Beale boasts best Environmental Restoration Program in Air Force

by Senior Airman Allen Pollard
9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs

4/17/2014 - BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.  -- The hard work of Beale's Environmental Restoration Program team has paid off, earning them the 2013 U.S. Air Force Gen. Thomas D. White Installation Award for Environmental Restoration Program Excellence.

Beale was selected for this award by a panel of peers in restoration, who believe Beale has the best ERP in the Air Force.

This annual award recognizes the installation conducting the best or most improved restoration program during the previous and current fiscal year. The award is named in honor of Gen. Thomas D. White, the Air Force Chief of Staff from 1957 - 1961, who charted the course for Air Force environmental programs.

"Beale has the largest ERP in ACC," said Kent Hawley, 9th Civil Engineering Squadron ERP manager. "We are proud and amazed at the number of accomplishments we have achieved in the past two years."

One of these accomplishments is the recent completion of the Military Munitions Response Program which excavated more than 17,000 tons of contaminated top soil as part of the Interim Removal Action for seven small arms munitions response sites.

Approximately 16,000 tons of soil was disposed at Recology Ostrom Road Landfill as non-hazardous waste, and approximately 1,500 tons of soil was disposed at Clean Harbors Buttonwillow Landfill as hazardous waste.

In addition, more than 90 percent of chlorinated contaminates in the groundwater were destroyed at large sites.

"Beale is committed to cleanup and restoration actions to meet the goals of the Air Force," Hawley said.

According Hawley Beale's Environmental Installation Restoration Office is also leading the way in Performance Based Restoration Contracts.

"These contracts are payment-based on accomplishments or specific objectives to achieve accelerated site completion actions," Hawley said. "This approach streamlines the management of the contractor thus expediting the restoration process."

Beale will compete at the Department of Defense level against environmental award winners from other military departments.