Vermont National Guard Camp Sets Environmental Standard

ABERDEEN, Md., May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With successes in recycling,
community partnership and other areas, the environmental quality program at
Camp Johnson sets the standard for all Vermont Army National Guard (VTARNG)
facilities, including 20 armories, a flight facility, training sites and
maintenance shops.

Camp Johnson serves as VTARNG's primary industrial installation. Its
environmental office supports the federal and state mission of the National
Guard by ensuring the availability of lands and facilities for quality,
realistic Soldier training through compliance with federal, state, local, and
Army regulations.

Camp Johnson's environmental quality program recycled 156 tons of waste in
fiscal 2007 -- including more than 82.5 tons of scrap metal and brass, 54 tons
of paper, cardboard, glass and plastic, and 6.5 tons of miscellaneous items
such as antifreeze, used oil, light bulbs, ballasts and electronic waste. This
represents a disposal diversion rate of nearly 50 percent.

"Camp Johnson's new qualified recycling program generated more than $16,000 in
fiscal year 2007," said Capt. Jacob Roy, environmental program manager. "The
installation... collected approximately $26,000 in calendar year 2008."

Camp Johnson also consumed almost 1,000 gallons of used oil in 2008 at a
savings of about $3,000. It refurbished approximately 2,000 gallons of diesel
in 2008 to use as fuel for buildings and vehicles, saving an additional
$5,000.

However, recycling was only one approach taken. Camp Johnson phased out
traditional paint shop systems over the past several years. The facility now
uses water-based chemical agent resistant coating (CARC) paint equipment and
media-based paint strippers. This switch not only increased the safety of the
paint process for VTARNG Soldiers, but also eliminated the purchase and
disposal costs of toxic solvents and painting materials.

Increasing the use of water-based CARC painting and using natural gas rather
than heating oil helped maintain the level of operation while reducing
emissions.

More recently, a hazardous material tracking tool streamlined material
management and reduced material purchase, disposal and waste. Shops at Camp
Johnson and throughout the state can now swap unused or unneeded materials.

The VTARNG environmental website links Camp Johnson with all other VTARNG
facilities, providing instant access to documentation and data for all
compliance, pollution prevention, conservation and planning activities.
Regular environmental training for Camp Johnson's Soldiers and staff helps to
ensure that VTARNG soldiers are able to carry environmental awareness and
stewardship back into their communities.

Partnering with local communities is another approach that has helped Camp
Johnson earn recognition. Each year high school students study the post's
wetlands, conduct water sampling and research plants and animals. University
students work in the field and analyze samples collected from wetland
sediments, and graduate students conduct research projects using the
installation's natural communities.

For these efforts, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for the Environment,
Safety and Occupational Health Tad Davis presented Camp Johnson with the
fiscal 2008 Secretary of the Army Environmental Award in the environmental
quality, industrial installation category. These annual awards represent the
highest honor in the field of environmental science conferred by the Army.

"The Army is committed to protecting the environment at installations here and
overseas," said Davis. "In fact, as the winners of our environmental awards
demonstrate, the Army is getting more and more sophisticated in its use of
environmental technology and sustainable practices. We're becoming a greener
shade of green."

An independent panel of judges made up of professionals from federal, state
and Army organizations recommended Camp Johnson for the honor.

"The VTARNG has a very strong technical program that seeks and uses technology
to maintain and go beyond environmental compliance to reduce its environmental
footprint," said awards judge Ray Fatz, President and CEO of Plexus Scientific
Corporation and former deputy assistant secretary of the Army for environment,
safety and occupational health.

For details about the fiscal year 2008 Secretary of the Army Environmental
Awards recipients visit the U.S. Army Environmental Command's Web site at
http://aec.army.mil/usaec/newsroom/awards00.html. To see this news release on
the U.S. Army Web site, please visit:
http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/05/27/21686-vermont-national-guard-camp-sets-environmental-standard/index.html.

This information is provided by USAEC. USAEC is the Army's point organization
for supporting the implementation of environmental programs that facilitate
sustainable Army training and operations while protecting the environment. We
provide environmental program management and technical support products and
services in support of Army training operations, acquisition and sound
stewardship.

"Sustaining the Environment for a Secure Future"

For more information on the U.S. Army Environmental Command, visit
http://aec.army.mil

SOURCE U.S. Army Environmental Command

Cathy Kropp, USAEC Public Affairs Specialist, +1-410-436-1234,
cathy.kropp@us.army.mil