The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources on March 9 recognized the Naval Air Depot as one of three 2004 Environmental Stewards. The award recognizes the facility’s superior environmental performance, commitment to continued reduction of its environmental impact and demonstrated commitment to exceed compliance.

“The Naval Air Depot is the first federal facility to achieve the Steward recognition by the state of North Carolina,” said DENR Secretary William G. Ross Jr. “Through its vigorous and successful management of environmental issues, NADEP has raised the bar for all the state’s federal facilities. The Naval Air Depot facility serves as an example of strong leadership in environmental performance by setting and achieving environmental performance improvements, and proactive communication of environmental goals and impacts to its employees and the public.”

A 10-member advisory workgroup appointed by Ross provides program direction and implementation and recommended that the Navy’s Air Depot facility be selected as an Environmental Steward. Advisory workgroup membership consists of individuals from industry, industry trade groups, environmental and citizen nongovernmental organizations, government, academia and small business.

Reasons cited by the advisory workgroup in its selection of the Naval Air Depot include:

· Its integration of environmental management into its core business operations through multiple processes for internal communication of environmental issues, and driving environmental awareness through efficiency improvement and awards programs;

· Implementation of technologies to better track chemical use and monitor potential environmental impacts;

· Its use of local and regional publications to communicate environmental issues and success, and service on local and state environmental groups; and

· The establishment of aggressive goals that include substitution of chemicals to reduce air emissions and hazardous waste generation.

“The Naval Air Depot Cherry Point is very honored to have been selected as a 2004 Environmental Steward,” said Col. John D. Gumbel, NADEP commanding officer. “I attribute this achievement directly to the teamwork of the more than 4,000 employees at our facility. Employee commitment and dedication to environmental protection also have led to our registration to the ISO 14000 Environmental Management System standards.”

The state’s Environmental Stewardship Initiative, designed to promote and encourage superior environmental performance by North Carolina’s regulated community, began in 2002. An “Environmental Steward” is an organization that has demonstrated environmental leadership through its commitment to exemplary environmental performance beyond what is required by regulation. As an Environmental Steward, the organization commits to reporting annually on its environmental performance.

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Cutline: (From left) Secretary William G. Ross Jr., secretary, N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Col. John D. Gumbel, Naval Air Depot Cherry Point commanding officer, and Edwin Piñero, federal environmental executive from the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, display the N.C. Environmental Steward Award presented during the March 9 ceremony at the depot. (Photo by Larry Conley)