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.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP BRANCH STAFF

Our Mission

Georgia Army National Guard

Environmental Stewardship

Branch Newsletter

Volume 1, Issue 3

Dania Aponte Environmental Programs Director (678) 569-6707 dania.g.aponte@us.army.mil

Butch Thompson Sustainability Program Manager (912) 767-1823 butch.thompson@us.army.mil

Felicia Nichols NEPA Program Manager (678) 569-6755 felicia.nichols@us.army.mil

Randy Drummond Restoration and Clean-up Manager (678) 569-6750 randy.drummond1@us.army.mil

Rolandria Boyce eMS Program Manager (678) 569-6749 rolandria.boyce@us.army.mil

Karen Corsetti Pest Management Program Manager (678) 569-6701 karen.corsetti@us.army.mil

Yvonne Edwards Environmental Technical Support Specialist (678) 569-6752 etta.edwards@us.army.mil

Kathryn Norton Cultural Resources Assistant (678) 569-6726 kathryn.f.norton@us.army.mil

Michael Holloway Environmental Assessor (678) 569-3841 michael.holloway3@us.army.mil

Tangy Johnson Environmental Assessor (912) 767-9133 tangy.johnson@us.army.mil

Vacant Environmental Assessor Marietta

Vacant Environmental Assessor Macon

Vacant Environmental Assessor Tifton

"Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology,

economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the

wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure."

— John McConnell

Our Vision

Commanders maintaining readiness while acquiring the knowledge and re-

sources to make informed decisions that protect and conserve today’s re-

sources for tomorrow’s National Guard Soldiers and Citizens of Georgia.

June 2011

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

Environmental stewardship is the sus-

taining of environmental quality shared

by all those whose actions affect the en-

vironment.

In 2005, the USEPA laid out a vision for

environmental stewardship recognizing it

as a means to a more sustainable future.

The Environmental Stewardship Branch

strives to assess the impacts of

GAARNG activities comprehensively

and proactively.

The Environmental Quality Control Committee

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Environmental Stewardship Branch

The next Environmental Quality Control Committee (EQCC) is scheduled for June 21, 2011. This meet-

ing is particularly important since National Guard Bureau (NGB) has completed the final QA of the find-

ings assessed during the February external EPAS Assessment. Representatives from NGB will be visiting

Georgia in June to discuss next steps and provide some general Environmental Management System

(eMS) awareness training. We anticipate Senior Leadership, including the COS, CFMO and EQCC mem-

bers to be present. This meeting represents a positive step towards establishing a viable line of commu-

nication regarding environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Additionally, over the next few months the Environmental Stewardship Branch will be reviewing all find-

ings levied against the GAARNG and developing a corrective action plan for each deficiency.

A key element emphasized during the EPAS is that communication is key to the success of the program.

The CFMO’s dissemination of information through the representatives in the EQCC is directly linked to

the success of the GAARNG’s eMS. Ultimately, the eMS is the GAARNG’s mechanism to ensure that

conformance to regulatory compliance is achieved and maintained.

"You must be the

change you wish to

see in the world."

— Mahatma Gandhi

Page 3

Clean-up and Restoration

The Cleanup & Restoration Program continues to move forward with completion of Environmental

Condition of Property (ECOP) documents, Site Surveys, and Cleanup contracts that are managed

locally and from the centrally-funded Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program

(DERP).

An updated ECOP was recently completed for the renewal of the license for the Warrior Training

Center, also known as Camp Butler, located at Ft Benning, GA. This is a facility used by National

Guardsmen and other services from across the country to prepare soldiers for their special warfare

training, such as Ranger, Pathfinder, and Airborne Schools.

Environmental-Cleanup has been working with CFMO Contracting through the bid process to re-

move the estimated 15,000 to 20,000 used tires that have been illegally dumped on the Lorenzo

Benn Youth Development Center Property. After breeding some of the largest mosquitoes in Ful-

ton County, many of which we met personally during site visits, we are close to awarding the con-

tract to remove the tires and prepare the area for the upcoming MILCON project there.

Camp Butler, Ft. Benning, GA Illegally dumped tires, Lorenzo Benn, GA

Page 4

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 is a Federal law that requires if Federal funds are spent on a

project, operation or activity, the impact of those actions must be assessed, documented and provisions made for pub-

lic involvement before project initiation. The impact of not completing NEPA analysis and documents, is loss of NGB

funding for proposed actions and potential litigation. The Georgia Army National Guard currently has three proposed

construction projects undergoing NEPA analysis.

Regional Readiness Center - Atlanta: The proposed action includes construction and operation of a Regional

Readiness Center and a Warehouse facility in Fulton County, Atlanta. The remaining, undeveloped portions of the site

would be used for dismounted training activities. The 112-acre site is located on the former Lorenzo Benn Youth De-

velopment Center approximately 8.5 miles west of Atlanta.

Regional Readiness Center - Macon: The proposed action includes construction and operation of a Regional

Readiness Center and a 6-acre Motorpool area. The 30-acre site is located on the former Regional Training Institute

(RTI) in Macon.

Maneuver Area Training and Equipment Site (MATES) – Ft. Stewart: The proposed action includes the con-

struction and operation of 18 new Vehicle Maintenance Work Bays which would be located on the current MATES site

on the Georgia Garrison Training Center (GGTC) on Ft. Stewart.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

Environmental Management Systems (eMS)

GAARNG has consistently made progress towards the full implementation of an eMS in accordance with EO 13148.

This management system will provide a systematic framework to manage the entire organization’s environmental im-

pacts. The benefits of having an eMS are numerous and are essential to environmental sustainability. With sustainability

as the goal, this eMS will improve the integration of core business mission with environmental performance and reduce

our organization’s environmental footprint.

The GAARNG is implementing an International Standard of Organization (ISO) 14001 based eMS. Subscribing

to this standard will enable the GAARNG to:

identify and control the environmental impact of its activities, products or services

improve its environmental performance continually

implement a systematic approach to setting environmental objectives and targets, to achieving these and to demon-

strating that they have been achieved.

In order for an eMS to be successful it must be owned by everyone in the organization. Therefore training is important

and required. In June 2011, video awareness training will be made available via the Sportal. For your convenience, you

will be able to view the Two Part, 12 minute training video directly from your computer. The training will provide an

overview of the significance of an Environmental Management System and what your role is. Additionally, the eMS Co-

ordinator is developing a facility site visit schedule to provide more in-depth eMS awareness training for all GAARNG

personnel. Senior leadership is tentatively scheduled to receive Commander Level training in August 2011.

If you have any questions regarding the GAARNG eMS please contact Rolandria Boyce at (678) 569–6749 or

rolandria.boyce@us.army.mil.

Page 5

Cultural Resources and Native American Involvement

The Georgia Army National Guard, Construction and Facilities Management Office, Environmental Programs held a

formal Native American Consultation on December 6-8, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. The fourteen federally recognized

tribal nations with cultural interest in Georgia were invited to participate. Both the Adjutant General of the Georgia

National Guards, MG William Nesbitt, and the Commanding General of the Georgia Army National Guard, MG Maria

Britt, were present for the government-to-government consultation. Ten tribal representatives, most of whom were

the Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs) for their nation, representing nine of the federally recognized tribes,

were present.

Since the December consultation, the GAARNG has developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the

United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma – the agreement was officially signed and adopted April 5,

2011. Also, the GAARNG is in the process of developing MOUs with two other nations at this time – the Muscogee

(Creek) Nation of Oklahoma and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. The GAARNG continues to pursue consul-

tation with federally recognized tribes and adoption of the MOU through on-going communication and future formal

multi-state consultation.

It is anticipated that our next Native American Consultation will be a joint effort to be held in Oklahoma this coming

September. We anticipate that four or five other states will also be part of the consultation process and that a larger

group of Tribes will be present. Currently, staff is working with OK staff to ensure that all the details for the consulta-

tion are worked out and that the GAARNG projects’ information is updated and ready for the presentations to the

Tribes. Two staff members will attend the consultation and will interact with the Tribes on behalf of the CFMO and

the TAG. Stay tuned for updates on the outcome of the consultation.

Cultural Resources and Section 106/110 of the National Historic Preservation Act

NHPA)

Pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preserva-

tion Action (NHPA), the GAARNG is in discussion with

the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) regarding

the scheduled MILCON Regional Readiness Center con-

struction project to take place at the former Macon Re-

gional Training Institute (RTI). Home to the former Geor-

gia Academy for the Blind – School for the Negro Blind

(GAB), the tract is considered eligible for the National Reg-

ister of Historic Places (NRHP) under Criterions A, B, and

C of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). A

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will be developed be-

tween the SHPO and GAARNG-CFMO-ENV to outline

avoidance, minimization and/or mitigation measures for

impacts to historic structures due to the undertaking.

Please note that cultural resources do not deter future

constructions; but rather, the process may take a bit longer

in order to properly complete all the necessary documen-

tation. The former GMI located , Macon, GA

Page 6

In accordance with AR 200-1, CFMO-ENV will provide

one 8 hour block of Environmental Officer (EO)/Unit

Environmental Compliance Officer (UECO) training for

personnel assigned EO/UECO responsibilities. Training

will be conducted at the Distant Learning Center (DCL)

Macon (former RTI) on 22JUN11 from 0800-1700.

Class size is limited to 20 personnel, to register send an

email to Mr. Charles "Butch" Thompson at

butch.thompson@us.army.mil. 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 rotates between locations

at GGTC, Macon, and Clay NGC.

All units/facilities are required to have personnel as-

signed as EO/UECO to manage environmental issues/concerns at the unit/facility.

POC is Mr. Charles ―Butch‖ Thompson at

butch.thompson@us.army.mil, phone (912) 767-1823.

Environmental Performance Assessment System (EPAS) Updates) Update

Environmental Compliance

Environmental Officer (EO)/Unit Environmental Officer (UECO) Training 22 June 2011

We recently completed our external EPAS assessment conducted by NGB on 19 February 2011. Overall

the assessment went very well and there were no unexpected, rather surprising, non-compliance environ-

mental findings discovered. Since the completion of the assessment CFMO-ENV has completed the installa-

tion review of the findings and is awaiting NGB to complete the quality assurance (QA) review so the find-

ings can be finalized and uploaded to our installation corrective action plan (ICAP) hosted on the Web Com-

pliance Assessment and Sustainment Systems (WEBCASS) for corrective action/closure of each. CFMO-

ENV would like to express our appreciation for the cooperation and professionalism displayed by all person-

nel involved with the assessment, especially those at the facilities assessed. Upon receipt of the finalized find-

ings, CFMO-ENV will coordinate with all MACOMs/units/facilities to expedite implementing corrective ac-

tions so the findings can be closed as quickly as possible.

CFMO-ENV’s goal is to maintain 100% environmental compliance while sustaining an environmental pro-

gram that provides 100% support to GAARNG’s mission requirements. Direct all questions regarding the

EPAS assessment to CFMO-ENV (Mr. Butch Thompson, (912) 767-1823, butch.thompson@us.army.mil).

Page 7

Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) Open Burning-

Ban Begins May 1, 2011 for 54 Georgia Counties

(NOTE – Open burning of any type is not authorized at any GAARNG facility at any time)

Georgia EPD acknowledges the severe storms that hit the state recently. EPD will be addressing the proper

management of debris in counties affected by those storms in a separate press release.

Beginning May 1st and ending September 30th, EPD’s Open Burning Ban will be enforced in 54 Georgia

counties. The Open Burning Ban prohibits citizens and businesses from burning yard and land-clearing debris.

This rule is in addition to the year-round state ban on the burning of household garbage.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) is reminding citizens that these rules are in place for a

reason – and the reason is health.

Besides the obvious effects of smoke on the human body such as watery eyes, smoke from fires contains

chemicals and pollutants that negatively impact a person’s health. Burning yard waste releases nitrogen ox-

ides and particle pollution into the air. Both pollutants contribute to lung and heart disease. Particle pollution is made up of extremely small particles that can increase the risk of a heart attack. In the heat of summer,

nitrogen oxides combine with fumes from fuels, paints and vegetation to form ground-level ozone. Ground-

level ozone can cause inflammation to the lungs. Burning household garbage, which is banned year-round in

Georgia, releases even more dangerous pollution.

The Open Burning Ban that begins May 1st is not new. Beginning in 1996 with the 13-county metro Atlanta

area, it has gradually come to include 54 counties. With Georgia’s growth and development comes more

traffic, more industry, more land clearing and more building -- all con-

tribute to air pollution. Some actions, such as campfires and agricultural

activities are exempt.

The good news is that the most recent monitoring data shows that

Georgia is attaining all current air quality standards. ―We are working

hard to improve air quality in Georgia,‖ says James A. Capp, Georgia

EPD Air Branch Chief. ―This success is confirmation that the clean air

programs we have in place in Georgia, including the open burning ban,

are working.‖

The Clean Air Act requires U.S. EPA to periodically review the current

air quality standards to ensure that they are still protective of public

health. As a result of their review, air quality standards may be tightened

further in the future. The U.S. EPA has indicated their intent to lower

the air quality standard for ground level ozone later this year. There-

fore, rules such as the open burning ban are just as important as ever

for ensuring that Georgians have clean air to breathe.

Page 8

Open Burning Ban (Cont’d)

Counties included in the ban and the appropriate EPD District Office phone numbers follow:

· Metro Atlanta District Office: 404-362-2671 Carroll, Clayton, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette,

Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Henry, Rockdale, Spalding counties

· Northeast District Office (Athens): 706-369-6376 Banks, Barrow, Butts, Clarke, Hall, Jackson, Jas-

per,

Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Putnam, Walton counties

. Northeast District Office (Augusta): 706-792-7744 Columbia, Richmond counties

· West Central District Office: 478-751-6612 Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Lamar, Monroe, Peach,

Pike, Twiggs, Upson, Meriwether, Troup counties

· Mountain District Office: 770-387-4900 Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Dawson,

Floyd, Forsyth, Gordon, Haralson, Lumpkin, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker counties

For more information about alternatives to burning such as composting and chipping, please contact Joe

Dunlop at the Department of Community Affairs at 404-679-4940 or email him at joe.dunlop@dca.ga.gov, or

contact Roy Edwards at Georgia’s Department of Natural Resource’s Sustainability Division at 404-657-

7449 or email him at roy.edwards@gadnr.org.

Debris can also be hauled to a commercial processing/grinding/composting operation or to an inert or

construction and demolition landfill. For a list of landfills in your area, please call EPD’s Solid Waste

Management Program at 404-362-2692.

For more information on the open burning ban and exemptions to the rule, please contact the Air Protec-

tion Branch at 404-363-7000 or visit the newly updated burning rules webpage at:

http://www.georgiaair.org/airpermit/html/planningsupport/openburning/index.htm.

OSHA to Adopt GHS Classification and Labeling of Chemicals

opt GHS Classification and Labeling of Chemicals

This summer, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is expected to announce that US employers

must begin to adopt the United Nations (UN) Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for the classification and labeling of

hazardous chemicals. The promulgation of this regulation means that virtually every chemical label, Material Safety Data

Sheet (MSDS) (soon to be called ―Safety Data Sheet‖ (SDS)), and written hazard communica­tion plan will have to be

revised to meet the new standard. Work­er training must also be updated so that workers can recognize and under-

stand the symbols and pictograms on the new labels, as well as the new hazard statements and precautions on SDSs.

These dramatic changes will impact other OSHA standards that address, Flammable and Combustible Liquids, Process

Safety Man­agement (PSM), Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Re­sponse (Hazwoper), Fire Prevention and

Protection, Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, and many of the chemical-specific OSHA

Page 9

OSHA to Adopt GHS Classification and Labeling of Chemicals

opt GHS Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (Cont’d)

standards (e.g., Lead Standard). Both employers and employees will need to familiarize themselves with the GHS Stan-

dards by attending appropriate training that will en­able them to comply with the new OSHA requirements.

The GHS for the Classification and Labeling of Chemicals is a worldwide initiative to

promote standard criteria for classifying chemicals according to their health, physical

and environmental hazards. It uses pictograms, hazard statements, and the signal

words ―Danger‖ and ―Warning‖ to communicate hazard infor­mation on product la-

bels and safety data sheets in a logical and comprehensive way. The primary goal of

the GHS is better protection of human health and the environment by providing

chemical users and handlers with enhanced and consistent infor­mation on chemical

hazards. The following is a brief description of the three ways in which information

will be communicated:

Pictogram(s): A symbol inside a diamond with a red bor­der, denoting a particular chemical hazard class. The ef­

fectiveness of hazard communication is enhanced when important information is conveyed in more than one way, such

as combining eye-catching symbols with clear label text. Pictograms are a simple method of conveying infor­mation and

drawing attention to other label information. GHS uses pictograms in combination with the two distinct signal words

to quickly and simply relay important hazard information to chemical users and handlers, e.g., acute toxicity/lethality,

skin irritation/corrosion, etc). The Envi­ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) anticipates that five of the GHS pictograms

will be the most commonly used on pesticide labels (e.g., skull and cross bones, exclamation mark, corrosion, flame, or

environment). The complete set of GHS pictograms can be viewed on the United Nations GHS Web site (GHS

(Rev.1) (2005) - UNECE).

Hazard statement(s): A phrase assigned to each hazard category that describes the nature of the hazard. The haz­

ard statement may be based on the UN’s GHS standard or similar statements that would not conflict with the GHS

standards. For example, the hazard statements ―Harmful if swallowed‖, ―Highly flammable liquid and vapor‖ and

―Harmful to aquatic life‖ are based, in part, on current EPA requirements, and they are generally very similar.

Signal word(s): One word used to indicate the relative se­verity of hazards and alerts the reader to a potential haz-

ard on the label and safety data sheet. The GHS includes two signal words:

“Warning” — or less severe hazard categories and;

“Danger” — for more severe hazard categories.

Lower categories of classification and unclassified products would not require pictograms or signal words under GHS.

Currently, the EPA system includes a third signal word ―Caution‖ that is used in addition to ―Warning‖ and ―Danger‖.

The adoption of the GHS classification and labeling of chemicals or products will provide the following benefits:

Enhance the protection of human health and the environment: The consistent and widespread us of GHS

will enhance protection of human health and the environment by providing an internationally comprehensible system

for hazard communication. GHS will help ensure more consistency in the classification and labeling of all chemicals,

thereby improving and simplifying hazard communication . This improved communication system will alert the user to

the presence of a hazard and the need to minimize exposure and risk, resulting in safer transportation, handling and

use of chemicals.

Page 10

OSHA to Adopt GHS Classification and Labeling of

Chemicals (Cont’d)

Promote sound management of chemicals worldwide: The GHS will provide a harmonized basis for

the first step in the sound management of chemicals by indentifying hazards, and communicating them. This

will be particularly useful for countries with out well-developed regulatory systems.

Facilitate Trade: The GHS will reduce costly and time-consuming activities needed to comply with multi-

ple classification and labeling systems, thereby promoting more consistency in regulations while reducing non

-tariff barriers to trade.

In the classification of a chemical hazard, the GHS specifies certain elements that should appear together on

chemical labels. Similar to the current EPA pesticide labeling system, hazard statements, pictograms

(symbols), and signal words may be required on pesticide or chemical product labels depending on the toxic-

ity or hazards of the product, while precautionary statements, product identifiers, and supplier information

are required on all labels. As some elements will change, OSHA, as well as the EPAS recognizes that imple-

menting the GHS will requires extensive outreach, education and training to promote understanding of the

new labels.

Changes associated with adopting the GHS’s chemical classification and labeling systems will not affect sup-

plemental information (such as directions for use and additional hazard information), testing methods for

health and environmental hazards, data requirements, the scope of hazards covered, policies governing the

protection of Confidential Business Information (CBI), or risk management measures on labels used by the

EPAS, OSHA, DOT or DOD, as long as the information does not contradict or detract from the GHS label

information.

By turning down your central heating thermostat one degree,

fuel consumption is cut by as much as 10%.

One ton of carbon dioxide that is released in the air can be

prevented by replacing every 75 watt light bulbs with energy

efficient bulbs.

Environmental Facts– Did you know?