Barksdale helps maintain healthy environment Published Aug. 13, 2007 By Staff Report BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- The Barksdale community is prescribed to comply with all environmental statues, laws and regulations. According to Sue Landry, base asset management flight chief, Barksdale is handling this responsibility well. The 2d Civil Engineer Squadron has made many efforts to ensure that the on-base environment is well-maintained. Each item that contains hazardous material is monitored as it enters the gate. Shop use of hazardous substances is tracked to eliminate overstocking and excess waste. There is a constant search for non-toxic substitutes for harmful chemicals which will, according to Ms. Landry, provide a safer work place and minimize environmental compliance issues. Curbside hazardous waste pickup services are provided to more than 60 on-base facilities to reduce paperwork and transportation burdens to shop personnel. Cost for environmental compliance is more than $60,000 annually for permits and sampling costs alone, both of which are required to meet requirements. Federal, state and local agencies require the base to have permits to discharge pollutants off-base via storm water, air, sewer drains or out the gate truck shipments. Each permit is a license to discharge limited contaminants to the environment. "For example," Ms. Landry said, "the storm water permit requires scheduled sampling at 13 outfalls or 'end-of-pipe' locations." According to Ms. Landry, substances associated with industrial operations such as oil, grease, organic compounds, lead and copper are discharged to bayous and ditches through these locations. "Every industrial process performed on base is accounted for in one of these discharge permits," she added. Environmental, safety and occupational health programs train shop personnel on material use, storage and disposal procedures. Fire personnel and spill response teams are in place to report spills and minimize impact to the environment. The 2d Contracting Squadron provides base operation requirements to hired contractors and is thus the initial environmental liaison. "Maintaining compliance to environmental regulations, conserving natural resources by recycling and saving energy directly contributes to the combat capability of Team Barksdale," said Ms. Landry. "Reducing the amount of energy consumed leads to spending less money to operate the base and ensures mission requirements are met." According to Ms. Landry, Barksdale Airmen can help the environment by turning off lights, recycling solids and fluids and shopping for green products. "Reduce, reuse and recycle are the magic words that truly make a difference in our live and to the environment," she said.