Environmental Engineering Mission StatementGeneral Dynamics NASSCO Environmental Engineering is dedicated to maintaining an Environmental

Management System that continually strives to go beyond regulatory compliance.

General Dynamics NASSCO Environmental Engineering is committed to conducting all operations in a manner that safeguards the health and safety of all employees and the public, preserves natural resources, and protects the

environment. This commitment to protecting the air, water, and land is carried out through energy conservation initiatives, recycling programs, and on-going process improvements.

Shipyard Volunteers Team up to Clean Chollas Creek During Operation Clean Sweep 2008

On June 7, more than 100 employees from neighboring shipyards NASSCO, Northrop Grumman Continental Maritime, and BAE participated in the 18th Annual Operation Clean Sweep.

Volunteers from the shipyards focused on clearing debris from the portion of Chollas Creek portion that runs through their Barrio Logan neighborhood. Among the various clean-up locations around San Diego Bay, an estimated 1,000 volunteers hunted for debris along the shoreline and filled ten 40-yard dumpsters with trash.

After the clean-up, volunteers enjoyed the “Treasure Hunt Junk Party,” where prizes were awarded for the most unique trash found. The collection included a couch, a hard hat, a traffic sign, tires, a child's Batman costume, and a vacuum cleaner. The event concluded with a free barbeque lunch and music by the Navy Region Southwest contemporary band, The Destroyers.

The next NASSCO-sponsored clean-up of Chollas Creek is California Coastal Day on Saturday, September 20 from 9 a.m. to noon. To sign up, call the Environmental Engineering Department at (619) 544-7506.

Fuel prices are continuing to rise and people are looking for a way out. The California Air Resources Board has a web site that can help consumers and fleets alike choose the most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles. If you are considering a new car, visit www.DRIVECLEAN.CA.GOV to see what your options are today.

When Will It Stop?

Governor Schwarzenegger recently declared California is in a drought and has asked everyone to do their part. So what can you do? Visit this website for some great ideas: www.20gallonchallenge.com

Join the 20 Gallon Challenge!

Sustainability Tips From SDG&EWhat are the best and quickest ways for a business to save energy? Taking a few proactive steps to reduce energy usage can conserve natural resources, lower energy costs and save money: The following information is courtesy of SDG&E’s website: http://www.sdge.com/esc/estlarge10tips.shtml & Logo

1. Reduce lighting where possible and take advantage of natural daylight. Turning lights off or dimming them during the day allows for lower energy costs and a more comfortable environment. Also, remove excess lighting, and turn off signage and other lights not necessary for security and safety.

2. Install occupancy sensors. These inexpensive devices can reduce lighting costs by up to 40 percent by turning off lights in unoccupied areas.

3. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), which can last up to ten times longer. CFLs provide the same amount of (light) lumens as standard incandescent bulbs, but use up to 75 percent less energy.

4. Replace incandescent lights in exit signs with LED fixtures, which can reduce costs of these signs by up to 95 percent.

5. Adjust the thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer and shut off when not in use. Even a few degrees can significantly reduce heating and air conditioning costs.

6. Install programmable thermostats or time clocks to automatically control temperature settings on heating and air conditioning equipment.

7. Turn off or set office equipment to power down when not in use. Turning off one computer and monitor nightly and on weekends can save up to $80 a year. And setting PCs, monitors and copiers to use sleep mode when not in use can help cut energy costs by up to 50 percent.

8. Lower the thermostat on your water heater. 120° F is sufficient for many common uses. A 10° F reduction can save up to 5 percent on water heating costs.

9. Invest in energy-efficient equipment. When upgrading or adding new equipment, look for the ENERGY STAR® symbol, which indicates the equipment meets federal standards for energy efficiency.

10. Call SDG&E about our energy efficiency services and rebates at (800) 644-6133.

Sunshine is not uncommon to those of us who in live in Southern California. What is rare however is finding a shaded place to park as summer temperatures inside a car can reach up to 110 degrees! The Navy Region Southwest has provided a few shaded carports to keep the vehicles of its Sailors, Marines, and Civilians cool during the dog days of summer. This is certainly a quality of life issue is you’ve ever worn a pair of shorts and plopped down on a blistering vinyl seat!

The real story is that the carports are covered with energy collecting photovoltaic panels. These panels gather the sun’s energy and convert it to a renewable source of electricity. This helps the Navy Region satisfy a requirement under the Federal Energy Policy Act to use 7.5% renewable power by 2013, and Executive Order 13423 to reduce energy consumption 3% annually through 2015. The electricity generated is used to offset what is required from the grid to reduce demand during peak usage hours. Off grid generation is very important during extremely hot days when energy hungry air conditioners can potentially result in a black-out condition.

The most recent carport was installed at Naval Base San Diego and accommodates 42 cars. The system is estimated to generate 219 KWH per day, which is enough clean renewable energy to power 14 homes annually. The Navy Region has added five new solar carports to its inventory in the San Diego Metro area bringing its total solar carport power production capacity to over one megawatt. The Navy Region has a total of approximately 2 megawatts of solar capacity in place at other installations including in El Centro, China Lake and Ventura County.

Navy Solar Carports - Not Just a Cool Place to Park