Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program
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| Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program | |
|---|---|
| Name | Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program |
| Formed | 1970s |
| Jurisdiction | United States Department of Defense |
| Headquarters | Arlington County, Virginia |
| Parent agency | United States Department of Defense |
Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program The Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program is a federal initiative addressing contamination at United States military installations, National Guard sites, and former United States Army Corps of Engineers properties. It manages investigation and cleanup activities tied to hazardous substances, petroleum, and unexploded ordnance across installations such as Naval Air Station Fallon, Fort Bragg, and Pacific Missile Range Facility. The program operates under statutory frameworks including Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, coordinating with agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior, and state environmental agencies.
Overview
The program encompasses identification, investigation, remediation, and monitoring of contamination at sites including base closure sites, munitions response sites, and Superfund-eligible locations like Camp Lejeune and Rocky Mountain Arsenal. It integrates technical disciplines represented by the United States Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and United States Fish and Wildlife Service to manage impacts on Everglades National Park, Chesapeake Bay, and other ecologically sensitive areas. Stakeholders include Congress, the Government Accountability Office, tribal governments such as the Navajo Nation, and local municipalities.
History and Legislative Authority
Origins trace to environmental incidents and legislation of the 1970s and 1980s, notably the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 context, with major statutory authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 and amendments to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976. Congressional actions like the Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 and later Defense Environmental Restoration Act provisions shaped scope and funding. Legal milestones include litigation involving United States v. Hooker Chemical-style precedents and oversight by committees such as the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Program Structure and Administration
Administration is centralized within offices of the Office of the Secretary of Defense while execution is delegated to military components such as United States Army Corps of Engineers, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, and Air Force Civil Engineer Center. Regional coordination occurs through Defense Logistics Agency contacts and interagency agreements with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 and state counterparts like the California EPA. Programmatic guidance derives from directives issued by the Department of Defense and is informed by technical standards from organizations such as the American Society for Testing and Materials and the National Research Council.
Cleanup Process and Technologies
Investigation phases utilize methods developed by the United States Geological Survey, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and laboratories in the Argonne National Laboratory network for chemical analyses. Remediation technologies include pump-and-treat systems used at sites like Picatinny Arsenal, in situ chemical oxidation applied at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, monitored natural attenuation practiced near Hanford Site per analogs, and thermal desorption systems similar to those used at Naval Station Newport. Munitions response employs clearance techniques guided by Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board criteria and contractors with certifications from entities like the International Mine Action Standards regime.
Funding and Budgeting
Funding mechanisms include annual appropriations authorized by Congress and executed through Department of Defense budget accounts, with specific line items for environmental restoration, operating funds, and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) cleanup. Oversight of expenditures is performed by the Office of Management and Budget and audited by the Government Accountability Office, while financial controls reference standards from the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990. High-profile budget items have been debated in hearings before the House Committee on Appropriations and allocations adjusted in response to cost estimates from contractors and agencies like the Defense Contract Audit Agency.
Environmental and Public Health Impacts
Contamination topics include polychlorinated biphenyls, trichloroethylene, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, petroleum hydrocarbons, and unexploded ordnance affecting water bodies such as the Columbia River and communities near Andrews Air Force Base. Risk assessments draw on frameworks from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and public health responses coordinate with local health departments and tribal health authorities like the Indian Health Service. Remediation outcomes affect endangered species protection under the Endangered Species Act and habitat conservation plans involving the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Oversight, Compliance, and Reporting
Accountability frameworks include reporting to the Environmental Protection Agency through the Superfund program coordination, compliance audits by the Government Accountability Office, and reviews by congressional committees such as the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Public involvement is facilitated through community relations plans, technical review committees, and consultations under the National Historic Preservation Act with the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Annual and biennial reports are submitted to Congress and stakeholders, with program performance evaluated against metrics endorsed by the Office of Management and Budget.