LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
After completing Lackland's annual base environmental and health performance assessment Nov. 16-20, the ESOHCAMP program manager is satisfied that compliance is moving in the right direction.
"We're really doing pretty good," said David Rairdan, ESOHCAMP program manager. "We're moving away from compliance and we're looking at our processes so we can improve them."
ESOHCAMP is the base's Environmental Safety Occupation Health Compliance Assessment and Management Pro-¬gram. It lessens Lackland's impact on the environment and the surrounding community by fulfilling a 2007 executive order implementing energy efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gases.
Areas covered by ESOHCAMP include health and environmental issues of air, cultural, natural, pesticide, vehicle waste, solid waste, storage tanks, toxics and wastewater.
Mr. Rairdan said the assessment revealed 30 findings that needed addressing. Most of the findings were minor with some major findings; no significant violations were found that would have resulted in work stoppage.
"Last year, we had 25 and this year we had 30 with seven carryovers," Mr. Rairdan said. "That's pretty good. Our majors are small and we had some minors. We're meeting the federal standards and keep reducing our findings every year."
AFI standards are higher than those of the federal government. He explained that during the recent drought, Lackland water conservation and restrictions were implemented earlier than city-imposed restrictions.
After a meeting Nov. 23 with senior base leadership to discuss the findings, a formal outbrief will be held in December to address those issues.
"We're trying to get ahead and let leadership know what we found," said Mr. Rairdan. "Then we'll start working on the root causes, how they can be fixed and prevented in the future."
He said with the amount of construction on base, in particular the new Airmen Training Complex, Lackland will be paying close attention to managing the environment.
"The Environment Protection Agency and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality have already said they will look at us several times a year," said. Mr. Rairdan. "We're trying to make sure we are in compliance and (they are) very happy with what we're doing."