Minot AFB re-commitment to EMS Published Jan. 16, 2015 By 5th Civil Engineer Squadron MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Minot Air Force is entering into its eighth year of utilizing the environmental management system tool for enhancing environmental compliance, resources protection and conservation. Senior leadership is re-committed to ensuring that all personnel, military, civilian, and contractors at Minot AFB are actively supporting EMS. EMS was initially implemented at Minot AFB in 2007 as mandated by Air Force Instruction 32-7001. The AFI identified roles and responsibilities for all personnel on military installation. Do you know your EMS role and responsibility? Do you produce any of the following types of waste: paper, cardboard, waste water, used oil, used antifreeze, universal waste, and used printer cartridges? If yes, then you have a role and responsibility in the implementation and maintenance of EMS on base. The purpose of this communication is to re-connect individuals base-wide to EMS by explaining what it is, how the process works, and identifying ways you can actively participate in the process. EMS is an in-house management tool or process for controlling environmental impacts on base, primarily negative impacts. It is designed to mirror the International Organization of Standardization 14001 standards. The installation is required to conduct an internal EMS audit annually and an external audit once every three years to determine if the EMS is being implemented and maintained according to the ISO 14001 requirements and other requirements, including the base's environmental policy statement. Commanders and supervisors are required by AFI 32-7001 to appoint individuals from several groups or squadrons to the EMS Cross Functional Team based on their expertise. The CFT is the designated management team authorized to conduct the day-to-day operations of EMS. The team is led by the CFT chair who is required to be of a rank no lower than a deputy group commander. They meet each quarter to discuss top environmental concerns at the installation, and to develop and implement solutions. The point of contact for the EMS CFT is the EMS coordinator, whose primary role is to work with the CFT to implement the EMS, and to ensure that all Minot AFB personnel are aware of environmental issues on base and in their work areas. The predominate environmental issues are identified as significant aspects. At Minot AFB we have identified air emissions, hazardous waste, and storm water as our significant aspects. The EMS tool is designed such that personnel base-wide will have a conduit for providing input to senior leadership on environmental issues of concern. This has the potential to increase the efficiency of installation operations and potentially reduce the environmental burden. The CFT is best described as the link between all personnel on base and senior management for environmental issues. Environmental aspect is a fancy term used by the ISO 14001 standards to describe activities, actions, and services that have an impact on the environment, both negatively and positively. At Minot AFB three significant aspects have been identified, and objectives and targets have been established for monitoring and controlling these significant aspects: Air Emission Objectives: · Decrease air emissions from government vehicle fleet · Asbestos abatement compliance · Reduce air emissions from government facilities Air Emission Targets: · Increase use of alternative fuel vehicles by 10 percent FY2017 · 100 percent compliance with asbestos certifications · Reduce air emission in facilities by 10 percent FY2017 Hazardous Waste Objectives: · To maintain compliance with all applicable legal, regulatory, and other requirements for hazard waste · Reduce amount of hazardous waste generated Hazardous Waste Targets: · Maintain compliance with small quantity generator status Storm Water Objectives: · To comply with applicable permits · Reduce biological oxygen demand loading into storm water outfall watershed Storm Water Targets: · 100 percent compliance all the time · Reduce to state recommended guideline by FY2017 It is important for personnel base-wide to understand that actions such as removing an underground storage tank, installing new equipment that impact air emissions or mixing hazardous waste with non-hazardous waste can have a negative environmental compliance consequence. Such inappropriate activities could result in a Resources Conservation Recovery Act violation, a Clean Air Act violation, or a Clean Water Act violation. Thus, maintaining close contact with the installation's environmental management element is always a good recipe for preventing the types of violations mentioned above. In addition, the CFT and EMS coordinator are always available to support you and provide guidance on environmental issues. Your voice can be heard by actively communicating with your group or squadron CFT member, or EMS coordinator. The coordinator will present your issue(s) to the CFT members at their quarterly meetings and then work with the CFT chair to funnel your issue(s) to senior leadership. However, there are several independent actions each individual can take to support EMS in their work area. A few of these are: read the Environmental Policy Statement, make sure you remember the key work "PRIDE" and what it stands for; complete the EMS General Awareness training located on the Air Force Portal at ADLS or at the ESOH-TN web site; purchase green products when practical; reduce waste, reuse, and recycle; and learn and use the proper procedure for disposal of waste in work areas. Congratulations go out to the 705th Munitions Squadron and the 791st Missile Security Forces Squadron, the recipients of the 2014 Minot AFB First EMS Annual Performance Award. Out of 39 work units surveyed, they had the highest completion rates for the EMS General Awareness training. The 705th MUNS had a 99 percent completion rate, and the 791st MSFS had a 97 percent completion rate. The 2015 EMS Annual Performance Award challenge is for purchasing green and environmentally friendly products based on Environmental Protection Agency recommendations and documentation. The top two performers will be selected based on having the highest percentage of their annual budget spent on green and environmentally friendly products. Questions, concerns and comments should be directed to your group or squadron CFT member, or to the EMS Coordinator at 723-6509. We welcome your support and look forward to hearing from you.