Navy Continues Environmental Partnership with State and Local Agencies

JACKSONVILLE,Fla. (NNS) -- Representatives from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Navy Region Southeast, Naval Station Mayport and Fleet Readiness Center Southeast joined local and state officials in signing the Northeast Florida Environmental Compliance Partnering Team Charter Feb. 12 at Jacksonville City Hall.

"The Navy is a part of the Jacksonville community and the Northeast Florida Environmental Compliance Partnering Team is a prime example of our ongoing cooperation on items of mutual interest," said Commander, Navy Region Southeast Rear Adm. Jack Scorby Jr.

"We continue to maintain a proactive partnership with environmental regulatory agencies to identify and implement innovative solutions with the goals of enhancing environmental compliance, promoting natural resources management and protecting public health," Scorby added.

"The Northeast Florida Environmental Compliance Partnering Team shows that we are stronger when we work together on behalf of our waterways, our land, the air we breathe and the future of our city," said Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown. "I'm proud to carry on this tradition of partnership for our city and I thank the Navy, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and all the stakeholders for their continued support."

The team was established in 2002 to ensure Navy and regulatory agencies achieve environmental compliance by identifying and implementing innovative solutions to promote natural resources management and protect public health.

According to NAS Jacksonville Environmental Director Kevin Gartland, who briefed the team before the charter signing, the partnership has exceeded all expectations to provide more efficient and effective protection of Jacksonville's air and water resources.

Gartland shared some of the major accomplishments of the partnership including:

* NAS Jacksonville's $4.4 million wastewater reuse expansion to eliminate all wastewater discharge to the St. Johns River and reduce groundwater withdrawal by the Navy, City of Jacksonville, FDEP and SJRWMD by 2014;

* NAS Jacksonville's reuse of Jacksonville Electric Authority's treated wastewater to mitigate low flow conditions at the station's wastewater plant and increase reuse irrigation on the base golf course;

* No significant hazardous waste, solid waste, storage tanks, or storm water violations at NAS Jacksonville or NS Mayport in past three years;

* NAS Jacksonville's Marina reconfiguration significantly reduces moorings while improving boat safety;

* NAS Jacksonville Sailors and civilians participated in numerous city-wide cleanup events and community improvement initiatives;

* The NAS Jacksonville Clean Marina designation reissued by FDEP;

* FRCSE use of non-chromate primer on P-3 and trainer aircraft to reduce material use and personnel exposure to hexavalent chrome;

* Expeditious assessment and cleanup of beach debris by City of Jacksonville, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, NS Mayport and Army Corps of Engineers at Huguenot Park.

"It has been an honor to be part of this dedicated team of environmental professionals for the past 11 years. The team remains focused on ways to continually improve the environmental quality of life on and off the naval installations in Jacksonville," said Gartland.

"We will significantly reduce wastewater discharge from NAS Jacksonville to the St. Johns River this year and totally eliminate discharge to the river next year. We will eliminate groundwater withdrawal to irrigate our golf course this year and continue to identify ways to reduce groundwater withdrawal next year," he added. "And, we will continue to reach out to our community with innovative solutions that protect our environment as an integral part of performing our organizational missions."

For more news from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, visit www.navy.mil/local/nasjax/.