CNO Recognizes AWARD WINNERS for exceptional enviro mental ... · This magazine is an authorized...

leadership

USS Monterey Earns Top Secretary of the Navy EnergyConservation Award Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton Replaces Historic, Declining TreesNESDI Program Launches New Projects

enviro mentalLaudable Efforts Resulted in Critical HabitatProtection for an Endangered Rabbit &Drastic Increases in Construction & Demolition Recycling

exceptionalCNO Recognizes AWARD WINNERS for

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WORLDTURTLE

& TERRAPIN TURTLE DAYS

poster inside!

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4Currents (ISSN 1544-6603) is the official energy and environmental magazine of the U.S. Navy, Chief of NavalOperations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division (N45).

This magazine is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Statements made in theN45 Outlook column reflect the official policy of the Navy. The contents in the remainder of the magazine are notnecessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the UnitedStates Navy. Inclusion of any product or service in any Currents feature article does not constitute an endorse mentby the Navy. The Navy encourages all readers to check with the appropriate supervising authority prior to using anyproduct or service mentioned in the magazine.

Article submissions should be submitted directly to Currents’ Managing Editor, Bruce McCaffrey, using theCurrents article template. A public affairs review must be completed before Currents management can consideran article for publication.

Browse the Currents archive at http://navysustainability.dodlive.mil/currents-magazine.Commands that receive hard copies can contact Lorraine Wass ([email protected])with requests for changes to mailing addresses and shipping quantities.

Among the winners of the Chief of Naval Operations fiscal year 2017Environmental Awards competition were personnel from the Naval Air Station Key West, Florida who dramatically increased critical habitat for the endangered Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit.

CNO Recognizes Award Winners forExceptional Environmental LeadershipLaudable Efforts Resulted in Critical HabitatProtection for an Endangered Rabbit & DrasticIncreases in Construction & Demolition Recycling

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Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division

DIRECTORRear Admiral Carl Lahti

DEPUTY DIRECTORDr. Susan T. Goodfellow

DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACHKenneth Hess

[email protected]

Currents Staff

MANAGING EDITORBruce McCaffrey

Bruce McCaffrey Consulting, [email protected]

773-376-6200

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSKathleen Kelley

Andy KropfAshley Saunders

ART DIRECTORVictoria Bermel

GRAPHIC ARTISTAmy Jungers

DISTRIBUTION MANAGERLorraine Wass

[email protected]

spring 2018

30 Trends of the Environment

50 Energy Warrior

67 Best Shot

36 NESDI Program Launches NewProjects

Efforts Include Using Biochar to RemoveRegulated Contaminants from Dry DockDischarge

46 SECNAV Announces 2017 EnergyConservation Award Winners

Program Recognizes OutstandingAccomplishments in EnergyProcurement, Storage & Delivery

52 SERDP & ESTCP Announce 2017 Project of the Year Winners

Notable Efforts Include Research on Management ofFluorochemical Contamination & UnexplodedOrdnance in the Underwater Environment

60 USS Monterey Earns TopSecretary of the Navy EnergyConservation Award

Cruiser Prioritizes Energy EfficiencyWhile Deployed

64 Naval Base Kitsap-BremertonReplaces Historic, Declining Trees

Century-Old Poplars & Other OrnamentalsBeing Brought Down Over Safety Concerns

60

52

64

features

departments

WORLD TURTLE & TERRAPIN TURTLE DAYS POSTER page 34

Laudable Efforts Resulted in Critical HabitatProtection for an Endangered Rabbit &Drastic Increases in Construction & Demolition Recycling

leadershipenviro mental

exceptionalCNO Recognizes AWARD WINNERS for

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4 Currents spring 2018

spring 2018 Currents 5

The CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS(CNO) has announced the winners of the fiscal year

(FY) 2017 CNO Environmental Awards competition,

sponsored by the CNO Energy and Environmental

Readiness Division.

The annual CNO Environmental Awards program

recognizes exceptional environmental stewardship

by Navy ships, installations and personnel. Twenty-

seven winners were selected in nine award cate-

gories. (No nominations were received in the

“Environmental Restoration, Installation” category.)

One U.S. installation was able to increase the critical

habitat for an endangered rabbit while another

overseas installation was able to increase its

construction and demolition recycling efforts by 780

percent during the reporting period. Another team

initiated a multi-year non-time-critical munitions

removal action at Vieques, Puerto Rico and three

separate environmental teams created or maintained

nesting platforms for local endangered bird species.

For the FY17 competition, Navy commands from around the

globe submitted nominations for consideration in the

following nine award categories:

1.Natural resources conservation (small installation)2.Natural resources conservation (individual/team)3. Environmental quality (non-industrial installation)4. Environmental quality (individual/team)5. Sustainability (industrial installation)6. Environmental restoration (individual/team)7. Cultural resources management (large installation)

8. Environmental excellence in weapon system acquisition(large program)

9.Afloat (includes five competitive sub-categories)

Accomplishments of the FY17 CNO environmental award

winners are highlighted on the following pages.

natural resourcesconservationThese awards recognize efforts thatpromote the conservation of naturalresources. This includes the identifica-tion, protection and restoration ofbiological resources and habitats;long-term management and use ofthe land and its resources; and thepromotion of the conservation ethic.

SMALL INSTALLATIONNaval Air Station Key West,FloridaNaval Air Station (NAS) Key West(NASKW) is the southernmost militaryfacility on the continental UnitedStates, home to 2,541 personnel.NASKW is located within two of onlyfive regions of the state designated asan “Area of Critical State Concern”—adesignation issued by the state toprotect natural resources of statewidesignificance and oversee local govern-ment land use management topromote orderly and balanced growth.

The NASKW Integrated NaturalResources Management Plan (INRMP)identifies 23 federally listed species onNASKW property including 21 animalsand two plants. One of these is theendangered Lower Keys marsh rabbit(Sylvilagus palustris hefneri). The U.S.Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) esti-mates there are only 2,116 acres ofsuitable habitat to support the LowerKeys marsh rabbit in the Florida Keys.While only 15 percent of this habitableland is on NASKW property, the basesupports an estimated 60 percent ofthe total marsh rabbit population. TheNASKW natural resources team playsa significant role in the management

of this critically endangered species.Specifically, NASKW has ongoingmanagement actions that includepopulation and habitat monitoring,habitat enhancements, predatorcontrol and public educations.

The marsh rabbit habitat wasenhanced a few years ago followingthe largest permitted wetland project in the Florida Keys after itwas discovered that the NASKWairfield was found to be out ofcompliance due to a stand ofmangroves up to 35 feet highwithin runway clear zones.Between 2009 and 2015, themangrove wetlands wereconverted to saltwater wetlandsconsisting of native grasses andshrubs. This allowed the airfieldto continue operating safely,while also enhancing the habitatfor the Lower Keys marsh rabbit.

NASKW’s ongoing support of theLower Keys marsh rabbit was

highlighted in a television documen-tary entitled “RARE: Creatures of thePhoto Ark”—a Public BroadcastingService (PBS) documentary high-lighting nine of the rarest species onthe earth. The PBS film crew came tothe base in 2016 to film the rabbitbecause it is one of the last places onEarth that the animal can be found.

view the documentary

To view this film, visit www.pbs.org/video/creature-clip-lower-keys-marsh-rabbit-qr14mt.

The Lower Keys marsh rabbit was listed asendangered by the USFWS in 1990.


In addition, two different project teams formed to combatthe problem of birds nesting near NASKW airfields. In one,the gravel was painted green next to runways to deter leastterns from nesting there. In the second, a nesting platformwas built, complete with tern decoys, to encourage endan-gered roseate terns (Sterna dougallii) and other shorebirdsto nest in areas away from airfields. Both projects resultedin luring the birds away from airfields, lessening the birdstrike threat and protecting the tern population.

NASKW’s land restoration efforts are also impressive.Following the conversion of mangrove swamps to saltmarshwetlands, qualitative monitoring of the sites is conductedannually—each year the vegetative cover has increased. Inthe 2016–2017 survey, virtually no invasive species weredetected in any of the locations.

Naval Air Station Pensacola, FloridaHome of the Blue Angels, NAS Pensacola covers 8,423 acresand attracts one million visitors each year. It is also home to22 state and federally listed species of flora and fauna.

Natural resources initiatives during the award periodincluded the restoration of five interpretive nature trails thateducate visitors about local plants and trees and the instal-lation of three beach walkovers that reduce the amount of

erosion across the coast and allowed the area to bereopened to the public following restoration from damagingstorm events. Base beach cleanups involved over 200 volun-teers in addition to an “All Hands” effort to restore the base,day-to-day, monthly, quarterly and annually. Osprey nestingplatforms previously constructed yielded more than 30fledglings this season, which helped to maintain the ospreypopulation while reducing bird air strike hazard.

The film crew came to the base in 2016 to film the Lower Keys marsh rabbit because it is one of the last places on earth that the animal can be found.

Two juvenile gopher tortoises rush towards the entrance of their burrow during an inventory survey. Due to the Gopher Tortoise

Candidate Conservation Agreement and extensive management, these animals are thriving at NAS Pensacola.

Federally endangered roseate terns occupying the habitatnesting boxes provided by NASKW as a short-term

alternative to nesting on gravel topped roofs.

Emily Williams, an SCA AmeriCorps conservation intern, assisting in a prescribed burn on board NAS Pensacola. Prescribed burning helps to manage for invasive species while promoting the growth of native plants and trees. The natural resources staff completed 430 prescribed burns in 2016 and 2017.


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Additionally, gopher tortoise surveys were completed forthe Candidate Conservation Agreement and INRMP stake-holders. The agreement with USFWS allows NASPensacola’s mission to coexist with its abundant gophertortoise population.

Supporting the natural resources program, three StudentConservation Association (SCA) interns (from AmeriCorps)added over 2,500 hours of dedicated, determined andprofessional conservation assistance. Much of their workinvolved the restoration of bluebird boxes which hasproduced approximately 75 bluebird fledglings.

Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands, HawaiiPacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) occupies over 2,342acres in five separate areas on the island of Kaua’i. PMRFBarking Sands comprises a 7.5-mile-long, 0.5-mile-widestrip of coastal land and provides habitat for four water-birds listed as federally endangered. During the awardsperiod, PMRF initiated planning and implemented newmonitoring programs for these seabirds as well as forHawaiian hoary bats and aquatic resources within thenearshore marine environment. To further protect three ofthese endangered seabird species, the natural resources

The Basics About the Student Conservation Association

The SCA is a national non-profit that engages high school andcollege-age member volunteers in conserving naturalresources through internships, conserva-tion jobs and crew experiences. Founded in1957, the SCA has grown from 53 volun-teers working in two national parks tomore than 4,000 active members onfederal, state and municipal lands, annuallyperforming more than 1.6 million servicehours across the United States. SCA hasformed partnerships with governmentalagencies, environmental groups and corporations. Theycomplete projects in every conservation discipline, includingecological restoration, GIS/Global Positioning Systems, wildlifemanagement and interpretation.

For more information, visit www.thesca.org.

A Wedge-tailed Shearwater chick sits outside its burrow at the Wedge-tailed Shearwater colony near the PMRF visitor beach cottages.The colony is protected from foot traffic by using protective burrowcovers, fencing and informative signage to alert visitors. Corrina Carnes

Nēnē at PMRF traverse the area with their goslings. Speed limits are decreased and signs are erected in areas of nēnē activity to alert drivers to slow down and be vigilant for these endangered birds crossing the road. Corrina Carnes


team intensified outreach and trainingefforts in the community and acrossthe installation for the base-wide DarkSkies program. Darkening the nightsky during fledgling season minimizes“fallout” associated with the presenceof artificial lights.

Other accomplishments in FY17include increased protection measuresfor Hawaiian native flora and faunaincluding signage, reduced speedlimits and greater predator controlefforts. The team also improvedcommunications and cooperation withoutside entities by initiating quarterlymeetings with federal and state part-ners and inviting the local communityto PMRF for events such as the annualEarth Day celebration.

INDIVIDUAL/TEAMNaval Base Ventura County, CaliforniaNaval Base Ventura County (NBVC) iscomprised of three primary operatingfacilities: Port Hueneme, Point Muguand San Nicolas Island (SNI)—one ofeight Channel Islands 60 milesoffshore.

In FY17, some of the naturalresources conservation team’s signifi-cant accomplishments included apartnership with the Naval FacilitiesEngineering Command (NAVFAC)Engineering and ExpeditionaryWarfare Center to test the use ofunmanned aerial systems to monitorthe nesting activity of federally endan-gered California least terns. Anotherfederally endangered species at Point

To date, the California Department ofFish and Wildlife (CDFW) hascontributed $90,000 to fund workthat supports the SNI INRMP by re-establishing plant populations in non-operational areas on SNI andnon-Department of Defense (DoD)lands. This collaborative approachreduces pressure on the SNI popula-tion, provides a measured perspectiveon the status of the species for regula-tors and allows other agencies andnon-governmental organizations(NGO) to assist in funding efforts.

Due to the erodible terrain andfrequent high winds, the SNI restora-tion program is continually working to stabilize erosion, to improvestormwater runoff quality andenhance habitat for rare flora andfauna. During the awards period,NBVC personnel worked with a localNGO—Channel Islands Restoration(CIR)—to coordinate 150 volunteers to plant 30,000 native plants. CIRprovided 7,120 hours of labor, savingthe Navy $285,000. To monitor theislands for biosecurity impacts, thenatural resources team collaborated

Mugu is the Light-Footed Ridgway’sRail. The USFWS provided grantfunding to build and deploy 15nesting platforms in cooperation withthe Girl Scouts of America. During theawards period, rail visitation wasdocumented in six rafts as were otherrare species such as the California saltmarsh shrew.

Offshore, the SNI rare plant programis working to protect the beach spec-tacle pod (Dithyrea maritima), whichonly occurs on two Channel Islandsand has a very limited mainlanddistribution. This plant, a perennialmember of the mustard family, iscurrently a state-listed species thathas been considered for federalEndangered Species Act (ESA) listing.Beach spectacle pod populations onSNI have been struggling due to inva-sive plants and pinniped impacts.The natural resources conservationteam has partnered with an exten-sive network of collaborators tocombat the problem through suchmeans as surveys, genetic analysisand restoration plantings across therange of the species.

The Mugu Lagoon at Point Mugu provides habitat for thousands of migratory bird species as well numerous invertebrate, fish and plant species.

Francesca Ferrara

Darkening the night sky during fledgling season minimizes “fallout” associated with the presence of artificial lights.


}

A flowering beach spectacle pod on SNI. William Hoyer

with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the National ParkService to hire a biologist solely focused on monitoringeach of the member islands. This partnership saves theDoD 60 percent of the cost for a full-time employee.

The terrain enhancement work also benefits the rarespecies at SNI, including the Island Night Lizard (Xantusiariversiana) and the California Channel Islands Fox (Urocyonlittoralis)—an animal found nowhere else on earth. Thefox population has experienced a drought-related popula-tion decline in the last few years. In FY17, NBVC’s naturalresources conservation team partnered with regulators(USFWS and CDFW), researchers and other populationmanagers (National Park Service, TNC and CIR) to hold astructured decision-making workshop with the goal ofrefining and prioritizing management efforts. A reanalysisof four decades of Channel Islands Fox population data iscurrently underway and will result in an island-specificpopulation viability analysis.

The conservation team also partnered with TNC in a firstever Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to facilitate plan-ning and protect NBVC assets from sea level rise. This MOAwill serve as a model agreement for other DoD installations.

Mrs. Michael F. Wright, Naval Air Station Oceana,VirginiaLocated in Virginia Beach, Virginia, NAS Oceana is a6,000-acre Master Jet Base supporting a community ofmore than 9,700 Navy personnel and 12,300 dependents.

Mrs. Wright is the Natural Resources Manager and teamleader. She oversees the management and implementa-tion of three INRMPs covering four primary naval proper-ties. A few of her accomplishments during the awardsperiod include her appointment as Emergency ResponseWildlife Branch Chief/Coordinator after a large jet fuel spillin May 2017. Approximately, 94,000 gallons of fuel spilledinto the natural environment impacting natural resourceson and off installation. Mrs. Wright coordinated search andrescue, impacted wildlife survey efforts, coordinatedresponse efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and release

impacted wildlife and coordinated teams to deflect wildlifefrom entering the spill zone.

She helped organize and host a DoD/Department of Navy(DON) Migratory Bird Conservation, Compliance andManagement course in 2017. And as in previous years,Mrs. Wright established and maintained cost-effective part-nerships with universities, local government and federaland state agencies in support of zoonotic disease research,herpetological research (multiple species), bald eagleresearch and invasive species control.

Michael Wright coordinated response efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and release impacted wildlife.

Decontamination of an Eastern box turtle, rescuedfrom the NAS Oceana jet fuel (JP-5) spill.

Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research, Inc.

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JP-5 jet fuel on the surfaces of water in a tributary outside of NAS Oceana. U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services

Navy Region SouthwestIn FY17, Navy Region Southwest(NRSW) completed the replacementof a new fuel pier at Naval Base PointLoma, California. The pier wasneeded to replace the aging and seis-mically deficient old fuel pier andimprove fuel receipt and delivery toexisting and future classes of navalvessels. The project involved demol-ishing the 100-year-old fuel pier anddredging to deepen the existingturning basin to accommodate deepdraft vessels. After an extensiveconsultation phase with federal andstate agencies, the project designteam had to change the structuralpiles from 40-inch concrete piles to30- and 36-inch steel piles to meetnew seismic criteria. Steel piles create

substantially more noise thanconcrete and therefore required evenmore consultations and permits.

As there is so little data on theeffects of sound pressure on foragefish, the Navy conducted a specialstudy to examine fish movementand dispersal patterns before, duringand after pile driving. The Navy alsoconsulted with USFWS pursuant tothe ESA for the California least tern,which seasonally forages within thebay. In accordance with a previousMemorandum of Understanding, theNavy restricted construction activitiesthat could interfere with Californialeast tern foraging during the nestingperiod (1 April to 15 September). Amajor challenge with the construc-tion project was the need to drive

piles in the April/May timeframe.They initiated an emergency consul-tation with USFWS. The Navy’smulti-year monitoring providedscientifically defensible data insupport of the consultation and in-water construction was allowed up to30 April on an annual basis, whenunavoidable due to the critical pathof the scheduled demolition orconstruction activity. This accom-plishment represents a major stepforward with applicability to imple-mentation of future military construc-tion projects in San Diego Bay.

Upon completion, the NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administra-tion called this effort the “Gold Stan-dard”—the way that all projectsshould be managed.

Marine mammal observers used multiple methods of observation, including the nakedeye and “Big Eye” binoculars to identify species up to several kilometers

from their stations during pile driving activities at Naval Base Point Loma.


environmentalqualityThese awards recognize efforts toensure military accomplishment andprotection of human health in theareas of environmental planning,waste management and environ-mental law and regulation compli-ance. Meeting or exceeding allenvironmental requirements not onlyenhances the protection of environ-mental assets, but also sustains theDoD’s ability to effectively train andmaintain readiness.

NON-INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATIONNaval Air Station Whiting Field,FloridaThe capabilities of Naval Air StationWhiting Field (NASWF) are critical tothe Navy flight training mission. TheNASWF Public Works Department(PWD) Environmental Division staffprovides environmental managementtraining for all new primary flighttraining students as part of flightschool orientation. Nearly 3,000student trainees have received instruc-tion since the program’s inception.

Naval Air Station Whiting Field reduced its water consumption by nearly 22 million gallons through FY16.

Two stormwater detention ponds are located on the east side of NASWFand serve multiple functions. In addition to reducing downstreamimpacts from peak stormwater flow, the easternmost pond (picturedhere) is used for catch and release fishing and is stocked withlargemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish.

NASWF has received the Plant Oper-ations Excellence Award for SmallCommunity Public Water SupplyFacilities every year since 2012. TheFlorida Department of Environ-mental Protection judged the awardbased on water quality, communityoutreach, operations and mainte-nance, the use of new technologiesand sustainable processes and thelack of regulatory deficiencies.NASWF is well ahead of the pacemandated by Executive Order12693 to reduce water consumptionintensity by FY25. The base reduced


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its water consumption by nearly 22 million gallonsthrough FY16.

In March 2017, the Navy tested the water in specific off-base wells to address potential exposure to perfluorinatedcompounds. Seven properties located within a one-mileradius down gradient of NASWF’s former South FireFighting Area were investigated. One well tested above thehealth advisory limit, consequently the owner was notifiedand the Navy began supplying bottled water.

Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story,VirginiaJoint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (JEBLCFS)is the major east coast operating base supporting overseascontingency operations. The base provides supportservices to 100 shore-based resident commands and 25homeported Navy and auxiliary ships.

JEBLCFS had eight federal, state and local agency inspec-tions during the award period and all inspection reportshad zero discrepancies. After a May 2017 audit, the basewas able to immediately re-declare International Organiza-tion for Standardization (ISO) 14001 conformance. (Note:ISO 14001 is the international standard that specifiesrequirements for an effective Environmental ManagementSystem (EMS).) The team attitude and environmentalfocus is fostered at JEBLCFS through hands-on training andweekly site visits. JEBLCFS consistently leads Navy RegionMid Atlantic (NRMA) in EMS scores.

The EMS team was first to identify the human health andenvironmental issue of potentially explosive indoor range

debris. Taking a hard stand, the team repeatedly calledNRMA, resulting in the closure of the ranges until aneffective, safe and environmentally sound procedurecould be established.

During this award period, six newly-constructed facilitieswere Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) certified by the Green Building Council. LEEDcertification is a globally recognized symbol of sustain-ability achievement.

In addition, a new utility energy service contract and aproject to improve the energy efficiency of heating, venti-lating and air conditioning systems at JEBLCFS have helpedreduce base energy consumption by 8.5 percent since 2015.

The gopher tortoise is listed as a threatened species in Florida and Alabama, therefore is protected on all NASWF property. With help from SCA interns, PWD Environmental personnel

conduct annual surveys on the species presence and population.

Volunteers offloading recycled Christmas trees at JEBLCFS. Each year the trees are placed adjacent to sand-fenced

areas to collect sand and stabilize dunes. Roger White

Gunnery Sergeant Merville hands Private First Class Ledtje her first EMS “green card.” 20,000 of these cards which

contain information about JEBLCFS’s EMS and phone numbers for spill response were disseminated base-wide.

Cenen Camerino


INDIVIDUAL/TEAM Environmental Geographic Information SystemTeam, Navy Region NorthwestThe Geographic Information System (GIS) team at NavyRegion Northwest (NRNW) includes EnvironmentalGeospatial Specialist Jonathan Crain of NAVFAC Northwestand Terry Kinsman, a GIS contractor employed by T3W.The work of these men between 2015 and 2017 hasresulted in significant improvements to GIS data for theregion’s environmental programs. Benefits of their workinclude enhanced information sharing to promote militaryreadiness, improved environmental program implementa-tion, better execution of Navy mission and cost savings.

Prior to this team’s work, existing environmental GIS datawas often stored on individual computer hard drives orcompact discs and was at risk of being lost forever. Someinformation was stored on other geospatial data systems,but prior to the start of this team’s project, the datacontained in these separate systems was accessed only by

a relatively small set of users. Mr. Crain and Mr. Kinsmangathered all the available data from all stakeholders, addedit to the GRX database and made it substantively moreaccessible to multiple internal users including environ-mental, asset management, capital improvements andpublic works business line staff.

Data both new and old are now available on the NRNWGRX covering a wide spectrum of environmentalprograms including compliance, cultural resources, naturalresources, restoration and other environmental liabilityprogram data.

INDIVIDUALMs. Sharon Waligora, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, VirginiaAs Environmental Director of the Public Works Division atJEBLCFS, Ms. Waligora is directly responsible for the factthat the installation has continuously had a fullyconforming EMS. During a May 2017 external audit, themost significant observation was the base-wide high levelof EMS awareness.

Mount Rainer in the background of the main fueling pier at ManchesterFuel Department. The Department’s GIS team documented wetlands and other natural resources features which allows this information to be used in INRMPs, in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents and by facilities planners.

Existing environmental GIS data was often stored on individual computer hard drives or compact discs and was at risk of being lost forever.

Sharon Waligora and a state forester representative educate the childrenat the JEBLCFS Child Development Center. During this Arbor Day annual

event, Ms. Waligora takes the opportunity to teach the children about the roles trees play in our environment. The children also get the

opportunity to plant a tree as the final event in the celebration. Scott Mohr

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Of all the programs Ms. Waligora over-sees, one of the most notable achieve-ments was in a stormwaterconstruction project. Ms. Waligora alsooversaw the development and imple-mentation of a comprehensivetraining plan and inspection program,resulting in zero re-inspections by theVirginia Department of EnvironmentalQuality and overall improvement ofprogram goals by 97 percent.

A trained forester, Ms. Waligorasupervised the planting of 331surplus trees during the awardperiod, improving air quality andcarbon sequestration capacity. Shealso initiated a partnership withVirginia Game and Inland Fisheries toestablish bass habitat in Lake Brad-ford by sinking 91 recycled Christmastrees in three different locations. Juve-nile bass utilize the trees as protec-tion from larger fish, allowing themto grow and re-establish the gamefish population. During FY17, Ms.Waligora was selected for the DoDExecutive Leadership DevelopmentProgram and has completed threedeployments to expand her under-standing of global issues and the DoDmission in all corners of the world.

Mr. Timothy Uplinger, NavalStation Rota, SpainNaval Station (NAVSTA) Rota consistsof three active piers; a 670-acreairfield (support U.S. Navy, U.S. AirForce and Spanish military aircraft);and 400 facilities (many of themshared between the U. S. andSpanish navies).

Mr. Uplinger’s efforts as Environ-mental Program Director duringthis reporting period have savedand generated an estimated $3.85million dollars in waste reduction,increased recycling and natural andcultural resources conservation.With the regularly high employeeturnover rate at this overseas base,Mr. Uplinger has played a key rolein teaching new employees how toimplement successful environ-mental programs.

Mr. Uplinger led the effort for theNAVSTA Rota Qualified RecyclingProgram (QRP) to transition to acontractor-operated program withdirect sales authority, saving thegovernment $424,500 annually.Under his management, NAVSTARota increased the solid waste

recycling rate from 48 percent inFY15 to 66 percent in FY17. Part ofthis recycling success involved incor-porating recycling into the earlyproject planning stages. Constructionand demolition recycling increasedby 780 percent during the reportingperiod, saving $3.29 million andallowing NAVSTA Rota’s overall diver-sion of solid waste to recycling ratefor FY17 to reach 95 percent.

The QRP diverted over 91 tons of usedmotor oil, saving the government morethan $46,300 in disposal costs over thecourse of the year. Under Mr. Uplinger’smanagement, a Natural Resources Planand a Cultural Resources Plan were alsodeveloped. The Natural Resources Planincludes a new “protected speciesprotocol,” which allows Mr. Uplingerand future natural resource programmanagers to relocate chameleonswhen needed, thus saving the govern-ment $20,000 per project.

Ms. Waligora ties cinder blocks to recycled Christmas trees in preparation for sinking them in Lake Bradford. The trees serve as a habitat for juvenile bass,

allowing them to grow to maturity and re-establish the game fish population. Kyle Russell

Tim Uplinger handles a falcon at NAVSTA Rota’s Falcon Show during Earth Week. This was one of the many community

outreach events coordinated by Mr. Uplingerthrough the Spanish government to help

showcase the installation’s U.S. and Spanish environmental programs.

Amos Webb


sustainabilityThis award recognizes efforts to prevent or eliminate pollu-tion at the source, including practices that increase effi-ciency and sustainability in the use of raw materials, energy,water or other resources. Nominations may be from themilitary departments or Defense Agencies for any U.S. mili-tary active or closing industrial installation worldwide.

INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATIONFleet Readiness Center EastFleet Readiness Center (FRC) East facilities include 119buildings with a total of 2.1 million square feet, 1.6 millionsquare feet of which is industrial production space.

FRC East has had a fully conforming EMS continuously forover 14 years. During FY17, FRC East participated withMarine Corps Air Station Cherry Point for inclusion in autilities energy service contract to obtain energy savingsthroughout the facility. Support for this effort includedproviding historical energy/utility data, fielding DukeEnergy inquires, addressing additional utility requests andparticipating in monthly status calls during the progressionof the preliminary assessment. The assessment is in itsfinal stages.

During the award period, the facility also maintained asustained landfill diversion rate of greater than 60 percentand initiated a project to sustain process improvementsexpected to provide water use and industrial waste reduc-tions of more than 500,000 gallons per year. Personnelalso coordinated an outreach event involving localcommunity children to design a logo for repurposed fiberboard drums used to collect recyclables.

Naval Station Everett, WashingtonNaval Station (NAVSTA) Everett is a 117-acre developed sitesupporting port operations and vessel maintenance plusrecreation activities including a 90-slip marina.

In FY16 and FY17, the station set new EMS goals andobjectives, implemented operational controls, expandedwork center and staff training and deployed a quarterlyassessment program. They upgraded their spill preventionand response program with formalized training anddrilling to minimize impacts to operations and the envi-ronment in the case of fuel spills.

NAVSTA Everett continues to exceed solid waste diver-sion rates and currently recycles over 50 percent of itswaste stream.

During the awards period, the base reduced energy usageby over 10 percent, with a cost savings of $343,000.

Tim Uplinger arranged for a recycling contractor to compact material on a large demolition site, reducing transportation costs

and increasing profit for the government. Tim Uplinger

FRC East personnel sort and discuss recyclable material findings during a FY17 dumpster dive.

Fleet Readiness Center East maintained a sustained landfill diversion rate of greater than 60 percent. }


The team also delivered environmental review, consultationand permit support to keep more than 150 projects aheadof schedule. They also developed a new CompwaterManagement Unit that produces cleaner wastewater,reducing time and costs associated with refueling destroyers.

Naval Base Kitsap, WashingtonLocated approximately 20 miles west of Seattle, Naval BaseKitsap (NBK) hosts approximately 70 tenant commandsand covers 12,438 acres. NBK has been successful atreducing the amount of energy used across the installation.The base saw a reduction of energy consumption bynearly 35 percent in FY17, as compared to the FY03 base-line, exceeding the DoD’s reduction goals of 30 percent.

A ship-to-shore hazardous material management programsignificantly reduces the generation of hazardous wastefrom U.S. Navy vessels. Hazardous material on the piersafford the reuse of material between ship and shore. InFY17 alone, this program yielded over 1.6 million dollarsin acquisition and disposal cost savings.

NBK continues to reduce the amount of petroleum-basedfuel used in non-military vehicles by using alternativefuels and electricity. E-85, an ethanol fuel blend, is theprimary fuel dispensed, diverting a total of 195,000gallons from fossil fuels in FY17. Biodiesel is also used asan alternative fuel which has diverted 9,300 gallons inFY17. In addition, 12 percent of the government fleet iscomprised of electric vehicles.


The zinc filtration vessels inside the Compwater Management Unitcapture zinc present in oily wastewater (compwater) discharge. Thiswastewater is discharged from destroyers that use sacrificial zinc anodesin their fuel tanks for the purpose of seawater corrosion prevention.

Earth Day activities included NAVSTA Everett volunteers who contributedto salmon habitat restoration efforts. Lieutenant Commander Jacob Reed

of NAVSTA Everett removes wild blackberries to make room for nativeplants. Hand tools were supplied by the Port of Everett.

The USS Bremerton (SSN 698) returns to its namesake at Naval BaseKitsap’s Pier Delta. Sea lions adopting the deck of the submarine as a lounging area has become a common afternoon activity for these marine mammals. MC2 Lawrence Davis

David Blake, an electronics control mechanic at NBK demonstrates useof an industrial mop-water reuse/recycle system. The system treats usedmop water which would otherwise be designated as a hazardous waste.

From 2016 to 2017, NSA Bahrain diverted approximately1,600 tons of materials from landfill and waste streams forreuse and recycling. Their efforts have saved approxi-mately $247,000 and brought in $233,000 revenue. Asthe program grows and more people become familiar withit, revenues are expected to increase.

environmental restorationThese awards recognize efforts to protect human healthand the environment by cleaning up DoD sites in a timely,cost-efficient and responsive manner. Nominations can besubmitted from the military departments and defenseagencies for any U.S. military active or closing installationworldwide and any individual or team.

TEAMNaval Air Station Oceana, VirginiaEnvironmental restoration at NAS Oceana is currentlyconducted through a Resource Conservation andRecovery Act (RCRA) Administrative Order on Consentwhich was issued by the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) and required response actions at 60 SolidWaste Management Units at NAS Oceana and NavalAuxiliary Landing Field (NALF) Fentress. During theawards period, the environmental restoration teamperformed environmental management activities on 20active sites at these two sites as well as Dam NeckAnnex, also under the operational control of NAS Oceana.The team assessed and addressed drinking water impacts

In FY17 alone, the Naval Base Kitsap ship-to-shore hazardous material managementprogram yielded over 1.6 million dollars in acquisition and disposal cost savings.

NON-INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATIONNaval Support Activity, BahrainNaval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain has no excess infra-structure to spare on its 268 acres serving a community ofover 8,500 personnel. NSA Bahrain’s EMS has been anessential tool in enhancing thebase’s existing, mature environ-mental programs. Increased aware-ness training and communicationamong installation tenants andcontractor personnel has resultedin a 15 percent reduction in thenumber and severity of oil andhazardous substance releases tothe environment from FY14.

With no permanent environmentalstaff onsite to manage the waste streams, NSA Bahrainrelies on a local company to collect, segregate and trans-port material that would otherwise require disposal.

NSA Bahrain’s environmental department installed a truck scale to weigh all recyclable materials before sending those

materials off-base for recycling. Getting an accurate weight for these materials increases recycling revenues.

Binoy Chacko

NSA Bahrain engages the host nation annually in an spill response table top exercise. More than 70 participants met this year exploring possible solutions

to spill scenarios that may impact the Arabian Gulf.Layla Turabi

}


from per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at NALFFentress and NAS Oceana, which required interactionswith more than 500 residents, regulatory agencies,municipalities and other stakeholder organizations andpreparation for and attendance at four public meetings.Granular activated carbon systems were tested, designedand installed to address PFAS in wastewater on-base andin drinking water on- and off-base. All activities werecompleted with a steadfast commitment to communica-tion with the public.

The systems established at NALF Fentress and NASOceana have been successful in removing PFAS to levelsless than the lifetime health advisory set by the EPA.Key technical findings were presented at the FourthInternational Symposium on Bioremediation andSustainable Environmental Technologies. The environ-mental restoration team also investigated a solventplume surrounding a hangar with care to minimizeimpacts to building operations.

Naval Base Coronado, CaliforniaNaval Base Coronado (NBC) is home to over 34,000 activeduty and civilian employees and includes eight geographi-cally separate installations.

Since 2014, the environmental restoration team has beenworking to address the potential effects of volatile organiccompounds (VOC) in the groundwater at the base,including its effects on indoor air. One building in partic-ular (Building 379) showed indoor air contaminantconcentrations above action levels, due to the presence ofVOCs. In FY16, the team developed a remediation planand during the awards period, they worked diligently withall stakeholders to carry out their plan—also being nimbleenough to modify the plan when room for improvementwas discovered.

The team developed and implemented an innovative andsustainable approach to clean out and seal 15,000 feet offloor cracks resulting in resource and cost savings of over$450,000. A soil vapor extraction system was installed


Finding and discriminating subsurface anomalies using the Time-domainElectromagnetic Multi-sensor Towed Array Detection System. Successful

application at the Dam Neck Annex has helped to evaluate the use ofthis technology for military construction activities at other bases.

The interior of the water filling station for NALF Fentress set up by the City of Chesapeake has three spigots from which residentsconcerned about water quality in their wells can get city water.

Soil vapor is extracted from horizontal wells and treated using a cooling, compression and condensation system. This system is

capable of removing over 99 percent of the compounds entrained in the vapor stream as a liquid condensate.

using horizontal wells to extractvapors from under the buildingwithout impacting building opera-tions. This approach allowed relocatedemployees to return to the building.

The extracted VOCs were convertedto liquid and recycled for an addi-tional $53,000 savings. The building-specific attenuation factors developedfor slabs could have applicabilityacross DoD facilities (with potentialsavings in the millions of dollars).

thousands of submunitions fromcluster bombs were dropped overdecades of military training. Thisinnovative cleanup approach includesusing remotely operated equipmentto remove large bombs (using amagnetic attachment) and cut andrake the vegetation into piles (usingmowers with rake attachments). Thiswill allow munitions clearanceworkers to safely access the area toremove the submunitions and burnthe vegetation piles.

As part of a 2,000-acre RemedialInvestigation, the nature and extent ofsubsurface munitions and associatedcontamination must be delineated. Tostreamline logistics and reduce cost,the Navy developed an innovative

Vieques Naval Installation,Vieques, Puerto RicoVieques Naval Installation was usedduring six decades of military trainingby the Navy and allied forces. In2005, the site was placed on theNational Priorities List, requiring theNavy to undertake cleanup across23,000 acres of land and 12,000acres of surrounding waters. Environ-mental restoration on Vieques is thehighest priority and the costliestproject in the Navy’s MunitionsResponse Program

In FY17, a multi-year non-time-criticalremoval action (NTCRA) is beingimplemented to accelerate risk reduc-tion by removing underwater muni-tions that may be readilyencountered. The NTCRAutilizes a removal prioritiza-tion process that includescriteria such as likely publicexposure, munitions types,densities, condition andpotential mobility. ThisNTCRA began with theremoval of five World War II-era rockets just offshore of asmall island adjacent to apopular public beach.Removal of these munitionswill accelerate the public useof these beaches and theirnearshore waters by morethan a decade.

Also in FY17, a time criticalremoval action was institutedto clean up a 75-acre formerbombing range where tens of

The Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplertechnology has helped to demonstrate that munitionsconstituents are not a significant concern in the marine environment, which may save millions of dollars at Vieques and elsewhere. Gunther Rosen

A total of 15,380 linear feet of large concretefloor joints, cracks and penetrations werecleaned and sealed throughout NBC’s Building 379. A dry-cleaning method usingvarious concrete crack chasing saws connected to a vacuum were used to “open” the joint and floor cracks and seal using a chemical-resistant self-levelingsilicone-based concrete joint sealant.

Removal of munitions on Vieques will accelerate the public use of these beaches and their nearshore waters by more than a decade. }


approach that includes the use of anadvanced geophysical classificationinstrument. This technology is used todistinguish subsurface munitions fromscrap metal and is estimated to savean estimated $100,000.

Understanding the movement ofmunitions in the underwater environ-ment and their interaction withbeaches is of critical importancebecause beaches are the most sought-after destinations by the public.Throughout 2016 and 2017, themobility of 61 munitions surrogates,deployed just offshore of ninebeaches, was monitored to measuretheir movement changes under vari-able sea conditions. The results of thisstudy will be used to make long-termpredictions of beach changes andburial and mobility of munitions in awide range of conditions both atVieques and other restoration sitesacross the country.

A preliminary wide area assessment(WAA) of the entire 12,000-acremarine environment was alsoconducted using a towed magne-tometer and underwater videocameras. This wide area approach will

save significant time and tens of thou-sands of dollars versus the cost ofbiological assessments prepared formultiple, localized areas. Most impor-tantly, the information gathered fromthe WAA is key to effectively strate-gize focused, follow-up investigations,help make remedial decisions, imple-ment remedial actions and performlong-term monitoring associated withunderwater munitions.

Throughout FY17, the Navy also ledstakeholder site visits, supported amunitions safety event for localschoolchildren and sponsored a tourand briefing of the Vieques cleanupfor the Secretary of the Interior.

cultural resourcesmanagementThis award recognizes efforts topromote cultural resources steward-ship in the DoD by highlightingoutstanding examples of culturalresources management. Awards aredesigned to showcase DoD’s exten-sive cultural resources includingarchaeological sites and cultural land-scapes. Desired initiatives include

partnering with external stakeholderssuch as native Americans, StateHistoric Preservation Officers andlocal communities; and internal stake-holders such as master planning,public works and range management.Nominations may be from the mili-tary departments or defense agenciesfor any U.S. military active or closinginstallation worldwide.

LARGE INSTALLATIONNaval Air Station Whidbey Island,WashingtonNAS Whidbey Island is the sole navalaviation support in the Pacific North-west. The installation manages nearly2,000 buildings and structures with 28structures eligible for listing in theNational Register of Historic Properties.

During the awards period, the culturalresources management teamcompleted an MOA for alternatives tothe proposed demolition of eighthistoric farmhouses. The farmhousesare the original homes of Dutchsettlers who homesteaded andfarmed the area that would eventuallybecome NAS Whidbey Island.

Diver measuring the movement and burial of

a munitions surrogate. The Vieques team is helping

to develop a predictive model that will support underwater munitions

cleanup efforts across DoD.John Martin

A 1946 aerial shot of Whidbey Island showshistoric farms around the periphery of the airfield. Hangar 1 is shown in lower right foreground.



A diverse range of studies and consul-tations were also accomplished duringthe awards period. The culturalresources team initiated a consultationunder Section 106 of National HistoricPreservation Act (NHPA) on the devel-opment of an agreement to addressthe effects of maintenance on historicproperties on the island. An earlyEuro-American settlement study andcontext report was completed duringFY17. This report identifies potentialhistoric landscapes and archaeologicalconcerns for pre-military sites thatremain on the installation.

Consultation took place with theSwinomish Indian Tribal Communityto bring a Navy archaeological collec-tion into compliance with federalrequirements and a cooperativeagreement with the ConfederatedTribes of the Umatilla Indian Reserva-tion was completed for tribal ethno-graphic study contributing to the

tional sign and picture about thedistrict will be installed in its place.

The team also signed an MOA withthe Florida State Historic PreservationOffice regarding the demolition ofhangars in the Landplane HangarHistoric District. The MOA outlinesmitigation requirements includingdocumentation of the demolition.

NAS Jacksonville documented thehistory and demolition of the hangarsin its Landplane Hangar HistoricDistrict in a hardcover book. Addition-ally, a three-dimensional representa-tion of the district using salvagedparts from the hangars is displayed inthe Jacksonville Museum of Scienceand History along with a fly-throughvideo of the hangars and their history.

Management Plan for the Oregon Trailat Naval Weapons System TrainingFacility (NWSTF) Boardman.

Naval Air Station Jacksonville,FloridaCurrently occupying nearly 4,000acres, NAS Jacksonville’s culturalresources include 37 archeologicalsites, five historic districts and sevenbuildings individually eligible forlisting in the National Register ofHistoric Places.

In 2015, one of the historic buildingson the station, the married officersquarters, was irreparably destroyedby fire. Working with thepublic/private venture partner, thestate and the Indian tribes, thecultural resources team reached anagreement that was approved todemolish the unit and monitor forarcheological resources. A greenspace on the river with an informa-

A 10-mile segment of the Oregon Trail runs through NWSTF Boardman. An Oregon Trail Management Plan is in development incorporating tribal input.

Oregon Trail ruts may be seen in the left foreground of trail marker. Stephen Beckham

A communication command offered thisWestern Electric switchboard with

1950 instruction manual to the NAS Jacksonville cultural resources team. The team then offered the artifact to the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Angela Glass

Naval Air Station Jacksonville documented the history and demolition of the hangars in its Landplane Hangar Historic District in a hardcover book. }

environmental excellence inweapon system acquisitionThe Environmental Excellence in Weapon System Acquisi-tion awards recognize efforts to incorporate Environment,Safety and Occupational Health (ESOH) requirements intothe weapon system acquisition program’s system engi-neering, contracting and decision-making processes.

LARGE PROGRAMNaval Air Systems Command 4.3.4 EnvironmentalSafety and Occupational Health TeamLocated in Patuxent River, Maryland, the Naval AirSystems Command (NAVAIR) 4.3.4 ESOH team beganrestructuring in February 2017 to form cross-functional,government teams focused on a particular ESOH disci-pline. The realignment is consistent with NAVAIR’s stream-line initiatives and the new structure exceeds the 2017guidance from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of theNavy (Energy, Installations & Environment).

During FY17, the NAVAIR ESOH team developed aNEPA/Executive Order 12114 brief that significantly

increased decision-makers’ basic understanding of theacquisition application and the importance of environ-mental laws and statutes. The NAVAIR 4.3.4 ESOH teamalso developed a searchable repository of NEPA docu-ments which has improved the team’s efficiency andresponse times to requests for NEPA documentation andenhanced consistency in decisions.

The same team also pioneered the creation of govern-ment-furnished equipment Hazardous Material Manage-ment Program Reports, resulting in a template foradditional Acquisition Category 1 programs. Finally, theteam created actionable lists that influence how programsaddress hazardous material minimization, guiding theutilization of finite program resources to target the mostimpactful hazardous materials.

Naval Air Systems Command PMA365 Green Hornet TeamAlso located in Patuxent River, Maryland, the GreenHornet team’s superior ESOH execution and risk manage-ment is reflected in an aircraft with sustained Class Amishap-free operations and the first U.S. Navy jet fighteraircraft to demonstrate the feasibility of noise reductiontechnologies without degradation of jet performance.

NAS Jacksonville’s Natural Resources Interpretive Center displays replicaartifacts from various locations. Three cases display artifacts fromprehistoric times through World War II. Hundreds of students from surrounding counties visit the center annually. Angela Glass

NAVAIR provides lifecycle support to naval aviation aircraft, weapons and systems operated by Sailors and Marines. Here, CNO Admiral John Richardson views an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye at NAS Patuxent River. MC1 Nathan Laird



In FY17, the Green Hornet’s ESOHteam continued to prove that vari-able exhaust nozzle (VEN) chevronsjet noise reduction technology is anengineering solution to noise-induced hearing loss experienced byflight deck personnel. The team alsocollaborated with the scientificresearch community to find transfer-able solutions for DoD-widecommon ESOH risks such as hexa-valent chromium and aircraft noiseand continued to allocate funds andaircraft assets for other science andtechnology solutions to hazardousmaterials and energy efficiency (e.g.,alternative material demonstrationsand tests).

VEN chevrons installed on an F/A-18E Super Hornet.Tests demonstrated integration of VEN chevrons onto the F414/F404 engine can achieve upwards of a 3-decibel reduction over much of the frequency range. VEN chevrons help mix the jet plume faster to reduce noise.

The Green Hornet’s ESOH team continued to prove that VEN chevrons jet noisereduction technology is an engineering solution to noise-induced hearing loss.

for more information

For more background on the use ofVEN chevrons to reduce jet enginenoise, read our story “F/A-18Program Explores the Use ofExhaust Nozzle Chevrons toReduce Engine Noise: InnovationDemonstrates Proactive Acquisi-tion Program Management byFighter Jet Team” in the winter2015 issue of Currents. You canbrowse the Currents archives atthe Department of the Navy’s Energy, Environment andClimate Change web site at http://navysustainability.dodlive.mil/currents-magazine.

}

afloatThis category includes five competitive sub-categories.

LARGE DECK COMBATANTUSS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77)USS George H.W. Bush is homeported in Norfolk, Virginia.The crew of 2,992 personnel is augmented by an addi-tional 1,795 personnel from Carrier Air Wing Eight,Carrier Strike Group 2 and Destroyer Squadron 22.Accomplishments this past fiscal year include thesuccessful completion of a compressed pre-deploymenttraining cycle and a record-setting 208-day deployment insupport of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. In allendeavors, CVN 77 maintained a sterling record of envi-ronmental stewardship and natural resource protection.

During the award period, USS George H.W. Bush recov-ered and transferred 11,000 pounds of refrigerant andrecycled over 250 gallons of hydraulic fluid every monththrough internal filters within the ship’s four aircraftelevators. Every day at sea, over 2,000 pounds of burn-able waste and 2,500 pounds of food and paper wereproperly processed.

Training emphasizes that plastics are never discharged tothe sea and all plastic disks are held onboard the ship forproper offload and disposal while in port or during replen-ishment at-sea. In addition, the Hazardous Material Mini-mization Center issue and re-utilization process ensures thatany material used more than once is repackaged and re-issued until completely expended.


The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (left) and EA-18G Growler (right) programs are managed by PMA265. The Super Hornet is a combat-proven platform with demonstrated capabilities in multiple warfighting roles, while the Growler is a mission-changing electronic attack aircraft.

USS George H.W. Bush arrives at Naval Station Norfolk. MC Specialist Seaman Cameron Stoner

LITTORAL OR AMPHIBIOUS WARFAREUSS Champion (MCM 4)USS Champion is a mine countermea-sures (MCM) ship, manned by 99Sailors and homeported in San Diego,California.

During FY17, Champion conductedover 100 fuel and oily waste transfersand onloaded 250,000 gallons of fuelin port with zero spills. As whalemigrating season was underway, thecrew adopted the new, more complexmarine mammal reporting require-ments during their 500 hours of oper-ations at sea.

Limitations in recycling and storagecapabilities on this small shipmade tracking and managingsolid waste challenging.Through meticulous recordkeeping, Champion achievedits goal of zero inadvertentdischarges.

Cable steamed over 9,400 nauticalmiles during the awards period andtransited to Vigor Shipyard in Portlandfor an extended planned maintenanceperiod. During the 49 million dollar drydock maintenance period, all facets ofPollution Prevention Afloat equipmentwere either repaired or replaced.

The engineering department replacedover 3,000 fluorescent bulbs withlight emitting diodes throughout theship. Three air conditioning andreefer (ship) plants were completelyoverhauled, during which numeroussmall leaks were found andcorrected, minimizing accidentalrefrigerant release.

In addition, Champion used 1,512gallons of fuel below class averagedue to outstanding maintenancepractices and aggressive manage-ment of fuel consumption. Thissaved 850,000 pounds of carbondioxide from being released into the atmosphere.

MILITARY SEALIFT COMMANDUSS Frank Cable (AS 40)Homeported at Apra, Guam, USSFrank Cable is an Emory S. Land classsubmarine tender with a crew of 950Navy Sailors and 156 civilianmariners from the Military SealiftCommand (MSC).

Champion used 1,512 gallons of fuel below class average due to outstanding maintenance practices and aggressive management of fuel consumption. }

USS Champion arrives at Naval Base San Diego. MC2 Jennifer S. Kimball


A typical oily waste separator like this one helps Champion’s crewseparate waste oil from water toprevent contaminated water from being discharged at sea.

Through careful source reduction techniques and closemonitoring from “cradle-to-grave,” the command saves$250,000 of procurement costs annually. The Navy andMSC supply departments were both rated as “excellent”overall during the FY17 supply maintenance inspectionand supply assist visit.

Cable personnel organized a comprehensive trash collec-tion and recycling campaign with more than 400 partici-pants that resulted in over 12,000 aluminum cans beingremoved from the waste stream. Ten Sailors donated 60hours of their off-duty time to collect trash and preserve

USS Frank J. Cable in dry dock in Portland, Oregon. MC Specialist Seaman Heather C. Wamsley

trails along the Columbia Gorge in Portland, while 54Sailors donated over 162 hours in preservation of pollutedareas in the vicinity, including community centers, animalshelters and orphanages, which enhanced communityrelation throughout the island of Guam.

SUBMARINEUSS Tennessee (SSBN 734)Homeported in Kings Bay, Georgia, USS Tennessee is aballistic missile submarine carrying over 350 Sailorsbetween its two crews.

USS Tennessee returns to homeport atNaval Submarine Base Kings Bay. MC1 James Kimber

Through source reduction techniques and careful monitoring of hazardous waste, Frank Cable saves $250,000 of procurement costs yearly. MC Seaman Randall W. Ramaswamy


As a fast attack submarine, this class of vesselhas an especially short upkeep period. Sailorsare required to prepare to turn over or refit thevessel even before it returns to port. Given thisshortened time window, it’s even more difficultto meet environmental stewardship goals.

During FY17, the ship was assessed “at orabove” standards for hazardous materialsmanagement during type command supplymanagement inspection.

The most recent Naval Safety Center Survey inMarch 2017 yielded an “above” standardsrating. In this survey, the crew was able todecrease repeat discrepancies by 27 percent.These positive evaluations are due in part to the1,500 hours of environmental awarenesstraining which the crew completed during theawards period.

USS Tennessee had six refit periods during FY17 andsuccessfully offloaded thousands of pounds of hazardouswaste without incident.

SURFACE COMBATANTUSS Decatur (DDG 73)Homeported in San Diego, USS Decatur is an ArleighBurke class destroyer carrying 338 personnel.Throughout the awards period, Decatur demonstratedstrict adherence to approved procedures such as fueland energy-saving measures, use of a certified oil waterseparator system and the continual use of a shredderand plastic emulsifier to minimize waste. The oil spillresponse team held frequent drills, helping Decaturachieve its record of zero hazardous substance spills.

In FY17, a valve maintenance program was initiated toenhance shipboard environmental protection and aware-ness. The program requires documentation of mainte-nance performed on all valves in order to increaseownership, identify degraded valves and avoid over-board discharges due to damaged or degraded valves.

For additional information about the Navy’s energy, environment and compatibility initiatives, visithttp://navysustainability.dodlive.mil/home.

Andy KropfChief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division703-695-5116DSN: [email protected]

USS Decatur prepares to depart Naval Base San Diego.

MC Specialist Seaman Kelsey L. Adams

The oil spill response team held frequent drills, helping Decatur achieve its record of zero hazardous substance spills. }

the awards process

The annual CNO Environmental Awards program recognizes installa-tions, individuals, teams and Navy ships that demonstrate environ-mental excellence and are the first step in a three-part competitionwithin the DoD. Winners at the CNO level become nominees, along with Marine Corps nominees, at the Secretary of the Navy(SECNAV) level of competition. With the exception of the small shipand environmental planning categories, which have no equivalentat the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) level, winners at the SECNAVlevel become nominees at the SECDEF level of competition.


Join SERDP & ESTCP for anUpcoming Webinar

Promoting the Transfer of Innovative, Cost-Effective &Sustainable Solutions

THE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL Research andDevelopment Program (SERDP) and the EnvironmentalSecurity Technology Certification Program (ESTCP)continue to offertheir webinar seriesto promote thetransfer of innova-tive, cost-effective andsustainable solutionsdeveloped by bothprograms.

The series targets end users, including practitioners, theregulatory community and researchers. The primaryobjective of the series is to provide these end users withcutting-edge and practical information from sponsoredresearch and technology demonstrations in an easilyaccessible format at no cost to participants.

Most webinars feature two 30-minute presentations andinteractive Q&A sessions. Participants must register inadvance for all webinars. To register and view the mostup-to-date schedule for upcoming webinars and accessarchived files of past webinars, visit www.serdp-estcp.org/Tools-and-Training/Webinar-Series. Dates andtopics for upcoming webinars are included below but aresubject to change.

� June 14, 2018Approaches to Managing Threatened, Engendered andAt-Risk Bird Species

� June 28, 2018Environmental Restoration Program Area Webinar

� July 12, 2018 Energy and Water Program Area Webinar

� August 16, 2018Resource Conservation and Resiliency Program AreaWebinar

� September 6, 2018Environmental Restoration: Chlorinated Solvents

� September 20, 2018Resource Conservation and Resiliency: Longleaf Pine

� October 4, 2018Chlorinated Solvents Workshop Overview and FeatureProjects

� October 18, 2018Forecasting Effective Site Characterization and EarlyRemediation Performance

• Dr. Michael C. Kavanaugh, Geosyntec Consultants• Dr. David A. Reynolds, Geosyntec Consultants• Dr. Kevin G. Mumford, Queen’s University

� November 1, 2018Resource Conservation and Resiliency Program AreaWebinar

� November 15, 2018 Environmental Restoration Program Area Webinar

� December 13, 2018 Energy and Water Program Area Webinar

Following the completion of each live webinar, archives ofthe presentation and audio will be available online. �Jeffrey HouffSERDP and ESTCP Support [email protected]


trends of the environment



Register Now for the 2018 SERDP &ESTCP Symposium

Program Includes Technical Sessions & TrainingOpportunities

THE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL Research andDevelopment Program (SERDP) and Environmental Secu-rity Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) Symposiumwill be held November 27–29, 2018 at the WashingtonHilton in Washington, D.C. The Symposium will highlightthe programs’ recent efforts to enhance mission capabili-ties, reduce costs in times of increasing fiscal constraintsand improve environmental and energy performance.

An introductory plenary session will be followed by acomprehensive technical program consisting of concur-rent technical sessions and short courses covering avariety of scientific and technical topics. Technicalsessions will highlight research and innovative technolo-gies that improve the Department of Defense’s (DoD)environmental performance, reduce costs and enhance

mission capabilities. Short courses will offer uniquetraining opportunities on emerging technologies andmethods in environmental restoration and munitionsresponse. Professional development hours will be offeredfor participation in short courses. Attendance for theseshort courses will be limited and advanced registration foreach short course is required.

Attendees will have numerous opportunities to tour morethan 450 posters and exhibit booths and network withapproximately 1,000 environmental professionals. Tech-nical exchange networking receptions will be held bothTuesday and Wednesday evening in conjunction with theposter sessions.

For additional information or to register for the Sympo-sium, visit www.symposium.serdp-estcp.org. �Jeffrey HouffSERDP and ESTCP Support [email protected]

For additional information or to register for

the Symposium, visitwww.symposium.serdp-estcp.org.

The Basics About SERDP & ESTCP

SERDP IS DoD’s environmental science and technologyprogram, executed in partnership with the Department ofEnergy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. SERDPinvests across a broad spectrum of basic and applied researchand advanced development. ESTCP is DoD’s environmentaland installation energy technology demonstration and valida-tion program. The program’s goal is to identify and demon-strate cost-effective technologies that address DoD’s highestpriority environmental and installation energy requirements.Both programs address DoD environmental and installationenergy needs in the following areas:

1. Environmental Restoration

2. Installation Energy and Water

3. Munitions Response

4. Resource Conservation and Resiliency

5. Weapons Systems and Platforms

Updated Environmental RestorationProgram Manual Now Available

Radiological Contamination & Per- and PolyfluoroalkylSubstances Among Topics of Interest

NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING Command(NAVFAC) personnel have just released an update to theDepartment of the Navy (DON) Environmental RestorationProgram (NERP) manual. This 2018 version updates andreplaces the 2006 NERP manual and applies to DON Envi-ronmental Restoration sites on active and Base Realign-ment and Closure (BRAC) installations in the United Statesand territories of the United States. It is a comprehensivepolicy and guidance tool for Remedial Project Managers(RPM) and other professionals working to support DONEnvironmental Restoration.

To ensure a complete update of this comprehensive docu-ment, subject matter experts from the NAVFAC Engi-neering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (EXWC),NAVFAC Headquarters, NAVFAC Atlantic and Pacific, eachof the NAVFAC Facilities Engineering Commands (FEC),support organizations throughout the DON, legal counseland leadership all provided reviews, updates and resourcematerial. Just as an RPM’s job is interdisciplinary andrequires proficiency in many different areas, so the NERPmanual required expertise in a broad range of disciplinesto support the update.

Some of the many areas that have been updated includecurrent topics of interest such as radiological contamina-tion, emerging contaminants including per- and polyfluo-roalkyl substances, munitions response and optimization.

The 2018 NERP manual reflects significant changesmade to the Environmental Restoration program since2006 including:



� Elimination of the October 1986 Active Base Installa-tion Restoration Program funding eligibility date.

� Elimination of the September 2002 Active Base Military Munitions Response Program funding eligi-bility date.

� Establishment of the new Department of DefenseEnvironmental Restoration Program goals based onthe Response Complete milestone.

� Establishment of the Marine Corps InstallationsCommand.

As a comprehensive guidance, the NERP manual coversmany different topics, so some familiarity with the docu-ment contents may be helpful to a new user:

� The first three chapters provide an overview of therelevant laws, organizational roles and responsibilitiesand the role of stakeholders.

� Chapter four gives important information on thebudgeting process and Environmental Restoration,Navy funding eligibility.

� Chapters five through eleven include details on eachof the phases of the Environmental Restorationprocess.

This 2018 version updates andreplaces the 2006 manual and applies to DON Environmental

Restoration sites on active and BRAC installations.

� Chapters 12 through 19 cover numerous unique topicssuch as munitions response, petroleum storage sites,radiological sites, emerging contaminants, propertytransactions, recordkeeping, community involvementand health and safety.

� There are several appendices, the first of which is areference table organized by topic, so that the usercan quickly locate additional resources on a giventopic of interest.

The 2018 NERP manual is available for download on theNAVFAC Environmental Restoration and BRAC (ERB)website at www.navfac.navy.mil/go/erb. You will find theannouncement and link in the center of the page. Thenew manual is also posted on the Guidance, Policy andRegulations page of the ERB. Limited hard copies havealready been shipped to users. Additional hard copies maybe available through NAVFAC EXWC. �Amy HawkinsNaval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center805-982-4890DSN: 551-4890 [email protected]


Do you have some good news to share about your energy orenvironmental program? Currents is just the place to tell yourstory. Currents, the Navy’s official energy and environmentalmagazine, has won first place in the Navy’s Chief ofInformation (CHINFO) Russell Egnor Navy Media Awardprogram three times. Currents was most recently awarded asecond-place medal in the “Digital Publication” category in the2017 Navy Media Award competition. And it’s people like youand the stories you submit that make Currents a continualaward-winner.

If you have a story that you’d like to promote in our fall 2018issue, submit your text and images by Friday, July 20, 2018. Anysubmissions received after this date will be considered for ourwinter 2018-19 issue.

You can get a copy of the Currents article template by sendingan email to Bruce McCaffrey, our Managing Editor, [email protected]. This template has proven to be a tremendous asset in helping us edit and track your articlesubmissions. Bruce is also available at 773-376-6200 if you haveany questions or would like to discuss your story ideas.

And don’t worry. If writing isn’t one of your strengths,we’ll handle all of the editing necessary to get yoursubmission into publishable form.

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Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook at www.facebooknavycurrents. Currents’ Facebook page helps expand thereach of the magazine and spread the news about all thegreat work you’re doing as the Navy’s energy andenvironmental leaders.

CURRENTS DEADLINESFall 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 20, 2018Winter 2018-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 20, 2018Spring 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 18, 2019Summer 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 19, 2019

TELL YOUR STORY IN CURRENTS

THE NAVY ENVIRONMENTAL Sustainability Develop-ment to Integration (NESDI) program launched 14 newinitiatives in fiscal year 2018 to address some of theNavy’s most pressing environmental operational chal-lenges. These projects range from testing the efficacy ofbiochar to remove regulated contaminants from shipyarddry dock discharges to eliminating hexavalent chromium

from magnesium conversion coating processes at theNavy’s Fleet Readiness Centers (FRC).

Each year, the NESDI program collects environmentalneeds from across the Navy’s shore community. Based onselected needs, project teams are formed to demonstrate,validate and integrate innovative technologies, processesand materials into fleet operations. In late 2017, theprogram gave the green light to the following 14 “newstart” projects listed in the table on the next page.

The first seven projects in the table were highlighted in thewinter 2017-18 issue of Currents. The second set of sevenprojects are described in the sections below.

Biochar Adsorption for Dry Dock Effluent (project no. 560)This NESDI project will establish the efficacy of biocharin removing regulated contaminants from shipyard drydock discharges.

Navy shipyard dry docks generateindustrial process water that maycontain metal particulates as well asnutrients from stormwater runoff, non-contact cooling systems and otheractivities that are regulated under theNational Pollutant Discharge EliminationSystem (NPDES) program. NPDESpermit requirements at Navy shipyardsare becoming increasingly more restric-tive—particularly with respect to theconcentrations of metals and nutrientsallowed in point source discharges.


NESDI Program Launches New ProjectsEfforts Include Using Biochar to Remove Regulated Contaminants from Dry Dock Discharges

Learn More

TO READ MORE about the first seven projects included in thetable on the next page, read our article “NESDI Program Initi-ates Several New Projects” in the winter 2017-18 issue ofCurrents. You can browse the entire Currents archive athttp://navysustainability.dodlive.mil/currents-magazine.


NO. PROJECT TITLE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

1. 553 Study of Waste Management and Minimization for AFFF Daniel Edwards Wastewater (NAVFAC EXWC)2. 554 Addressing Temporal Variability in Industrial Buildings during Vapor Trish Venable Intrusion Assessments (NAVFAC EXWC)3. 555 Demonstrating the Effectiveness of Novel Treatment Technologies for John Kornuc the Removal of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances from Groundwater (NAVFAC EXWC)4. 556 Enterprise-wide Hazardous Material Standardization and Minimization Renata Laing of General Use Consumables (NAVSUP WSS)5. 557 Initiation Decision Report of Laser Coating Removal on Naval Aircraft Stephen Starnes Components (FRC-SE)6. 558 In-situ Automatic Stormwater Sampling Device for Use at Tidally Ernie Arias Impacted Sampling Locations (SSC Pacific)7. 559 Background Analysis and Tracer Study to Identify Metal Contaminant Jim Leather Source Contributions to Stormwater Runoff (SSC Pacific)8. 560 Biochar Adsorption for Dry Dock Effluent Lewis Hsu (SSC Pacific)9. 561 Development and Demonstration of a Portable, Temporary Barrier to Aid Jean Pan in Cargo and Equipment Inspections to Prevent Brown Treesnake Dispersal (NAVFAC EXWC)10. 562 Elimination of Hexavalent Chromium from Magnesium Conversion Alan Grieve Coating Processes at Fleet Readiness Centers (NAWC AD Pax River)11. 563 Low VOC Primers for Ground Support Equipment Application Michael Brindza (NAWC AD Pax River)12. 564 Implementation of Biotic Ligand Model-Based Water Quality Standards Gunther Rosen for Copper at Navy Sites (SSC Pacific)13. 566 Source Metal Particle Removal for Stormwater Compliance Jim Howell (NSWC Carderock)14 567 Business Processes and Requirements Enabling Technology Integration Martin McMorrow (NAVFAC EXWC)

Due to these stringent limits (on theorder of parts per billion) and thelimited capacity to treat large-volumecontinuous flows, shipyards may be atrisk for exceeding NPDES permit limi-tations for metals such as copper, zincand aluminum among others.

There are four dry docks at PearlHarbor Naval Shipyard and Interme-diate Maintenance Facility(PHNSY&IMF), six dry docks at PugetSound Naval Shipyard and additional

struggle to meet the final permit limi-tation, which will go into effect byOctober 2022. Best managementpractices (BMP) have helped to signifi-cantly lower metal and nutrientconcentrations from the end-of-pipedischarge but do not appear adequateto meet long-term goals. There arepresently no additional measures oropportunity to remove contaminantsfrom discharges passing through thedry dock drainage system.

Recent testing has indicated that the use of biochar can be an effective means of removing metals and nutrients from

stormwater and process water streams.

docks at other Washington State andCalifornia installations with similarlyrestrictive permit levels.

The State of Hawaii is aware of thesignificant challenges imposed byNPDES permit limitations and hasgranted PHNSY&IMF a Schedule ofCompliance and interim permit limitsfor pollutants such as copper.Although PHNSY&IMF can consis-tently attain its current interim limitfor copper, the facility continues to

Recent testing has indicated that the use of biochar can bean effective means of removing metals and nutrients fromstormwater and process water streams. A carbonaceousbyproduct of bioenergy production, biochar is an inexpen-sive, highly porous filtration media with high contaminantretention rates.

This project team will place weirs within existing dry dockdrainage troughs which will result in the temporarypooling of process water. This water will then be forced toflow up through a biochar device to provide adequatecontact time and sequestration of contaminants. Thisupflow configuration has been found to be more effectivethan cross flow or other schemes. Lessons learned fromprevious studies indicate that rinsing the biochar prior touse increases the contaminant holding capacity and thispractice will be implemented during the demonstration.

Other deployment strategies to be tested include the useof biochar as a treatment step within the dry dock sandtrap and utilizing clarifying inserts being developed underanother NESDI project (project no. 543: PreventativeManagement of Contaminated Silt). In this case, biocharwill be a drop-in media filtration component in the clari-fying inserts. Remedy effectiveness will be laboratorytested via U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)approved methods.


The data from this demonstration will be made available toend users to determine if this technology is a good fit attheir respective sites. If so, the passive filtration fixturesused may be fabricated by shipyard tradespeople orcontractors using commercially available biochar. Coordina-tion with shipyard personnel and commercial biocharmanufacturers will aid in the integration of this technologyand provide an effective and useful means of deploying it.A final report including recommended testing and designcriteria will be prepared to assist in future implementations.

Regulators will have access to the data from this demon-stration as evidence of BMP improvement efforts targetingpermit violation reductions. If successful, this technologywill be included in future updates to BMPs found in ship-yard Dry Dock Water Pollution Control Plans and futureNPDES permits if applicable.

Development and Demonstration of a Portable,Temporary Barrier to Aid in Cargo and EquipmentInspections to Prevent Brown Treesnake Dispersal(project no. 561)The goal of this project is to create and demonstrate aportable, temporary barrier to help prevent the spreadof brown treesnakes (BTS) through cargo shipments inthe Pacific.

The brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) is an invasivespecies with the largest current and potential impact toDoD activities in the Pacific. Since the late 1940s, thetreesnake has caused the extinction or extirpation ofmany endemic species on Guam, including 10 of 12 forestbirds. Were the treesnake to successfully invade other loca-tions, particularly the Commonwealth of the NorthernMariana Islands (CNMI) and Hawaii, it could wreak bothbiological and economic havoc. Given the increased mili-tary activities in the region and military construction onGuam from the Guam and CNMI military relocation, thereis a high risk of the treesnake being dispersed into theseareas through the Department of Defense (DoD) trans-portation network.

Currently, the DoD spends millions of dollars a year onthe management and control of the BTS. Much of thisfunding goes toward overseeing inspections of alloutbound cargo and equipment from Guam for BTS stow-aways. Inspection of cargo at inbound locations may alsobe required, depending on the location. The primary BTSinspection method is canine inspection followed by

A submarine awaits repair in dry dock. MCS1 Amanda R. Gray


these tasks, a full-size barrier will be built and utilized inrealistic transportation situations.

The team will transition this technology to a variety ofaudiences (e.g., end-users, DoD personnel, regulators). Forlong-term technology transition, the Naval Facilities Engi-neering Command Marianas team member will transitionthis technology within the DoD, at transportation venuesand with regulators on Guam, CNMI and Hawaii. The teamwill also produce a guidance document on how to use thebarrier, as well as in-person training and a training video.

Elimination of Hexavalent Chromium fromMagnesium Conversion Coating Processes at Fleet Readiness Centers (project no. 562)This project will evaluate the use of hexavalentchromium (hex chrome) -free conversion coatings onmagnesium alloys and demonstrate their effectiveness asa drop-in replacement.

Metal finishing processes are performed at all major NavyFRCs. Conversion coatings are the mostcommon of these processes. They are thin filmson a metal surface generated by reactionbetween the metal and a chemical solution.They are applied to alloys to provide somemeasure of corrosion protection and to promoteadhesion between the alloy and subsequentsurface treatments. While process specificationsvary among FRCs, all current processes forapplying conversion coatings to magnesiumalloys use hex chrome-based chemistries, longestablished as both toxic and carcinogenic.

At the FRCs responsible for processing magne-sium parts, the total magnesium conversion

process tank volume exceeds 3,200 gallons, meaning thatat any given time there is over 3,200 gallons of solutioncontaining some level of hex chrome. At a single FRC, thecost associated with cleaning to limit heavy metal expo-sure to personnel exceeds $1 million per year. Similarcosts are borne across other FRCs—and this does noteven include the further costs associated with manage-ment of associated hazardous waste. Elimination of hexchrome from magnesium finishing processes would be ofgreat benefit toward the Navy’s goal of reducing heavymetal usage.

Several hex chrome-free conversion coating formulationswere evaluated by the Navy for use on magnesium alloys.

human visual inspection. Cargo is inspected when itarrives at the outbound site and then daily until it isloaded onto a departing vessel. The speed at which cargoand equipment can be loaded and unloaded is limited bythe number of canine teams and the time it takes forthem to inspect each piece of cargo. If the canine teamsfall behind cargo loading and off-loading, this can delaycargo and equipment transport and military missions.

To reduce delays for DoD shipments and militarymissions, this project team plans to use portable, tempo-rary barriers to prevent the movement of BTS. Cargo andequipment that have passed an initial canine inspectioncan be stored within these barriers until the day of loadingor transport, where they can undergo a final canineinspection before being moved. A portable, temporarybarrier can also be used as a rapid response tool duringthe inspection process at a receiving jurisdiction when acanine alerts on the cargo item, but the BTS is not imme-diately visible. The barrier would serve as a quarantinestructure until the BTS can be found and removed.

While such barriers exist and are in use by the DoD,existing designs require ground penetration or disturbance(e.g., posts, walls, rebar) inserted into the soil, to be able towithstand local environmental conditions. This require-ment for temporary barriers is problematic on Guam andthe CNMI due to unexploded munition and culturalresource issues.

Utilizing some of the design elements of other temporarybarriers, the team will design and test a new prototypebarrier under controlled conditions. The successful designwill then be field tested on Guam to determine its effec-tiveness against BTS and its ability to withstand environ-mental conditions. Following the successful deployment of

Brown treesnake.

Laboratory results showed comparable performance to thehex chrome-based formulas. Attempts to transition thesetechnologies for use on magnesium alloys were notsuccessful for various reasons. One of the primary issuesinhibiting implementation was the lack of an observablecolor change. The presence of hex chrome conversioncoatings is readily apparent due to their characteristiciridescent gold color, making it simple for artisans toassess the efficacy of a coating process. In contrast, noneof the hex chrome-free coatings were observable, makingprocess assessment very challenging.

The project team will first compare the processes in placeat each FRC such that any new process, at a minimum,meets existing requirements. Next, extensive laboratorytests will be conducted using metrics such as coatingweight/thickness and appearance to identify two to threepotential candidates. The evaluation of color additives willbe an integral part of this process. These candidates willbe subjected to corrosion resistance testing. If successful,a pilot process line will be established at a suitable FRC using the chosen formulation. Corrosion/adhesion

performance will remain the primary metric, but effec-tiveness of the color additive will also be critical to accessthe performance of the modified process.

To be successful, replacement coatings need to perform atleast as well as the current coatings and exhibit similarprocess characteristics. If successful, demonstration at asecond FRC will begin at the beginning of year three. Asecondary goal is to generate sufficient data and know-how for the possible future development of a detailedspecification for a non-hex chrome conversion coatingprocess with the aim of aligning processes across FRCs.

If the demonstration and validation proposed here provesto be successful, implementation will begin at the demon-stration site(s) immediately, before transitioning to otherFRCs. This technology could be of value to other services,in particular the Army. Army engineers have alreadyexpressed interest in the proposed program and possiblefuture collaboration.

Low-VOC Primers for Ground Support EquipmentApplication (project no. 563)The objective of this effort is to laboratory test, demon-strate, validate and qualify low-volatile organic compound(VOC) primers for use on ground support equipment (GSE).

There is a push both at the federal and local levels for thecontinual reduction of VOCs and hazardous air pollutants(HAP) associated with painting operations. Many of themilitary specification (mil-spec) primers have not changedsignificantly, whereas local and federal environmentalregulations are continually changing. Two of these regula-tions, the Code of Maryland Regulations “Control of VOCEmissions from Vehicle Refinishing” (rule no. 26.11.19.23)and the Ventura County (California) Air Pollution ControlDistrict Rule “Motor Vehicle and Mobile EquipmentCoating Operations” (rule no. 74.18) have the most strin-gent regulations in the nation with a primer maximumVOC limit of 250 gallons per liter (2.1 pounds per gallon).The current mil-specs for aircraft GSE primers have amaximum VOC requirement of 340 gallons per liter


All current processes for applying conversion coatings to magnesium alloys use hex chrome-based chemistries,

long established as both toxic and carcinogenic.

Components of the H-53 and other helicopters are target applicationsfor a non-hex chrome conversion coating process.

Ismael Ortega


(2.8 pounds per gallon), meaning they are out of compli-ance with these current regulations.

While these rules currently affect only two jurisdictions(the State of Maryland and Ventura County), environ-mental regulations are traditionally broadly adopted andlikely to be adopted elsewhere. The effects on the Mary-land jurisdiction is significant because the primary over-haul facility for aviation support equipment is located inSolomons Island, MD.

Failure to identify low-VOC primer alternatives canadversely affect Navy GSE coatings operations andincrease the compliance cost of current and future localand EPA environmental legislations.

According to the Naval Air Systems Command, thepreferred primer for Navy GSE are products qualified to theArmy-maintained MIL-PRF-53022 specification. Acceptablealternate primers are products qualified to MIL-PRF-23377Class N (the mil-spec for the non-chrome class of primers).This effort will identify, test and qualify GSE-acceptable

primers to the MIL-PRF-23377 specification that are bothHAP-free and VOC-compliant. Modified low-VOC formula-tions of qualified MIL-PRF-23377 Class N primers will beevaluated, as will metal-rich primer technologies and otherpotential low-VOC primers.

Laboratory testing will be performed on both steel andaluminum substrates with pretreatments and surfacepreparations that will capture the varying requirements ofMIL-PRF-23377 and MIL-DTL-53022, and the capabilitiesof the GSE rework locations. Testing will include but not belimited to viscosity, spraying properties, pot life, dry time,adhesion, corrosion resistance, flexibility, fluid resistance,strippability as well as compatibility to qualified topcoats.

Upon successful laboratory testing, demonstration and vali-dation of the low-VOC primers is anticipated to occur atFRCs in North Island, CA and Solomons Island, MD. Thelow-VOC primers will be applied on both land-based andshipboard GSE. The coating(s) will be evaluated for applica-tion characteristics and user friendliness. The durability ofthe new coating systems will be evaluated by photo docu-mentation and direct visual inspection. Land-based evalua-tion intervals will be every six months for a total of twoyears. Shipboard GSE will similarly be evaluated as close tothe six-month interval as ship schedules permit.

Failure to identify low-VOC primer alternatives can adversely affect Navy GSE coatings operations and increase the compliance cost of

current and future local and EPA environmental legislations.

Primer is applied to GSE such as this mid-range tow tractor (left) and fire truck (right).Atish Gupta


Concerns expressed by the stakeholders are currentlybeing evaluated by EPA, with the expectation that issueswill be addressed and Navy compliance will improve if theconcerns are incorporated. However, if the finalized BLM-based standard is overly stringent, it will not improvecopper compliance at Navy facilities, and the Navy willlikely be required to continue down a path of uncertainand costly means of achieving compliance.

This project will provide scientific contributions towardsfinalizing EPA’s saltwater copper criterion document andprovide examples based on historical and ongoing datacollection regarding whether or not the new criterionshould be used as a regulatory tool for environmentalcompliance at Navy sites.

The BLM is a metal bioavailability model that usesreceiving water body characteristics and monitoring datato develop site-specific WQC. The BLM for copper hasalready been developed and validated for protection of themost sensitive EPA-accepted test mechanisms (e.g.,Mytilus galloprovincialis mussel embryos).

The first task for this project will be the consultation andclosure of data gaps with key personnel (EPA headquar-ters) regarding their remaining concerns associated withthe draft final criterion document. As soon as EPA releasesthe final WQC document, the project team will collect anyavailable historical data sets for affected Navy sites andrun them through the BLM to determine whether the Navywould be expected to be compliant.

In addition to EPA concurrence of the saltwater BLM forcopper, objectives of this work include development of aNavy document that will guide end users towards inte-gration of an overdue update to copper compliance inmarine environments. This will occur based on consulta-tion with the Copper Development Association and Inter-national Copper Association which have been workingon implementation of the freshwater BLM for copperand continue to support this need for saltwater. Thefreshwater BLM has been implemented in multiple statesand provides examples towards implementation of themarine BLM.

The proposed primers must pass the rigorous perfor-mance requirements that are currently asked of MIL-PRF-23377 products and perform satisfactorily to many of theperformance requirements of MIL-DTL-53022.

Upon successful laboratory testing and field demonstra-tion, MIL-PRF-23377 will be revised and the QualifiedProducts List will be populated with low-VOC and HAP-free products. If an acceptable primer(s) is identified thatsatisfies both GSE and aerospace requirements, the“Cleaning and Corrosion Control” manual (NAVAIR 01-1A-509) and the “Airborne Weapons and AssociatedEquipment” manual (NAVAIR 01-1A-75) will be updatedat their next revision or Interim Rapid Action Changeswill be generated.

Implementation of Biotic Ligand Model-BasedWater Quality Standards for Copper at Navy Sites(project no. 564)

This project will provide guidance and empirical evidenceof the utility to Navy end users towards imminent EPAapproval of an update to the Estuarine/Marine CopperAquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criterion.

Copper is a ubiquitous contaminant in and around Navy-relevant water bodies. Currently, states use nationalwater quality criteria (WQC) to establish standards bywhich to regulate copper discharges under NPDESpermits. Navy managers are required to either use thedefault national WQC or conduct and approve costly site-specific studies involving extensive toxicity testing,chemical analyses and rulemaking.

The EPA recently released a draft criterion document thatincorporates a simple, scientifically defensible BioticLigand Model (BLM) towards calculation of water-body-specific water quality standards without the need toconduct costly laboratory-based studies. Based oncomments by nearly four dozen stakeholders nationwide,including the Navy, the consensus was that the documentincluded overly high levels of conservatism, improperassumptions and incorrect use of peer reviewed data avail-able, potentially making compliance with a BLM-basedstandard more challenging than intended.

This project will provide scientific contributions towards finalizing EPA’s saltwater copper criterion document.

The Basics About the NESDI Program

THE NESDI PROGRAM seeks to provide solutions by demonstrating, validating and integrating innovative technolo-gies, processes, materials and filling knowledge gaps to minimize operational environmental risks, constraints andcosts while ensuring Fleet readiness. The program accomplishes this mission through the evaluation of cost-effectivetechnologies, processes, materials and knowledge that enhance environmental readiness of naval shore activitiesand ensure they can be integrated into weapons system acquisition programs.

The NESDI program is the Navy’s environmental shoreside (6.4)Research, Development, Test and Evaluation program. The program issponsored by the Chief of Naval Operations Energy and EnvironmentalReadiness Division and managed by NAVFAC out of the Naval FacilitiesEngineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center in Port Hueneme, Cali-fornia. The program is the Navy’s complement to ESTCP which conductsdemonstration and validation of technologies important to the tri-Services, EPA, and the Department of Energy.

For more information, visit the NESDI program web site athttps://epl.navfac.navy.mil/nesdi (Common Access Card required).


Source Metal Particle Removal for StormwaterCompliance (project no. 566)This project is demonstrating a new surface cleaningvehicle capable of removing metal particulate fromstormwater discharge.

Metal particles (such as copper, zinc, nickel and iron) instormwater can lead to violations or exceedances for Navyfacility stormwater discharges related to Clean Water Actand NPDES permits. This can be a serious issue for indus-trial areas such as metal processing/reworking facilities,metal storage facilities, recycling yards and pier areaswhere paint stripping and sand blasting activities occur.

San Diego area Navy installations (Naval Base San Diego(NBSD), Naval Base Coronado (NBC) and Naval Base PointLoma) are having an increasingly difficult time meetingnew California metal benchmarks/Numerical Action Limits(NAL) for their stormwater discharges, which are now at33.2 parts per billion (ppb) for copper and 260 ppb forzinc. Between 2011 and 2014, NBC had 87 copper and221 zinc benchmark exceedances, as well as 96exceedances for acute toxicity.

These installations employ BMPs directed at reducingsource metal particles from pier and metal processingareas; however these practices are ineffective in meeting

Mussel larvae are among the most sensitive toxicity endpoints used for EPA water quality criteria derivation for copper.

The results of the analysis and documents produced bythis project will be transitioned to end users in a consoli-dated technical document geared towards implementationby states and permit writers. This document will be sharedthrough webinars directed to Navy end users summarizingthe findings, which will be in part developed through peerreview and participation in at least one high visibilitynational technical conference.

If the MCV cleaning technology is shown to be effective inremoving problematic metal particulate, then San Diegometro representatives can work with their in-house depart-ments to procure MCV platform(s) as desired.

NBSD/NBC environmental offices and stormwater/surfacecleaning operations personnel will be part of the testingand evaluation process as well as any technology transferfollow-up actions.

Business Processes and Requirements EnablingTechnology Integration (project no. 567)This project will produce a systems engineering processand manual that provides clarity on the actions andactivities required for completing successful technologyintegration.

Navy facility commands need a framework that allowsfacility or installation stakeholders and technology advo-cates to collaborate and advance cost-effective solutionsto their environmental challenges. When a technology,techniques, tools (TTT) solution has been validatedthrough the NESDI and other programs, the conventionalapproach to technology integration has focused only onadvertising the technical data and fact sheets related tothat technology and seeking to sell the TTT as a package


the new limits. Recent discharge sampling data (fromDecember 2016) show NAL exceedances for copper andzinc at all three installations. Sustained, high concentra-tions of these pollutants in industrial stormwaterdischarges are elevating acute toxicity levels beyondpermit limits at an increasing rate.

San Diego metro Navy installations spend over threemillion dollars a year on stormwater compliance moni-toring and reporting including expensive phased studiesthat are required under new NPDES permit requirementswhen discharges exceed benchmarks. In addition to thesecosts, exceeding benchmarks on a regular basis increasesthe potential for lawsuits from non-governmental agencies.

This project was formed to evaluate a new surface cleaningtechnology—the Municipal Cleaning Vehicle (MCV). Thismulti-purpose surface cleaning vehicle is based on theMobile Cleaning, Recovery and Recycling System devel-oped by Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division(NSWCCD). The MCV is a closed loop, surface powerwashing, filtration, recovery and recycling system that canrecover ferrous and non-ferrous solids ranging in size fromsub-micron to two inches and can clean up to 10,000square feet of surface area per hour. The system providestotal suspended solids control and a physical barrier tolarger particles. It leaves no discernable solids residue andits performance exceeds the individual cleaning capabilitiesof pressure washing, vacuuming and sweeping.

After initial discussions with NBSD, NSWCCD has identi-fied numerous high-risk outfall locations that areexceeding benchmark limits. Two outfalls at NavalAmphibious Base (NAB) Coronado will be the site for thetechnology demonstration. The MCV will be deployed fora period of approximately three months, during whichtime training of the vehicle and its systems will beconducted, along with the actual surface cleaning andsampling at the targeted outfalls.

NSWCCD has already made a site visit to the targeted hot-spot areas at NAB Coronado and will soon be workingwith NAVFAC Southwest and San Diego metro installationrepresentatives to develop a test and sampling plan thatwill best show the effectiveness of the MCV technology.

The Municipal Cleaning Vehicle. Courtesy of Triverus

This vehicle is a closed loop, surface power washing, filtration, recovery and recycling system that can recover ferrous and non-ferrous solids.


that presumably fits with everySystems Command. While thisapproach reflects a genuine desirefor integrating technologies, itneglects a more holistic businessplan and strategy for customizingTTT solutions for different installa-tions and stakeholders. What’sneeded is an enduring system ofactions and activities that enable thesuccessful integration of TTT solu-tions, as well as a method for identi-fying where additional needs for aparticular technology exist.

This project will propose a systemsengineering process (a sequence ofevents that functions together toproduce the capability that satisfies aparticular need) to enable effectiveand efficient technology integrationacross NAVFAC.

Technology transition programs forweapons systems and platformshave formal processes to smoothand speed the path to operationaladoption. Examples include the NavyShore Energy Technology Transitionand Integration (NSETTI) programand the Energy Systems TechnologyEvaluation Program (ESTEP). Each ofthese programs has a multi-gateproject review process to ensureearly consideration of stakeholderneeds and administrative processes.It is the intention of this project teamto create a similar system for Navyfacilities use.

The system engineering process andaccompanying manual will be basedon the Shore Facilities PlanningSystem and Office of the Chief ofNaval Operations (OPNAV) instruc-tions, along with information acquiredfrom internet literature searchesaddressing stakeholder engagementbusiness practices. A case studyanalysis of completed and/or ongoing

of the final deliverable and postedon the NAVFAC portal.

� Offered to other SystemCommands for guidance andimplementation.

� Presented during annual NAVFACbusiness line specificworkshops/conferences.

� Incorporated into Naval Postgrad-uate School curriculum.

One-page fact sheets of all NESDIprojects are available for download via the program’s web site athttps://epl.navfac.navy.mil/nesdi(Common Access Card required).Select “Projects” to browse availablefact sheets for NESDI-sponsoredprojects. �Ken KaempffeNaval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center805-982-4893DSN: [email protected]

approved real property work will beconducted in accordance with theframework to validate the process andassociated manual.

A guide for potential stakeholders andusers of TTT solutions and backupdocumentation required by stake-holders will be produced. Methodswill include mining environmentalNotice of Violation and militaryconstruction databases. To ease thetransition, the team will determinewhat data (i.e., cost estimates,analysis of alternatives) stakeholderswill need. The process and manualwill be transitioned as follows:

� Provided to the Naval Civil Engi-neers Corps Officer School forinsertion and use as a trainingmodule during environmentaltraining and other courses.

� Distributed throughout theNAVFAC enterprise via each of theNAVFAC businesses participatingand contributing in development

A basic technology transfer process.

THE SECRETARY OF the Navy(SECNAV) has announced thewinners of the 2017 Energy Conser-vation Awards competition. Theprogram recognizes Navy ships,installations and squadrons foroutstanding accomplishments in theareas of procurement, storage anddelivery of energy to naval forces.Access to secure, reliable sources ofenergy enhances Navy readiness andmission capability.

For the 2017 competition, nomina-tions from commands around theworld were received for consideration

in 12 Navy-specific award categoriesbased on fiscal year 2016 accomplish-ments. A panel of experts reviewedthe nominations and selected winnersfor each of the award categories,pending SECNAV endorsement.

For the details behind USS Monterey’saward, read our article “USS MontereyEarns Top Secretary of the NavyEnergy Conservation Award” in thisissue of Currents.

Platinum Level of AchievementThe Platinum level of achievementindicates an outstanding energy


SECNAV Announces 2017 Energy ConservationAward WinnersProgram Recognizes Outstanding Accomplishments in Energy Procurement,Storage & Delivery

2017 SECNAV ENERGY CONSERVATION AWARD WINNERS

Category Winner Award

Navy Large Shore Naval Base Kitsap $40,000Navy Small Shore Naval Station Everett $30,000Other Shore Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Keyport $20,000Large Ship USS Monterey (CG 61) $30,000Medium Ship USS Wayne E Meyer (DDG 108) $25,000Small Ship USS Champion (MCM 4) $20,000Amphibious Large Ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) $30,000Amphibious Medium/Small Ship USS Comstock (LSD 45) $20,000COMNAVAIRLANT Fleet Logistics Support Squadron Four Zero (VRC-40) $25,000COMNAVAIRPAC Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Four (VQ-4) $25,000Military Sealift Command USNS Lewis & Clark (T-AKE-1) —Navy Expeditionary Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four $25,000

conservation program and an excep-tional year for energy project execu-tion. The following commandsdemonstrated platinum level ofachievement:

1. Naval Support Activity Souda Bay

2. Fleet Readiness Center Southwest

3. USS Sterett (DDG 104)

4. USS Sentry (MCM 3)

5. USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)

6. USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52)

7. USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO-199)


With the exception of USNS Tippecanoe, all Platinum levelwinners received a $5,000 award.

Gold Level of AchievementGold level of achievement indicates a very good tooutstanding energy conservation program. The followingcommands demonstrated gold level of achievement:

1. Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam

2. Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story

3. Naval Air Station Corpus Christi

4. Naval Air Station Pensacola

5. Naval Air Station Sigonella

6. Naval Air Station Whidbey Island

7. Naval Air Station Whiting Field

8. Naval Base Coronado

9. Naval Base Guam

10. Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport

11. Naval Hospital Bremerton

12.Naval Magazine Indian Island

13.Naval Shipyard Base Operating Support Portsmouth

14.Naval Station Great Lakes

15.Naval Station Newport Naval Station

16.Norfolk Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay

17.Naval Submarine Base New London

18.Naval Support Activity Bahrain

19.Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg

20.Naval Support Activity Monterey

21. Naval Support Activity Naples

Access to secure, reliable sources of energy enhances Navy readiness and mission capability.

USS Wayne E Meyer (DDG 108).MCS3 Ryan M. Breeden

22.Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia

23.Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach

24.Norfolk Naval Shipyard

25.Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands

26.Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Mainte-nance Facility

27.Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Mainte-nance Facility

28.USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54)

29.USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109)

30.USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112)

Blue Level of AchievementBlue level of achievement indicates a well-rounded energy conservation program.The following commands demonstratedblue level of achievement:

1. Camp Lemonnier Djibouti

2. Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo

3. Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka

4. Joint Base Anacostia Bolling

5. Naval Air Facility Atsugi

6. Naval Air Facility El Centro

7. Naval Air Station Fallon

8. Naval Air Station Jacksonville

9. Naval Air Station Key West

10. Naval Air Station Kingsville

11. Naval Air Station Meridian

12.Naval Air Station Oceana

13.Naval Air Station Patuxent River

14.Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth

15.Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base New Orleans

16.Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake

17.Naval Base Point Loma

18.Naval Base Ventura County

19.Naval Station Guantanamo Bay


USS Monterey (CG 61).MCS Seaman Bill Dodge

USS Champion (MCM 4).MCS2 Jennifer S. Kimball


20.Naval Station Mayport

21. Naval Station Rota

22.Naval Support Activity Andersen

23.Naval Support Activity Annapolis

24.Naval Support Activity Crane

25.Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads

26.Naval Support Activity Mid-South

27.Naval Support Activity Orlando

USS Comstock (LSD 45).MCS3 Trevor Welsh

All of these efforts to optimize energy use enable the Navy to improve readiness and ensure a more capable and lethal fighting force.

—Vice Admiral D. R. Smith

USS Bataan (LHD 5).MCS3 Raymond Minami

28.Naval Support Activity Panama City

29.Naval Support Activity Saratoga Springs

30.Naval Support Activity South Potomac

31. Naval Support Activity Washington

32.Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Singapore AreaCoordinator

33.USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55)

34.USS Pinckney (DDG 91)

35.USS Vella Gulf (CG 72)

36.Weapons Station Earle Colts Neck

37.Weapons Station Yorktown

All of these efforts to optimize energy use enable the Navyto improve readiness and ensure a more capable andlethal fighting force. Bravo Zulu to all of the award recipi-ents,” said Vice Admiral D. R. Smith. �CDR Jennifer TetatzinOffice of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations & [email protected]

Q: HAVE YOU SEEN AN IMPROVEMENT IN ENERGY CONSERVATION SINCE YOUSTARTED WORKING WITH THE NAVY? DO YOU THINK CULTURE CHANGE PLAYS A ROLE IN THIS?Absolutely, culture and behavioral change play a huge role in energy conservation. We really do needeverybody to play their part. We don’t always have the funds to put automatic controls into every singlebuilding to turn off the lights or air conditioning when no one is around.

And yes, when I started working with the Navy about 15 years ago, turning off the lights was a completelyforeign idea. We would walk into buildings after hours and lights would always be on. Turning off the lightswas not second nature to anybody—at home or at work.

Today, when I walk through an office at the end of the day, most lights are turned off. That wasn’t alwaysthe case.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY INCREASES

“Raising awareness is a way we can get everybody to reduce their usage. And it makes a difference.”

ENERGY WARRIOR

PROFILE

CARI SCHROEDERHOMETOWN: San Diego, CA

ENERGY PROGRAM MANAGERNAVAL BASE POINT LOMA

COMBAT CAPABILITY

Q: WHERE ELSE IN THE NAVY HAVE YOU WORKED?I’ve supported almost every base in Navy Region Southwest at some point or another by conducting vari-ous data analyses and project reviews. I’ve worked on-site at Navy installations at Seal Beach, Lemoore,Coronado and San Diego. Naval Base San Diego was actually my first assignment. A few years back, I gotan opportunity to move to Japan and work for the U.S. Air Force. That was the first time that I realized theimportance of raising awareness. The command in Japan had little or no funding for any energy projects,but we still had a job to do—help conserve energy. We were being asked “to save in other ways” so I hadto get creative. I thought, well, awareness is free.

Raising awareness is a way we can get everybody to reduce their usage. And it makes a difference. Sothat’s what we did. We produced public service announcements on energy conservation and the variousways you can save energy. And it worked. I got comments from coworkers and building tenants sayingthey either saw a commercial or heard our radio interviews. They made sure to tell me they were shuttingoff lights or turning down the heat.

Q: WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?The thing I like most about this job is that it is so varied. I can spend half of my day in the office, doingreports and developing projects—a challenge I enjoy. While the other half of my day is spent working withour construction team outdoors and on the rooftops—talking to tenants about energy conservation andraising awareness. It’s so varied, you never know what you’re going to get. Also, I feel really appreciated inthis job, and that inspires me.

Q: WHAT DOES BEING AN ENERGY WARRIOR MEAN TO YOU?An Energy Warrior is someone that consciously thinks about energy. When they walk by the break roomand no one is in it, they turn out the lights. Basically, it’s someone who thinks about the various ways tosave energy from day-to-day.

Make sure you check out the Energy Warrior YouTube Channel at

www.youtube.com/channel/UCkJiid-zKaaD525DZHuEOsg.

You can also follow Energy Warrior on Instagram(@energy.warrior) and download

the Energy Warrior app from iTunes.

THE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL Research andDevelopment Program (SERDP) and the EnvironmentalSecurity Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) haveselected nine “Projects of the Year” in recognition ofoutstanding research and technology developments thatwill benefit the Department of Defense (DoD). Theseefforts are helping DoD enhance its mission capabilities,improve its environmental performance and reduce costs.The following are recipients of this honor and descriptionsof their award-winning projects.

Environmental RestorationSERDP Project-of-the-Year AwardCharacterization of the Fate and Biotransformation ofFluorochemicals in AFFF-Contaminated Groundwater at Fire/Crash Testing Military SitesProfessor Jennifer A. Field,Oregon State University

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are commoncontaminants at sites where aqueous film forming foam(AFFF) was used. Up until 2011, the understanding of thecomposition of individual PFASs and their precursors inAFFF formulations and their impact on priority pollutantbiotransformation was limited

Professor Jennifer Field from Oregon State Universityand her team led a project that aimed to fully delineatethe PFASs that persist in AFFF-contaminated ground-water, sediment and soil and evaluate their impact onpriority pollutant biotransformation. The study devel-oped analytical tools and provided analytical advancesfor a more complete characterization of AFFF-contami-nated media. Over the course of the project, over 50classes of PFASs comprised of several individualhomologs were identified.

A complete characterization of AFFF-impacted sites leadsto a better understanding of the effectiveness of treatmenttechnologies. Biotransformation pathways of these


SERDP & ESTCP Announce 2017 Projects of the YearNotable Efforts Include Research on Management of FluorochemicalContamination & Unexploded Ordnance in the Underwater Environment

The study developed analytical tools and provided analytical advances for amore complete characterization of AFFF-contaminated media.


compounds also provide a framework for understandingthe fate of the precursors and insight into the conditionsthat leads to high concentrations of persistent fluo-rotelomer sulfonates.

Munitions Response SERDP Project-of-the-Year AwardSimple Parameterized Models for Predicting Mobility,Burial and Re-exposure of Underwater MunitionsDr. Carl FriedrichsVirginia Institute of Marine Science

SERDP has been sponsoring development of a simple,engineering model of mobility, burial and re-exposure ofunexploded ordnance (UXO) and UXO-like objects for anumber of years. An essential first step in construction of

the model was the compilation of existing measurementson items ranging from UXO and UXO-like objects to rivercobbles from across the DoD, engineering and scientificcommunity and development of a simple framework toreconcile and understand the totality of the prior work.This framework would have the added benefit of guidingthe measurements to be made via SERDP.

Dr. Carl Friedrichs from the Virginia Institute of MarineScience and his team developed simple, parameterizedmodels for predicting munitions’ behavior underwater.These models provide an improved and unified under-standing of fundamental parameters in the interactions ofmunitions-sized objects with sediments. The parameter-ized model relations have been incorporated into morecomplex tools designed to guide DoD installationpersonnel in the management of underwater UXO sites.

These models provide an improved and unified understanding of fundamental parameters in the interactions of

munitions-sized objects with sediments.

Characterization of AFFF-impacted sites will lead to more effective remediation strategies.

Parametrized models help predict the behavior of munitions underwater.

d50=0.42 mm

Resource Conservation and ResiliencySERDP Project-of-the-Year AwardAssessing Climate Change Impacts for DoD Installationsin the Southwest United States during the Warm SeasonDr. Christopher L. CastroUniversity of Arizona

Over the past sixty years, there have been importantlong-term changes in atmospheric conditions during theannual monsoon period in the southwestern UnitedStates. Given the potential impact of these changes andthe risk they pose to infrastructural limits and opera-tional capabilities of the many DoD facilities in theregion, the DoD requested an evaluation of the changesin extreme weather during the late summer. As a result,this research directly supports DoD’s requirement tomanage installation assets to sustain the nationaldefense mission (DoD Directive 4715.1).

Dr. Christopher Castro from the University of Arizona andhis team evaluated how warm season extreme weatherevents in the Southwest will change with respect to occur-rence and intensity. The project addressed several keyquestions including the consideration of existing opera-tional protocols for weather and climate related decisionmaking, creation of climate change projection informationat an appropriate spatial scale and consideration ofextreme weather and climate events. The data was gath-ered and then used to inform adaptation strategies.

This project resulted in a physically robust and computation-ally efficient methodological approach to the projection ofextreme event weather in the Southwest that could be easilyadapted for other regions of the United States and the world.A convective permitting modeling approach adds substantialvalue to the projection of extreme weather by pinpointingthe spatial locations within the Southwest with a high degreeof accuracy where precipitation is becoming more intense.

Weapons Systems and Platforms SERDP Project-of-the-Year AwardMEMS-Enabled Reliable SubmunitionMr. Charles H. Robinson & Mr. Jeffrey R. SmythU.S. Army Armament Research,Development and Engineering Center

Contamination of military ranges from low order detona-tion and unexploded submunitions is a significant environ-mental and personnel safety concern for DoD. Even theacceptable failure rate of submunitions results in a signifi-cant number of items that must be removed from DoDtraining ranges.

Mr. Charles Robinson, Mr. Jeffrey Smyth and their teamfrom the U.S. Army Armament Research, Developmentand Engineering Center (ARDEC) addressed this issue byfocusing on the development of microelectro-mechanicalsystem (MEMS) enabled safety and arming submunitionfuze-technology. Research into this technology stems


A better understanding of the changes in extreme weather events willhelp DoD manage infrastructure and operations in the Southwest.

This project resulted in a physically robust and computationally efficientmethodological approach to the projection of extreme event weather

in the Southwest that could be easily adapted for other regions of the United States and the world.

Contamination of military ranges from low order detonation and unexplodedsubmunitions is a significant environmental and personnel safety concern for DoD.


from an updated DoD policy onreducing the rate of UXO for allsubmunitions to less than onepercent by 2018. The technologyeliminates causes of submunitionunreliability and also contributes toalternative concepts to comply withDoD policies to reduce or eliminatelead energetic materials from fuzecomponents. Physical dimensions ofMEMS devices can vary in sizebetween several millimeters tosmaller than one-micron. Animproved detonation propagationmechanism was demonstrated inMEMS-scale fuzing devices. Thisprovides an improvement over legacylead-based initiator technologies withless-reliable direct-contact initiationmechanisms that may require unreli-able mechanical air gaps.

Development was aided throughleveraging efforts by the JointServices Small Arms Program, theSmall Arms Grenade MunitionProgram and the Cluster MunitionReplacement Program. The MEMS-enabled reliable submunitionprogram and output-technologyprovides a transferrable solution forimproved munition-fuze reliability,reduced UXO and improved safetythat can lead to submunition designsthat comply with DoD policy.

ture of the outside air. However,conventional GHP ground-sourcedesigns are susceptible to perfor-mance deterioration in applicationswhere annual heating and coolingloads are imbalanced. In facilities thatare cooling dominant, which appliesto most DoD installations, this loadimbalance can lead to higher supplywater temperatures over time andcause the operating efficiencies of thewater-cooled GHP to decrease.

Mr. Charles Hammock from Andrews,Hammock & Powell, Inc. and histeam demonstrated the performanceand savings of an innovative systemdesign, which couples a GHP systemwith underground thermal energy

Energy and Water ESTCP Project-of-the-Year AwardGeothermal Heat Pumps withUnderground Thermal EnergyStorageMr. Charles HammockAndrews, Hammock & Powell, Inc.

Conventional geothermal heat pumps(GHP) heating, ventilating and airconditioning (HVAC) systems areconsidered one of the most efficientactive HVAC systems. GHPs use 25 to50 percent less electricity and offerenergy savings of up to 40 percentcompared to the conventional heatingor cooling systems. They are quieter,last longer, need little maintenanceand do not depend on the tempera-

MEMS-enabled reliable submunitions reducethe instances of UXO and low orderdetonations on DoD ranges.

By combining a GHP with underground thermal energy storage, DoD is able to realize significant reductions in energy and water use for the heating and cooling of buildings.

storage (UTES). This system demonstrates higher energysavings not only by capturing the waste heat of coolingsystems and the waste cool of heating systems, but alsoby capturing out-of-season winter’s “cold” or summer’s“heat,” if needed, in cooling-dominated or heating-domi-nated buildings respectively. The demonstration of thisproject included installation of two types of GHP-UTESHVAC systems installed at two different locations—Bore-hole Thermal Energy Storage (BTES) System, installed atthe Marine Corps Logistic Base (MCLB) in Albany, Georgiaand the Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) installed atFort Benning, Georgia.

The technology demonstration was successful resulting inthe reduction of HVAC energy by nearly 50 percent andthe elimination of cooling tower water use—a reduction of4.2 million gallons a year. Impressed by these results,MCLB’s (Albany, Georgia) Installation & Environment Divi-sion funded three new BTES systems to serve an addi-tional 10 buildings at MCLB. In addition to the improvedenergy and water performance of the new BTES systems,the bid for these projects came in under the budget for thetraditional GHP system designs.

Environmental RestorationESTCP Project-of-the-Year Award1,4-Dioxane Remediation by Extreme Soil VaporExtraction Dr. Rob Hinchee,Integrated Science & Technology, Inc.

1,4-Dioxane, a cyclic diether used as an additive inchlorinated solvents, is a common and persistentgroundwater contaminant. While conventional soilvapor extraction (SVE) can remove some 1,4-dioxane, a substantial residual source is left behindcausing long-term groundwater contamination.Due to the compound’s complete miscibility inwater, 1,4-dioxane becomes sequestered in thevadose zone pore water, which serves as a long-term source of groundwater contamination.

Dr. Rob Hinchee from Integrated Science & Technology,Inc. and his team led a project that aimed to evaluate anddemonstrate the efficacy of enhanced or extreme soilvapor extraction (XSVE) designed specifically to remove1,4-dioxane from the vadose zone by incorporatingenhancements such as increased air flow, increasedtemperature and focused vapor extraction. (Note: Thevadose zone is the Earth’s terrestrial subsurface thatextends from the surface to the groundwater table.)

A screening-level mass and energy balance model,HypeVent XSVE, was developed to simulate the remedia-tion of 1,4-dioxane by XSVE.

The study results indicate that 1,4-dioxane concentrationsin the treatment zone decreased about 95 percent and soilmoisture decreased about 45 percent. Downward migra-tion of 1,4-dioxane due to condensation was not observed.HypeVent XSVE adequately simulated 1,4-dioxaneremoval, soil moisture and soil temperatures observedduring the demonstration. Sensitivity analyses showedthat 1,4-dioxane removal benefited considerably fromheated air injection.

XSVE has been demonstrated to be a cost-effective reme-diation approach for 1,4-dioxane in the vadose zone,


XSVE was demonstrated as an effective remediation approachfor 1,4-dioxane contaminated groundwater.

Conventional geothermal heat pumps use 25 to 50 percent less electricity and offer energy savings of up to 40 percent

compared to the conventional heating or cooling systems.

Blast barge technology has been demonstrated as a safe andsustainable solution for disposal of underwater UXO.

The blast barge system can beconstructed using commercially available parts, is reusable and is easily transportable to various locations.

Mr. Timothy W. Shelton with the U.S. Army Corps of Engi-neers, Engineer Research and Development Center(ERDC) and his team developed and demonstrated amobile blast barge system to provide improved remedia-tion options to DoD personnel. The system consists of ablast box that can withstand the blast environmentcreated during UXO disposal fitted to a standard barge.The blast barge system can be constructed using commer-cially available parts, is reusable and is easily transportableto various locations.

Mr. Shelton and his team used a combination of numer-ical modeling, scaled simulations, subscale experimentsand field demonstrations to mature a robust platform.Fifty-five experiments were conducted from 2016 to2017, during which time the blast box has not shown anysigns of damage and scaled explosive weights usedduring testing have far exceeded anticipated prototypeweapon sizes.

In addition to developing a robust platform, hydrophonedata has been collected from every explosive eventduring experiments and testing. Data collected fromthese events will be used to quantify sound wave propa-gation from an explosive detonation occurring above thewater and determine the potential impacts of thesedisruptions to marine mammals. Data collected will alsohelp researchers determine the path for continued devel-opment of the blast barge technology. These data sets willbe used to validate numerical models that will predictsound impacts beyond the limits of the explosive massestested during the demonstrations.

which may reduce the need for long-term groundwaterremediation. HypeVent XSVE has been demonstrated tobe a useful feasibility assessment and design tool for XSVEof 1,4-dioxane.

Munitions Response ESTCP Project-of-the-Year AwardDevelopment of Blast-Barge Technology for UnderwaterMunitions DemolitionMr. Timothy W. SheltonU.S. Army Corps of EngineersEngineer Research and Development Center

Disposal of underwater UXO encountered during a muni-tions response is commonly conducted using two primarymethods—tow-to-shore and blow in place. Tow-to-shoreoperations require transporting UXO from an underwatersite to the shore for disposal. This process requires evacu-ating the surrounding area and endangers DoD personnelwho handle and transport UXO. In many places, shoreaccess is not available. Blow in place or in situ remediationof underwater UXO present challenges as well. Blow inplace operations expose the marine environment to poten-tial damage and are not allowed at many remediation sites.

The study results indicate that 1,4-dioxane concentrations in the treatment zone decreased about 95 percent

and soil moisture decreased about 45 percent.


Washington State University led anESTCP-funded project that demon-strated the effectiveness of environ-mental DNA techniques formonitoring sensitive aquatic verte-brate species and their invasivethreats at three DoD installations. Theteam developed and validated eDNAsampling protocols for a variety ofaquatic species, including frogs, sala-manders, fish and disease-causingpathogens. In addition, the eDNAprotocol results were compared totraditional field sampling with respectto sensitivity, detection probabilitiesand cost efficiency.

This demonstration showed that eDNAcan be a sensitive and cost-effectivetechnology for monitoring aquaticspecies under a range of conditionsthat included factors expected to limiteDNA detection. Techniques usedduring this demonstration are helpinginform ongoing natural resourcemanagement activities including devel-opment of species-specific endangeredspecies management plans, Section 7consultations with the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service and early detectionand control of invasive aquatic speciesthat may prey on or hybridize withnative species.


eDNA was demonstrated to be an effective technology for managing aquatic species on DoD lands.

Weapons Systems and Platforms ESTCP Project-of-the-Year AwardZirconium Oxide Pretreatment forMilitary Coating SystemsMr. Fred L. LaffermanU.S. Army Research Laboratory

Finishing systems for military vehiclesrequire pretreatments that enhanceadhesion and provide resistance tocorrosion. These treatments either

Resource Conservation and Resiliency ESTCP Project-of-the-Year AwardEnvironmental DNA as a Tool forInventory and Monitoring of AquaticVertebratesDr. Alexander Fremier & Dr. Caren GoldbergWashington State University

Detection of amphibian and fishspecies using conventional surveymethods is not always possible. Atleast 22 at-risk amphibian species andover 40 at-risk fish species are knownto occur on DoD lands. For elusivespecies, such as many amphibians andfishes, lack of reliable monitoring datacan lead to an underestimate of thespecies’ distribution. An efficient alter-native to traditional field surveys is theuse of environmental deoxyribonucleicacid (eDNA) to detect species presence.Animals shed cells with their DNA intothe environment regularly through theshedding of skin, mucous and excre-ment. By sampling this shed DNA,researchers can infer a species’ pres-ence in the sampled environmentusing existing genetic methods.

Dr. Alexander Fremier, Dr. Caren Goldberg and their team from

The use of zirconium oxide pretreatments will result in a significant reduction in DoD’s usage of hexavalent chromium

and other hazardous materials.


laboratory accelerated corrosion testing and seacoastenvironmental testing, have confirmed that the zirco-nium technology provides performance that is equal toboth zinc phosphate and the aluminum conversion coat-ings. Due to the performance of this technology, it isanticipated that it will be qualified to a number of mili-tary specifications. This qualification will allow this tech-nology to be transitioned into DoD facilities. Thisadvancement increases the sustainability of DoD plat-forms and reduces risk of exposures to the warfighterand maintenance personnel. �Jeffrey HouffSERDP and ESTCP Support [email protected]

directly contain toxic metals or require a sealer or otherrinse products that do.

To address this issue, Mr. Fred Lafferman and his team atthe U.S. Army Research Laboratory demonstrated a zirco-nium-pretreatment technology as a replacement forexisting aluminum and steel pretreatments at militarydepots. This provides an alternative to both zinc-phos-phate with chromate post-rinse for ferrous substrates orhexavalent- and trivalent-chromium containing etch-primers and conversion coatings for aluminum substrates.Demonstrations were conducted at the Anniston ArmyDepot, Letterkenny Army Depot and Marine Depot Main-tenance Command-Production Plant, Albany.

Performance testing of the demonstration parts andpanels from the three demonstrations, including

This study provides an alternative to both zinc-phosphate with chromate post-rinse for ferrous substrates or hexavalent-

and trivalent-chromium containing etch-primers and conversion coatings for aluminum substrates.

SERDP AND ESTCP are DoD’s environmental researchprograms, harnessing the latest science and technology toimprove DoD’s environmental performance, reduce costs andenhance and sustain mission capabilities. SERDP and ESTCPrespond to environmental technology requirements common toall of the military Services, complementing the Services ownresearch programs. The programs promote partnerships andcollaboration among academia, industry, the military Servicesand other Federal agencies. Investments are managed in fiveprogram areas:

1. Energy and Water

2. Environmental Restoration

3. Munitions Response

4. Resource Conservation and Resiliency

5. Weapons Systems and Platforms

SERDP and ESTCP are independent programs managed from ajoint office to coordinate the full spectrum of efforts, from basicand applied research to field demonstration and validation.

SERDP is DoD’s environmental science and technologyprogram, planned and executed in partnership with the Depart-ment of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,with participation by numerous other federal and non-federalorganizations. The program focuses on cross-service require-ments and pursues solutions to the Department’s environmentalchallenges while enhancing and sustaining military readiness.

ESTCP is DoD’s environmental technology demonstration and vali-dation program. Project researchers conduct formal demonstra-tions at DoD facilities and sites in operational settings to documentand validate improved performance and cost savings. Demonstra-tion results are subject to rigorous technical reviews to ensure thatthe conclusions are accurate and well supported by data.

For more information, visit www.serdp-estcp.org.

About SERDP & ESTCP

GUIDED MISSILE CRUISER USSMonterey (CG 61) earned the Secre-tary of the Navy (SECNAV) EnergyConservation Award—Large Shipcategory for exceptional energymanagement for fiscal year 2016.This is a significant achievement as21 cruisers (CG class)and 62 destroyers(DDG class) world-wide are eligible tocompete in the LargeShip category.Monterey achievedthe lowest fuel burnrate of any ship inthe CG and DDGclasses and had thethird lowest burnrate for all shipsfleet-wide during thefourth quarter. Out ofmore than 90 Navyand Marine Corpscommands recog-nized, Monterey wasonly one of threecruisers to win.

“Both at sea and inport, Monterey’sobligation to energyconservation was

extensive,” former MontereyCommanding Officer, Capt. C.P.DeGregory said. “All hands tookwater and energy management seri-ously on a daily basis and made theeffort to train their shipmates inconservation-mindedness.”

In June 2016, Monterey departed on aseven-month deployment with the USSDwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)Carrier Strike Group to the U.S. 5th and6th Fleet areas of operation. Whiledeployed, the Monterey travelled greatdistances—including transatlantic


USS Monterey Earns Top Secretary of the NavyEnergy Conservation AwardCruiser Prioritizes Energy Efficiency While Deployed

LCDR Myron Lind (Chief Engineer), CAPT Dave Stoner (Commanding Officer), LT John Smith (Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Manager) pose with the Secretary of the Navy Energy Flag.


crossings—and still achieved substantial energy and fuelefficiency. Energy efficiency initiatives included:

� Limiting ship speed and reducing fuel burn whenfeasible.

� Operating in waters deeper than 25 fathoms to preventgrounding.

� Performing hull cleaning to limit drag.

� Replacing 40 percent of overhead lights with light-emit-ting diodes (LED).

Monterey successfully completed 26 underway fuel transfersand received more than four million gallons of fuel withoutincident or spill.

Monterey achieved the lowest fuel burn rate of any ship in the CG and DDG classes.

The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey. Paul Farley

Naval Energy Efficiency

EFFICIENCY IS A critical component of energy security forthe U.S. Navy as it ensures ships and crew can operateforward for greater periods of time and deliver more fire-power, humanitarian assistance or other missions asrequired. Since energy is a key enabler for mission capa-bility, efficient energy use directly supports one of the fourkey lines of effort identified in Chief Naval OperationsJohn Richardson’s “Design for Maintaining Maritime Supe-riority”—specifically, strengthening naval power at andfrom the sea.

In addition, Monterey’s crew took steps to prevent energywaste by setting thermostats on fan coil units ship-wide toheat during the winter and cool during the summer. Thisaction ensured adjacent spacesdid not heat or cool othersthrough conduction whenunnecessary. Ventilation equip-ment, including filters, fans anddiffusers, were cleaned andchecked regularly to ensurethey were operating atmaximum efficiency.

Because U.S. Navy shipsproduce their own potablewater, water use and treatment


Monterey successfully completed 26 underway fuel transfers and receivedmore than four million gallons of fuel without incident or spill.

Sailors aboard USS Monterey heave the fuel line during a fuel at sea replenishment. Photographer’s Mate Airman Michael D. Blackwell II

requires energy. To keep water and energy use low,Monterey’s crew actively sought and repaired potablewater leaks while limiting shower length and water

waste from culinary use.

Monterey’s achievements resultfrom a crew that is dedicated towise energy management, innova-tion and environmental steward-ship. As Navy ships adopt thesebest practices and reap the benefitsof lower fuel burn rates, reducedrefueling frequency and recognitionfrom their peers, this culture ofconsidering energy use on a day-to-day basis can ultimately create


greater flexibility for ship commanders and a morecapable maritime force.

“Monterey is the epitome of ‘the quiet professional,’”Vince Marshall, Auxiliaries Program Manager, NavalSurface Force Atlantic wrote. “They consistently get the jobdone without a lot of fanfare.”

As a SECNAV Energy Conservation Award winner,Monterey received $30,000 and is authorized to fly theSECNAV Energy Flag for one year. Monterey also won the2016 Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) EnvironmentalAward—Afloat category for outstanding performance inenvironmental stewardship. (For descriptive summaries ofall 2017 CNO Environmental Award winners, read ourarticle “CNO Recognizes Award Winners for ExceptionalEnvironmental Leadership” in this issue of Currents.)

The SECNAV Energy Conservation Awards recognize Navyand Marine Corps installations, ships and squadrons foroutstanding commitment to energy and water conservationand excellence in energy management. For additional infor-mation, visit http://greenfleet.dodlive.mil/energy/awards-2.

For a complete listing of all SECNAV Energy ConservationAward winners, read our article “SECNAV Announces2017 Energy Conservation Award Winners” in this issueof Currents.) �Ashley SaundersChief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division703-695-5083DSN: [email protected]

The Basics About USS Monterey

USS MONTEREY IS a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiserand the fourth vessel named after the Battle of Monterrey thatoccurred during the Mexican-American War in 1846. The shipwas designed to fight in a multi-threat environment andpossesses a long-range strike capability with Tomahawk andHarpoon cruise missiles. Monterey has earned two Battle “E”awards. Monterey was commissioned on June 16, 1990 and ishomeported in Norfolk, Virginia.

Monterey is currently on a surge deployment, its seconddeployment in 10 months, to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areasof operation.

For more information, visit www.public.navy.mil/surflant/cg61.

The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61). MCS3 Casey J. Hopkins/Released


A PROJECT TO evaluate, removeand replace historic trees in significantdecline at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton (NBK-Bremerton) isunderway addressing ongoing safetyconcerns. Nearly 20 trees, some morethan 100-years-old, are being swappedwith in-kind or similar species.

A certified arborist from TotalLandscape Corporation ofSeattle, Washington performed atree survey onboard NBK-Bremerton which identified treesin significant decline and thatposed a safety hazard in 2016.The trees are located within fourhistoric districts which werelisted in 1990 on the NationalRegister of Historic Places. Thetrees and surrounding land-scapes are characteristic featuresof each district.

The Puget Sound Radio StationHistoric District is significantbecause of the buildings associ-ated with radio communication atthe Puget Sound Naval Shipyardfrom 1894 to 1941. The Officer’sRow Historic District contains resi-dences built from 1896 to 1913 to

Marine Reservation Historic Districtresidences were constructed from1911 to 1914.

Trees in this area include Lombardypoplars, Douglas firs and othermature ornamental trees. Some ofthe Lombardy poplars are 80-feet talland 10-feet thick at the base.

Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton ReplacesHistoric, Declining TreesCentury-Old Poplars & Other Ornamentals Being Brought Down Over Safety Concerns

Amanda Bennett, Cultural Resources Specialist, NAVFAC Northwest, explains how 100-year-oldLombardy poplars, like this one, pose a potential danger to passing motorists and pedestrians

during wind storms because branches have been known to break and fall. Phil Guerrero

provide housing for shipyard officers.The landscape includes natives, orna-mentals, as well as apple, pear andcherry trees.

The adjacent Hospital ReservationHistoric District is significant for build-ings associated with the Puget SoundNaval Shipyard Navy hospital. The


“These poplars were likely plantedsoon after the homes were built,” saidTerri Jones, Regional Forester, NavalFacilities Engineering Command(NAVFAC) Northwest. “Just like people,trees don’t live forever. Trees in thehistoric district are getting old and areperiodically monitored with the intentto keep them as long as possible.However, sometimes tree declinebecomes significant enough thathazards such as falling large limbs orexcessive brittleness present safetyconcerns that result in the need toremove and replace the tree withanother tree appropriate to thehistoric district.”

The large Lombardy poplars arelocated adjacent to the sidewalk onNBK-Bremerton at Doyen andDecatur Streets.

“During wind storms, branches havebeen known to break and fallcausing potential hazard to pedes-trians,” said Amanda Bennett,Cultural Resources Specialist,NAVFAC Northwest. “A three-dimen-sional (3-D) tomography (the Ultra-sound used on trees) survey foundthat some of the trees are hollowwith limited rind thickness in places

Taking Root Onboard Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton

AT THE TIME these trees were taking root onboard NBK-Bremerton, the followingevents were happening around the world:

� The “Zimmermann Telegram” was sent from Germany to Mexico, stating in theevent of the U.S. entering World War I (WWI) on the allied side, Mexico would begiven Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Intercepted by British intelligence andpartially deciphered the next day. Its release shifted U.S. public opinion in favor ofthe war against Germany.

� The U.S. declared war on Germany entering WWI.

� The U.S. Congress passed the Selective Service Act, authorizing the federalgovernment to raise a national army for the American entry into WWI throughcompulsory enlistment.

� The first units of the American Expeditionary Force, commanded by General John J. Pershing, were ordered to France.

� The British Royal Family, which had strong German ties since George I, renouncesits German names and titles and adopts the name Windsor.

� The 18th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, authorizing the prohibition ofalcohol, is approved by the U.S. Congress and sent to the states for ratification.

� Babe Ruth beats the New York Yankees, pitching a three-hit, 10 to 3 win for theBoston Red Sox.

� T.E. Lawrence joins the forces of the Arabian sheik Feisal al Husayn, beginning hisadventures that will lead him to Damascus by October of 1918. Lawrence isknown as “Lawrence of Arabia.”

� Loretta Walsh becomes the U.S. Navy’s first female Petty Officer.

A 3-D tomography survey found that some of the trees onboard NBK-Bremerton are hollow with limited rind thickness in places that bring their structural soundness into question. Lombardy poplars, like this one, have aggressive root systems and brittle branches.

Phil Guerrero

that bring the structural soundness into question. In atleast one case, a swarm of bees has taken up residencein the hollow stem.”

“Because the Lombardy poplars have aggressive rootsystems and tend to have brittle branches, the trees areno longer used to line busy streets,” said Julia Stockton,Biologist, NAVFAC Northwest. “In place of the poplars, theNavy will plant either Columnar hornbeams or an appro-priate Aspen species. The replacements are drought resis-tant, long-lived and disease-resistant varieties.”

The work was reviewed by the Washington StateHistoric Preservation Officer at the Department ofArchaeology and Historic Preservation. The consultationis required under Section 106 of the National HistoricPreservation Act of 1966. The state agreed the treeremoval and replacement will have no adverse effect onthe historic properties listed on the National Register of

Historic Places.

“The change in species will eventu-ally contribute to regaining thevisual integrity of the historic districtand reduce potential hazards,”concluded Jones. �Phil GuerreroNavy Region Northwest 360-396-4955DSN: [email protected]


For More Information

FOR MORE INFORMATION about NavyRegion Northwest, call 360-396-1630 or visit:

� www.homeportnorthwest.wordpress.com

� www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrnw.html

� www.facebook.com/CNRNW

Historic homes onboard NBK-Bremerton are still in use today by military officers. The Marine Reservation Historic District residences were constructed from 1911 to 1914.

Phil Guerrero

Julia Stockton photographs a Lombardy poplar to be taken from NBK-Bremerton. The “T” spray painted on the tree signifies

that this tree is to be “taken” and replaced. Phil Guerrero

Submit your own BestShot to Bruce McCaffrey � Currents’ Managing Editor � [email protected]

the Navy’s Living Marine Resources (LMR)program funds a portion of a collaborative

international project—3S3: Behavioral Responses of Cetaceans to Naval Sonar. Team members on the2017 field study, which took place in the NorthAtlantic, captured shots of some of the work andtools involved in collecting the data needed toevaluate how sonar may affect whales. The effortincludes watching for species of interest such assperm whales, listening for vocalizations andtagging the whales to collect data on theirbehavior during the use of active sonar.

Fact sheets summarizing this project (no. LMR-29) and other LMR-funded projects are available for download at http://greenfleet.dodlive.mil/environment/lmrprojects.

Jacqueline Bort Thornton, one of the photographers included here, is from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command,Atlantic and participated in the field study and can be reached at [email protected].

BestSh tsS O M EO F

Y O U R

A sperm whale raises its flukes to descend on a deep

dive after being tagged, potentially to forage for food.

Jacqueline Bort Thornton

Attaching a digital acoustic recording tag on a whale. Lucía Martina Martín López

Kenneth HessCNO Energy and Environmental Readiness Division (Code N45)2000 Navy Pentagon, Room 2E258 Washington, DC 20350-2000

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