the cot-

ton used in just one T-shirt. Nearly 1,500 gallons

of water is needed for a pair of jeans.

The production of one pound of clothing requires

as much energy as a 100-watt light bulb uses in 10

hours.

Synthetic clothes are made with petroleum-based

products. The petroleum used can contaminate

groundwater, surface water, and the ecosystems

around us.

The average American consumes 81 lbs. of cloth-

ing and other textiles per year.

According to the EPA, more than 12.7million tons

of textile waste is generated annually. One of the

larges sources of waste in the USA.

Each year , the textile recycling industry diverts 1.3

million tons of waste from reaching U.S. landfills.

85% of textile waste isn’t recycled!

You can help this effort by any or all of the

following:

Purchase clothes from stores that sell recycled

clothing

Donating clothing to organizations such as Good-

will and Salvation Army

Buying clothes from second-hand stores

Cut up old clothes and use them as rags or hand-

kerchiefs

Participate in America Recycles Day - November

15th

Sign up to participate in Freecycle or ecofreek,

Recent Workshops and Training

The annual Georgia Environmental

Conference was held in Savannah,

Georgia September 23-25. Much of the

information you will find in this newslet-

ter was garnered by CFMO-ENV em-

ployees who attended this training.

The following articles represent new

and emerging topics of interest pre-

sented at the GEC.

“Man shapes himself through decisions

that shape his environment.”

~Rene Dubos

Brownfields and Riverfronts- Textiles and Gateways

Presented by Tangy Johnson

Small towns create bigger gains when they partner with other communities or adapt their programs to enlist

federal assistance to revitalize their communities. Brownfield use is one way to achieve this goal.

The term "Brownfield site" means real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be

complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Note

that for cleanup or RLF grants, there must be documented (not potential) contamination on sites to be addressed.

The law further defines the term “Brownfield site” to include a site that is contaminated by controlled sub-

stances (e.g., meth labs), petroleum or a petroleum based products (e.g. abandoned gas stations), or mine-

scarred lands.

To date, 411 properties have entered Georgia’s Brownfield program and 239 have completed the program.

Some of the benefits of the program is the limitation of liability for groundwater (the seller becomes respon-

sible for any contamination). And, the assessment and cleanup costs can be recovered through tax incentives.

The Memorial Drive Project: A Gateway Into Downtown Hinesville

Recent Workshops and Training, contd.

Before After

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) program is designed to empower states, communities, and

other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to assess, safely clean

up, and promote sustainable reuse of Brownfields. The program provides financial and technical assistance

for Brownfield revitalization, including grants for environmental assessment and cleanup.

Some of the benefits of Brownfield revitalization:

Protects health and human welfare

Increases local tax base

Facilitates job growth

Utilizes existing infrastructure and helps to prevent urban sprawl

Takes development pressure off undeveloped land

Supports cleaner air quality

Reduces habitat destruction

Tax incentives include Tax Allocation Districts (TADs). These are widely used by municipalities to encour-

age redevelopment in a designated area. TAD dollars can be used to help pay for portions of redevelopment

and the terms vary, but can be as long as 25 to 30 years.


Bringing Science and Practice on Par to Conserve Water on Golf Courses

Presented by Michael Holloway

Golf course surfaces play best when the grass is dry, however, moisture is needed to keep the grass alive.

The University of Georgia is working to develop turf grasses of both a cool and warm species, that are

drought resistant. These grasses can be used for home lawns, business and institutional grounds, sports

fields, golf courses, parks, sod/sprig/seed production fields, and highway rights of way.

Some common turf grasses that are drought resistant and can be used in both cool and warm seasons are:

Bermuda

Zoysia

Centipede

Tall Fescue

Use of alternative irrigation sources in coastal areas is also being explored, with the use of seashore pas-

palum grass that can be irrigated with saltwater.

Irrigation systems are being designed to assist in best management practices for golf course lawns, such as

hand watering and moisture testing, on-site weather monitoring stations, sprinkler head design, nozzle selec-

tion, head spacing, pipe size and water pressure.

At the Ford Plantation in Richmond Hill, GA the irrigation system is being redesigned to set the sprinkler

heads closer together which gives better control and minimizes water loss due to evaporation.

Scheduling of water delivery is also being investigated to maximize use of water sources. And, landscape and

golf course design is being considered from the perspective of better drainage and collection of run-off for

reuse.

Continued education is a must to insure irrigation practices that

conserve water resources. The Gold Course Superintendents

Association of America and the Irrigation Association regularly

present seminars and conduct research with the help of universi-

ties and colleges. Industry periodicals also are available with the

most up to date information, including reclaimed water harvest-

ing and contingency plans such as the Atlanta Country Club’s ve-

hicle washing water recycler which also captures storm water for

reuse.

Greening the DOD: Energy & Sustainability

Presented by Paul Hansen

The Energy Initiatives Task Force (EITF) was established by the Secretary of the Army, John McHuge, on

September 15, 2011. The EITF serves as a management office for partnering with Army installations to de-

velop large scale cost-effective renewable energy projects.

Current activities within the EITF are:

Analysis of renewable energy markets

Project economics

Technology

Resource availability

The Southeast Energy Initiative (SEI) is a collective body designed to strengthen the Department of Defense

(DOD) energy and sustainability. Some of the areas in which the SEI is growing its program are:

Building Design - an example would be the Community Emergency Service State at Fort Bragg, NC

(shown below), which received a platinum LEED rating.

Solar Power - recent projects include the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Ft. Benning, GA. (40,000

square feet of solar panels completed in September 2011, shown below).

Landfill Gas energy projects which utilize existing landfill off-gassing to power systems and equipment.

Hydrogen fuel cells, like the ones at Ft. Jackson, SC which are used as back-up power which reduces

emissions and lowers lifecycle costs.



Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Georgia’s Environment

Presented by Megan Spells

There are several environmental contaminants in Georgia’s environment which are of growing concern to

scientists which monitor these chemicals. Three of these contaminants are:

PFCs (Per Fluorinated Compounds)

EE2 (ethynyl-estradiol)

Dioxane

Persistent pollutants, such as PFCs do not degrade due to the strength of the carbon flourine bond. Various

derivatives of PFCs have been manufactured since the 1940s and remain in humans for an inordinate amount

of time and pose significant health risks to wildlife and people.

EE2 is a pharmaceutically active compound synthetic estrogen used in birth control. In lab studies, scientists

exposed juvenile rainbow trout to 10 nanograms/liter of EE2 for 50 days. This is a dose nearly identical to

reported levels in contaminated rivers and streams.

For the first time, scientists demonstrated that the rainbow trout exposed to this active ingredient had

nearly a 25-fold increase in frequency of abnormal chromosomal sperm, which can affect fertilization, embryo

development and offspring survival.

Dioxane, is a compound found in paint solvents, varnishes, adhesives, detergent, cosmetics and pesticides. It

is also used during the production of flame retardant chemicals, pharmaceuticals and magnetic tape. Dioxane

is listed as a hazardous air pollutant under the Clean Air Act (CAA) (EPA 2012). A reportable quantity of

100 lbs. has been established under CERCLA (EPA 2012).

These contaminants of growing concern represent shifts in tradi-

tional thinking as many are produced industrially, yet are dispersed

to the environment for domestic and commercial use. Studies will

likely continue to bring new light to the effects of these toxins on

humans, wildlife and the environment at large, shaping policy and

regulations around these substances.

Recent Workshops and Training contd.

The Georgia Solar Energy Association

Presented by Kip Rummel

The Georgia Solar Energy Association is a professional organization focused on promoting the solar industry

in Georgia by providing interested customers with solar cell technology

and module performance. The organization matches organizations

with manufacturers, financing strategies and legal references to provide

customers with best solutions for their individual needs.

To demonstrate corporate integration and government cooperation

the group was taken on a tour of the new IKEA distribution center in

Savannah to view Georgia’s largest solar installation yet.

The group was allowed access to the roof of the center to view the

array of 6,076 panels which is scheduled to produce 1.9 million kWh annual electrical output. For reference,

this would power 170 homes annually in Georgia. The current IKEA facility in midtown Atlanta has an array

of 4312 panels, currently producing 1.4 million kWh annual output. This would power 122 homes annually.

IKEA has demonstrated that the technology has progressed to the point that it is a viable alternative to aug-

ment our power requirements. Solar might not be considered as a prime power substitution at this time, but

an alternative to augment requirements during peak load use.

The presentation highlighted the challenges posed by major power companies blocking the incorporation of

alternate energy sources. Alternate energy is viewed as competition to power companies long term survival.

One of the chief challenges often cited as a deterrent to more use of solar power, is one of storage. There

is currently no viable method of storing energy produced.

The presentation also reinforced the need to consider solar as part of the solution to augment energy re-

quirements within the Department of Defense (DOD) under the oversight of the Army Corp of Engineers

(USACE). A long range solution for Clay National Guard Center (CNGC) is solar integration to come in

line with the DOD vision for all federal facilities.

Along with other contemporary solutions which rely on natural forces for production, such as wind turbines

and hydroelectric power, solar energy represents a viable option to conventional power sources. These

conventional sources rely on fossil fuels and other processes that might not be sustainable in days to come.

As a note, the CFMO is currently working on various solar panel projects at-

Building 300, Clay; Winder; and at GGTC. Stay tuned for future updates on

their progress.