Ellsworth enters EPA's Track Performance Program

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Lauren Wright
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AFB, S.D. --  During a ceremony Oct. 31 Ellsworth Air Force Base became the first Air Force-owned installation to accept membership into the Environmental Protection Agency's Performance Track Program. 

Ellsworth deserves the satisfaction of knowing it is doing the right thing - investing in environmental quality for our children and grandchildren, said Robert Roberts, EPA regional administrator who presented the membership to Ellsworth. 

Performance Track is a voluntary partnership program that recognizes and rewards facilities that consistently exceed regulatory requirements, work closely with their communities, and excel in protecting the environment and public. To qualify facilities must adopt and implement an environmental management system, demonstrate specific past environmental achievements, record sustained compliance with environmental requirements, commit to continued environmental improvement, and commit to public outreach and performance reporting. 

"Ellsworth Air Force Base has long been an environmental leader in the community and in the Air Force," said Col. Drew Wright, deputy director of installations and mission support at Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. "The EPA Performance Track Program is a good fit for Ellsworth and Air Combat Command." 

Membership benefits include opportunities for crosstalk and mentoring relationships aimed at improving processes and reducing waste. Other incentives include flexible permit scheduling, reduced self-reporting and low priority status for routine inspections. Less time spent on permits is expected to translate into more time spent on the mission. Environmental leaders on base anticipate that these rewards will enhance mission capabilities while continuing to promote the record of sustained compliance Ellsworth has already demonstrated in several arenas. 

Some of those include energy use and waste management. The base reduced total energy use by 47 percent from 2003 and 2006 - 17 percent beyond the goal established by the Department of Defense. Ellsworth has also reduced total non-hazardous waste generated by teaming with a local recycling facility to increase the non-hazardous waste diversion rate by 44 percent over two years. 

"The philosophy of Performance Track is nothing new to Ellsworth," said Col. Jeffry Smith, 28th Bomb Wing commander. "(The Ellsworth environmental flight) has led the way on many initiatives and has a great history of compliance, but we have set some high expectations. I am confident, however, that with the support of our leadership and the teamwork we have enjoyed with our state and EPA partners, we will succeed." 

Ellsworth is no stranger to cooperative environmental efforts, either. After working with EPA to determine how Performance Track could work for the Air Force, ACC environmental quality branch selected Ellsworth to be the first Air Force installation to apply for program membership because of its record of sustained compliance with EPA standards and other environmental achievements. Together, ACC environmental quality and Ellsworth personnel created a strong application for membership, which was filed in September. 

"The Air Force and EPA partnership is one that we look to grow," said Colonel Wright. The partnership was strengthened when members of the environmental quality branch at Air Combat Command researched Performance Track and initiated a relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency to determine how it could be applied to the Air Force. 

Some of Ellsworth's recent success has been recognized by Air Combat Command and other governmental agencies. In 2006, Ellsworth was named the Air Combat Command Outstanding Environmental Flight and Ellsworth was also recognized by the United States Department of Energy for energy efficiency and management during the Federal Energy and Water Management Awards. 

Although Ellsworth is the first Air Force-owned installation to earn membership, it is the fifth South Dakota facility to join Performance Track Program, which currently includes more than 400 members nationwide. Three other Department of Defense installations are currently Performance Track members. Since the program's creation five years ago, members have conserved more than 9,000 acres of land and 1.9 billion gallons of water. 

Performance Track facilities also focus on opportunities for continuous improvement.
As a member, Ellsworth plans to continue to significantly reduce the use of hazardous materials, including eliminating the use of photochemicals to develop x-ray images by converting all x-ray processes to a digital imaging method. 

Additionally, the base initiated a program that will reduce waste generation by reducing the disposal of shop rags by 50 percent. Instead of disposing of shop rags, a system will wash out and capture hazardous components from rags for filtration and reuse. The base also plans to reduce installation energy consumption by 12 percent by incorporating efficiencies in facility design and real-property activities. Finally, the installation wants to reduce use of a particular hydraulic fluid by 50 percent by recycling fluid contaminated by water and particulates. 

Ellsworth's commitment to pollution prevention initiatives that decrease waste generation and reduce hazardous materials use exemplifies excellence in Air Force environmental stewardship, said Col. Wright. 

Ellsworth will now work with ACC and the EPA on the commitments and incentives in Performance Track to provide other installations with a roadmap to success. 

"We're all here together working toward cleaner air, purer water and better handling of land," said Mr. Roberts. 

For more information on Ellsworth's Performance Track program, contact Ellsworth Public Affairs at 385-5056. For general information on Performance Track, go to http://www.epa.gov/performancetrack/index.htm.