RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
An assessment team from Headquarters Air Education and Training Command is scheduled to appraise the performance of Randolph's Environmental Management System programs this month.
The external Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health Compliance Assessment and Management Program, which is conducted every three years, yields findings that aid the base's efforts in complying with applicable laws, regulations and Department of Defense and Air Force policies and protecting the environment, workforce and community.
"There will be about 20 assessors looking at our management of air quality, water quality, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, stormwater, petroleum storage tanks and safety issues," Verna Cyr, 902nd Civil Engineer Squadron environmental compliance chief, said. "They will spend the week visiting industrial shops and administrative offices and driving around base, looking at construction sites and other areas. Nothing is off-limits."
The assessment team will focus on compliance programs, "but if they see something like cardboard placed in dumpsters, they will note that," she said.
The appraisal comes on the heels of the annual internal ESOHCAMP that was conducted in May, an inspection Cyr said was an effective preparation for the triennial program.
In addition to conducting base-wide assessments the week of Aug. 22-26, the team will brief Col. Scott Peel, 902nd Mission Support Group commander, on their findings each day. Once the final findings are presented in an out-brief Aug. 26, the base's ESOH team will ensure corrective measures are taken.
"Some deficiencies can be corrected in one day; others take longer," Cyr said. "We have 45 days to submit a management action plan if something requires a lot of time. You determine the root cause and what you will do to resolve the problem. Then we submit a corrective action plan."
Findings may range from improper storage of hazardous materials and improper disposal of light bulbs and batteries to record-keeping and training deficiencies. Positive outcomes are also noted, such as model hazmat and EMS programs.
Cyr said the team will look at trends from the base's findings, but will also focus on current issues in Texas - what the Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality are tracking - such as noncompliance with the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge of pollutants into surface waters, and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Noncompliance with laws and regulations can result in fines, she said.
John Guerra, 902nd CES environmental planner, said safeguarding the environment and protecting the base community is a year-long effort.
"We make sure we provide training and public outreach information," he said. "We go to all the offices and shops and make sure people aren't disposing of things improperly and see if workers know how to handle small hazmat spills. They need to understand the threshold of what we can handle here before we call in outside help."
Guerra said the environmental flight's annual Earth Day event at the base exchange provides "a lot of outreach" to the community. Personnel hand out pamphlets that address recycling, hazardous waste, air and water quality and other environmental topics.
Cyr said members of the Randolph workforce and residential community can contribute to environmental efforts through proper disposal of batteries and light bulbs and storage of hazardous materials.
"People want to do it," she said. "They just don't always know what to do. We try to make it really easy."
Unit environmental coordinators, or UECs, play an important role in relaying information to employees, Cyr said.
"We really rely on them," she said. "They're the backbone of our efforts."
Cyr said the inspection team's findings will provide a blueprint for the environmental flight.
"We don't mind getting findings," she said. "We hope they will do a thorough job. It sets us up for where we will go with our program."