Secretary of Defense recognizes Camp Lejeune’s environmental restoration program and personnel
21 Apr 2014

The Secretary of Defense has recognized Camp Lejeune's Environmental Restoration team as the winner of one of its 2014 Environmental Awards in a formal memorandum issued today.  According to the letter, "each year since 1962, the Department has honored individuals, teams, and installations for their outstanding achievements in environmental excellence without compromising mission success."  Eight other awards in various environmental categories were issued to DoD installations across the country.

"We are extremely proud of our Environmental Restoration team, led by program managers Ms. Charity Delaney and Ms. Jenni Reed, and supported by Ms. Patti Vanture, Mr. Carl Fowler, Ms. Nikki Hall and Ms. Adrienne Rogers along with great support from NAVFAC team and contractors," said John Townson, Director of Camp Lejeune's Environmental Management Division.  "They have all made the environment a measurably cleaner and safer place by their commitment, professionalism, and solution-oriented leadership.  Winning the Secretary of Defense award this year is a great honor and is a tribute to the many years of success the Environmental Restoration program has had at Camp Lejeune."

The mission of the Environmental Restoration program is to identify and evaluate the nature and extent of a release of hazardous waste or constituents at a site and implement appropriate corrective action necessary to protect human health and the environment.

Currently, the Environmental Restoration team manages over 80 active sites for investigation and cleanup, encompassing over 4,600 acres, under different environmental programs; including Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) that covers the Installation Restoration Program (IRP) and Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP), Resource Conservation, and Recovery Act (RCRA), and the Underground Storage Tank (UST) program.  The objective of the Environmental Restoration Program is to evaluate and remediate sites that pose unacceptable risk to human health and the environment with an ultimate goal of delisting MCIEAST-MCB CAMLEJ from the NPL.  In addition to the 80 active sites, the team has completed environmental response activities at over 900 sites.

Earlier this month, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune received two awards from the Secretary of the Navy for their environmental restoration and cultural resources management programs, and Ms. Alicia Filzen, Camp Lejeune's Quality Recycling Program manager, received an individual award for her support of the installation's environmental quality programs.

"I couldn't be more honored and pleased by the Department of Defense's recognition of the tremendous efforts of the unsung professionals who lead Camp Lejeune's environmental restoration mission," said Brigadier General Robert F. Castellvi, commanding general of Marine Corps Installations East - Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. "The award is a worthy reflection of the exceptional commitment and dedication to the stewardship of this base demonstrated every day by the entire Environmental Management Division."

Over the past decade, Camp Lejeune has received 14 environmental awards by the Secretary of the Navy and two runner-up recognitions by the Secretary of Defense.  According to EMD, this is the highest environmental award the base has received in recent memory.

For more information on the award, visit http://go.usa.gov/kRM3.

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Public Affairs Officer

The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

Commanding General, Attn: Public Affairs, PSC Box 20005, Camp Lejeune, NC 28542-0005