Environmental Affairs Department:
Commanding Officer
Environmental Affairs Department
Marine Corps Air Station
PSC Box 8006
Cherry Point, N.C. 28533-0013
Comm: (252) 466-4186 Fax: (252) 466-2000

Col. Philip J. Zimmerman, Commanding Officer of MCAS Cherry Point, issued his environmental policy for the installation on Feb. 22, 2011. MCAS Cherry Point is committed to sustaining and enhancing mission readiness through compliance with relevant environmental laws and regulations, prevention of pollution and continual improvement of the environmental management system.

>> Policy Letter 02-11 Statement on Environmental Policy

Eligible Vehicles for Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) Parking Spaces

At some of our newer facilities that have been certified as 'Green Buildings' under LEED criteria, there are designated parking spaces for "Low Emission Vehicles". People have been asking just exactly which vehicles qualify to use those spots. While there isn't a simple certification or standard that a vehicle carries that would let you know, it is very clear which vehicles qualify. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, or ACEEE, routinely publishes lists of qualifying vehicles. We've attached that list in a spreadsheet for your convenience. If you're driving one of these vehicles, feel free to use any "Low Emission Vehicle" parking space on the base.

>> LEED 2011

Air Pollution

Why is Air Quality important at MCAS Cherry Point? The Clean Air Act Amendments require EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for wide-spread pollutants from numerous and diverse sources considered harmful to public health and the environment. The Clean Air Act established two types of national air quality standards. Primary standards set limits to protect public health, including the health of "sensitive" populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. Secondary standards set limits to protect public welfare, including protection against visibility impairment, damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and buildings.

MCAS Cherry Point is considered a major source for air pollutants, the definition of which means that potential emissions of criteria pollutants exceed 100 tons per year. The EPA uses six "criteria pollutants" as indicators of air quality throughout the United States. They are:

• Particulate Matter (PM)
• Ozone (O3)
• Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
• Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
• Carbon Monoxide (CO)
• Lead (Pb)

EPA has established thresholds for these pollutants. If a particular area in a state meets these thresholds, the area is considered to be an "attainment area" for that pollutant. If an area exceeds the thresholds for a particular pollutant, the area is designated a "non-attainment area" for that pollutant. Eastern North Carolina is considered in attainment for all criteria pollutants.

What is an emission source? An emission source is any place or object that releases pollutants. A source can be a power plant, gas station, boiler, or paint booth. Mobile sources include cars, trucks, and other mobile pieces of equipment.

What are the sources, and how much do we emit at MCAS Cherry Point? The primary sources of air pollutants at MCAS Cherry Point are the boilers used to heat buildings and provide process steam for the base. Other sources include paint and blast booths, fuel dispensing pumps, aboveground storage tanks, and a variety of industrial activities. The emissions on the Air Station are regulated by the North Carolina Division of Air Quality through issued permits and various other state and federal rules. In 2005, MCAS Cherry Point emitted approximately 653 tons of criteria air pollutants, fifty percent of which were emitted as sulfur dioxide generated as a direct result of coal and fuel oil combustion at the Central Heating Plant.

What is MCAS Cherry Point doing to prevent and control air pollution? Most of the air emission sources on the Air Station fall under a specific permit. These sources require specific monitoring to ensure that the emission levels fall within permit limits, and compliance reports are submitted to the North Carolina Division of Air Quality on a regular basis. The Air Station currently operates under a Title V permit, which is required for all major sources. This permit regulates all air sources under a single permit and requires specific monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting procedures. MCAS Cherry Point is always striving to reduce air emissions by installing emission control equipment, revising operating scenarios that maximize productivity while reducing pollutants, and converting to more environmentally friendly materials to aid in the reduction of criteria and other air pollutants emitted into the atmosphere.

For More Information Contact the MCAS Cherry Point's Air Program Manager at 252-466-5917 or by email

Environmental Management System (EMS)
MCAS Cherry Point has implemented an Environmental Management System (EMS) as a systematic, quality approach to environmental management that focuses on continual improvement through effective planning, review, and corrective action.

Executive Order (EO) 13148, Greening the Government through Leadership in Environmental Management (22 April 2002), required that EMS be established throughout the Marine Corps by December 2005. EO 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management (26 January 2007), established that Federal agencies conduct their environmental, transportation, and energy-related activities under the law in support of their respective missions in an environmentally, economically and fiscally sound, integrated, continuously improving, efficient, and sustainable manner.

MCAS Cherry Point will sustain and enhance mission readiness through compliance with relevant environmental laws and regulations, prevention of pollution, and continual improvement of the EMS.

MCAS Cherry Point has committed to integrating compliance, pollution prevention, conservation, and cleanup into our operations and business decisions to minimize risk to the mission and impact to the environment.

MCAS Cherry Point expects all personnel including military, civilians, contractors, vendors, and tenants to operate within the EMS and to consider our land, sea, and air resources while we work.

>> Click Here For: REQUIRED EMS MATERIALS FOR ALL CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS WORKING ABOARD MCAS CHERRY POINT.

Hazardous Waste Regulations
Hazardous Waste regulations are found in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR), Parts 260 - 270 and 761. In addition to all applicable Federal requirements, MCAS Cherry Point is required to follow the State of North Carolinas Department of Environmental Management's Rules and Regulations for Hazardous Waste Management and Marine Corps Order 5090.2A.The Hazardous Waste Program includes the storage, transportation, disposal and tracking of all hazardous and special wastes generated through-out the MCAS Cherry Point.

Resource Conservation Recovery Act's goals are to:
• Protect us from the hazards of waste disposal
• Conserve energy and natural resources by recycling and recovery
• Reduce or eliminate waste, and
• Clean up waste, which may have spilled, leaked, or been improperly disposed

Manager: 252-466-4591

Technicians: 252-466-7059 / 252-466-5480 / 252-466-5546 / 252-466-5747

What Makes a Waste Hazardous?
Wastes and Materials are considered hazardous if they have one or more of the following properties:

• Flammable / Combustible: Can be easily set on fire.
• Explosive / Reactive: Can detonate or explode through exposure to heat, sudden shock, pressure or incompatible substances.
• Corrosive: Chemical action can burn and destroy living tissues or other materials when brought in contact
• Toxic: Capable of causing injury or death through ingestion, inhalation or skin absorption. Some toxic substances cause cancer, genetic mutations and fetal harm.

Signal words
Labels of hazardous products are required by federal law to list signal words.

• DANGER or POISON - indicate that the product is highly toxic, corrosive or extremely flammable.
• WARNING or CAUTION - indicate that the product is moderately or slightly toxic

General categories of hazardous products
Thousands of consumer products are hazardous, but for ease of remembering, they can be broken into the following general categories:

• Automotive products - Examples: gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, car wax and cleaners, lead-acid batteries, brake fluid, transmission fluid.
• Home improvement products - Examples: paint, varnish, stain, paint thinner, paint stripper, caulk, adhesives.
• Pesticides - Examples: insecticide and insect repellent, weed killer, rat and mouse poison, pet spray and dip, flea collars, mothballs, disinfectant, wood preservative.
• Household cleaners - Examples: furniture polish and wax, drain opener, oven cleaner, tub and tile cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, spot remover, bleach, ammonia.
• Other - Examples: household batteries, cosmetics, pool chemicals, shoe polish, lighter fluid, prescription medicines, arts and crafts materials.

Pollution Prevention (P2)
P2 involves using methods and programs designed to reduce or eliminate pollution at the source instead of trying to control or eliminate it after it exists. P2 includes such things as the conservation of water, energy and natural resources; reducing the use of hazardous materials; reducing or eliminating air pollutants at the source; and increasing the amount and number of commodities that are recycled.

The Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) of 1990 established an environmental management hierarchy which mandates the sequence to follow when reducing pollution. The hierarchy calls for the following:

• Pollution is to be prevented or reduced at the source whenever possible
• Pollution that cannot be prevented is to be recycled in an environmentally safe manner whenever feasible.
• Pollution that cannot be prevented or recycled is to be treated in an environmentally safe manner whenever feasible.
• Disposal or other release into the environment is to be employed only as a last resort and conducted in an environmentally safe manner

P2 Goals And Objectives
Executive orders 13101 and 13148 set goals to ensure Marine Corps facilities promote the use of P2 initiatives to achieve and maintain environmental compliance within the facility. These goals include:

EO 13101 GOALS
• Incorporate waste prevention and recycling in daily operations.
• Increase the purchase and use of environmentally preferable products.
• Integrate P2 and affirmative procurement into acquisition programs.
• Achieve a 40% solid waste diversion rate by 2005 from a 1995 baseline.

EO 13148 GOALS
• Develop Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
• Use P2 to achieve and maintain environmental compliance.
• Continue to reduce the release of toxic chemicals.
• Continue to reduce the use of ozone depleting chemicals.
• Use environmentally and economically beneficial landscaping to reduce adverse effects on the natural environment

Pollution Prevention (P2) Plan
The Pollution Prevention (P2) plan contains roles and responsibilities for all employees of MCAS Cherry Point and tenant commands. With respect to water and energy, the MCAS Cherry Point Energy and Water Management Plan outlines strategies and actions needed in order to achieve conservation goals.

Click Here For: MCAS Cherry Point Energy and Water Management Plan

DOS AND DON'TS

• Recycle anything that you can, everyone's help is necessary to meet the measure of merit (MoM) and goals set for solid and hazardous waste reduction and increase in recycling;
• Conserve natural resources such as water and virgin materials;
• Know who your P2 coordinator is;
• Ensure each new project incorporates P2 opportunities.

For More Information contact the MCAS Cherry Point's Pollution Prevention Manager at 252-466-2864

Five Important Reasons Why Americans Should Recycle:
• Saves Natural Resources - By making products from recycled materials instead of virgin materials, we conserve land and reduce the need to drill for oil and dig for minerals. Saves Energy - It usually takes less energy to make recycled products; recycled aluminum, for example, takes 95% less energy than new aluminum from bauxite ore.
• Saves Energy - It usually takes less energy to make recycled products; recycled aluminum, for example, takes 95% less energy than new aluminum from bauxite ore.
• Saves Clean Air and Water - In most cases, making products from recycled materials creates less air pollution and water pollution than making products from virgin materials.
• Saves Landfill Space - When the materials that you recycle go into new products, they don't go into landfills or incinerators, so landfill space is conserved.
• Saves Money and Creates Jobs - The recycling process creates far more jobs than landfills or incinerators, and recycling can frequently be the least expensive waste management method or cities and towns.

Range Environmental Vulnerability Assessment
The United States Marine Corps Range Environmental Vulnerability Assessment (REVA) program meets the requirements of Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 4715.11 Environmental and Explosives Safety Management on Operational Ranges within the United States and DoD Instruction 4715.14 Operational Range Assessments.

The purpose of the REVA program is to identify whether there is a release or substantial threat of a release of munitions constituents (MC) from the operational range or range complex areas to off-range areas. This is accomplished through the use of screening-level fate and transport modeling and analysis of indicator MC based upon site-specific environmental conditions at the operational ranges and training areas at an installation.

Final Range Environmental Vulnerability Assessment, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point (December 2008)

Solid Waste
The solid waste management at MCAS Cherry Point begins with Commandant fo the Marine Corps and ends with the individual that works and/or lives on the Air Station. Everyone associated with MCAS Cherry Point has some responsibility in one or another in regard to solid waste management. The individuals make up the users and recyclers and how these individuals take his/her responsibility in waste management depends on the effectiveness of the Solid Waste Program.

Solid Waste Regulations
Solid Waste disposal Act (SWDA) of 1965, as Amended of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seg.) The SWDA, now referred to as RCRA, requires that Federal installations comply with all Federal, state and local requirements concerning the disposal and management of solid waste. These requirements include permitting, licensing, and reporting. The Act encourages the beneficial reuse of waste through recycling and burning for energy recovery.

Curbside Recycling
MCAS Cherry Point's waste reduction and recycling program has been designed to reduce waste generation and maximize recyclable material recovery.

MCAS Cherry Point's Household Hazardous Material Collection Program
The Environmental Affairs Department has established a Household Hazardous Material Collection Program for active duty military personnel and dependants residing in Base housing units. Bring your old and unused home and garage products (paints, solvents, cleaners, pesticides, etc.) to the Materials Recovery Center to ensure of their proper storage for reuse and/or disposal. Participants will also be able to pick up reusable materials left by other participants. A current list of available materials is maintained at the Environmental Affairs Department . With your support MCAS Cherry Point will lead the way to protecting our natural, cultural, and historic resources aboard the Air Station. Do your part and lighten your footprint on the environment.

When: Wednesday 0900-1100

Where: Materials Recovery Facility, BLDG 4638

Refer questions about the program to the Pollution Prevention Manager of the Environmental Affairs Department at 466-2864

Spill Prevention
Section 311 of the Clean Water Act (which amended the original Federal Water Pollution Control Act) makes illegal the discharge of oil or hazardous substances into the waters of the United States within 12 miles of the coast or where it may affect natural resources such as marine sanctuaries. The law requires any person in charge of a vessel (or a facility) who witnesses or sees a spill that discolors the surface of the water creates a "sheen" to report the spill to the U.S. Coast Guard or the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 immediately. Failure to report may result in the assessment of a civil penalty and/or criminal sanctions.

Discoverer/Spiller
Any individual causing or discovering a spill, or situation that may lead to a spill of oil, hazardous substances, or hazardous wastes shall immediately take the following action. The order of these actions will depend on existing conditions.

• PROVIDE information and assistance as instructed.
• EVACUATE area to a safe distance upwind and upgrade from the spill.
• PASS the word to adjacent spaces.
• INFORM your supervisor or the nearest supervisor of nearest facility.
• REPORT spill immediately to 911
• WHENEVER POSSIBLE give the following information if known or can reasonably be determined. DO NOT wait until ALL information on the spill is available.
• Your name and telephone number
• Location of the spill
• Number and type of injuries
• Identify or type and estimated amount of spilled material
• Source of spill (e.g., tank, container)
• Behavior of spill (e.g., reactions, leak, spill, fire)
• Anticipated movement of spill and actions being taken
• Time when spill occurred
• DO NOT allow unauthorized persons to enter the spill area.
• RESTRICT all sources of ignition-smoking, combustible engines, open flames.
• WAIT for and direct the emergency response personnel to the spill.
• PROVIDE information and assistance as instructed.

Storm Water
The National Pollution Discharge System Programs established by the Clean Water Act of 1987 requires that operators of facilities that discharge storm water associated with industrial activity obtain National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to control the quality of storm water discharges. MCAS Cherry Point is currently discharging storm water under an individual permit for Industrial Activities . MCAS Cherry Point s storm drain system ultimately discharges to Neuse River.

General Storm Water Knowledge
What is storm water? Storm water is defined as surface runoff from rain or snow melts. Storm water flows across the ground, pavement, or other exposed surfaces where it can pick up various pollutants such as oil, grease, toxic metals, spilled materials, and debris. Unlike the sanitary sewer system where water flows to a wastewater treatment plant, storm water runoff flows into storm drain systems that discharge into our nation's creeks, rivers, lakes, estuaries, bays and oceans. When pollutants are picked up by storm water runoff or dumped directly into storm drains, they can harm our surface waters.

It is important to know the difference between the storm sewer and the sanitary sewer. Although they appear to be the same, there are some very important differences that you need to know about. Waste water that leaves your house or work building, such as through a bathroom or kitchen sink, are discharged through the MCAS Cherry Point sanitary sewer system. Every building at MCAS Cherry Point that contains plumbing is connected to the sanitary sewer. The waste that goes down these pipes drains to the MCAS Cherry Point wastewater treatment plant. The treatment plant is designed to treat and remove pollutants and sewage from the wastewater before it is discharged to the Neuse River. Although the treatment plant is designed to remove pollutants, it cannot remove all pollutants such as solvents or oils, so do not discharge any chemicals into the sink.

The storm sewer is also a collection of underground pipes, but these pipes drain storm water into the Neuse River without removing any pollutants. Therefore, if you dump a quart of oil down the storm sewer, that quart of oil will drain directly into the Neuse River. How can you tell the difference? A good rule of thumb is that any drain inside a building, such as a sink or floor drain, will lead to the sanitary sewer system. Any drain outside a building, such as a storm drain or storm grate, will drain into the storm sewer system. MCAS Cherry Point has placed signs on its storm drains letting you know that they drain directly into the Neuse River.

Pollution Prevention Techniques
Here are some specific steps you can take to reduce your impacts on storm water.

• Wash your car at the MCAS Cherry Point car wash.
• Perform vehicle maintenance only at the Auto Hobby Shop. If your vehicle is leaking oil, clean up the spills with a dry absorbent, like sawdust, and dispose of the waste in a trash can.
• Sweep driveways clean, instead of washing them with water. Dispose of any swept debris in a trash can.
• Apply pesticides and fertilizers in recommended amounts, do not overuse! Do not apply fertilizers and pesticides before a forecasted storm event.
• Properly dispose of unused household chemicals. Do not dump any wastes into storm drains.
• Keep yard clippings out of the street and do not sweep clippings into the gutter.
• Control runoff from sprinkler systems by aiming sprinkler heads away from paved surfaces and water only when necessary.
• Do not dispose of motor oil into the storm drain. Used oil may be recycled at the Auto Hobby Shop.