Eyes on the environment
Public Works Environmental Division recently held a base cleanup in which 89 volunteers base-wide participated by cleaning their areas of responsibility.
Training Squadron VT-27 sent additional volunteers to support the cleanup efforts outside the North Gate on Ocean Drive. The group along Ocean Drive picked up 120 pounds of trash, which included fishing line, fishing hooks, syringes, cigarette butts, broken glass, drinking straws, and bottle caps. Trash collected throughout the base totaled 880 pounds and included 50 pounds of scrap metal, 75 pounds of tree limbs, and 100 pounds of wood pallets.
The new Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) General Permit - TXR040000, which became effective on Jan. 24, requires public education, outreach, and involvement via, “opportunities for citizens to participate in the implementation of control measures, such as stream clean-ups… and education.”
In addition to outreach clean-ups and education, the new MS4 permit requires trash and litter control procedures to minimize pollutant discharges to storm drains. The Stormwater Management Plan requires tenants to keep areas free of trash and debris prior to and after a storm (rain and/or high winds) event or monthly, whichever is more frequent, to protect stormwater inlets. A key point of the MS4 permit is that any contractor hired to perform maintenance activities must be contractually required to be trained in and comply with all of the stormwater control measures, good housekeeping practices, and facility-specific stormwater management operating procedures.
Annual Stormwater and Oil Handler Training to meet the MS4 education requirement and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule [40 CFR Part 112] will be held on Thursday, Aug. 1, at NOSC Drill Hall (Bldg. 1721.) There are two sessions, 8-10 a.m. or 1-3 p.m. Please register with Lelet Graves at leticia.graves@navy.mil or 961-5356 by July 25, with the time you will attend. If you are unavailable on Aug. 1 and the training is required for your job, please contact Graves to reschedule the training to meet the requirements.
Required attendees:
Oil handling personnel: Employees engaged in one or more of the following functions: operation and maintenance of oil storage containers (includes storage drums, tanks and oil-filled equipment); operation of equipment related to storage containers; and emergency response personnel;
personnel whose primary job duties are related to implementing the construction stormwater program (including permitting, plan review, construction site inspections, and enforcement);
pesticide, herbicide, and fertilizer applicators;
personnel constructing or repairing structural stormwater controls;
personnel who work in high priority facilities: vehicle washing, automotive repair, within 100 feet of a waterbody (Marina), wastewater treatment plant, hazardous waste facilities, fuel storage, maintenance yard and
designated stormwater management team members assigned to conduct quarterly Best Management Practices inspections.
The 2018 Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report is available at: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrse/om/environmental_support/water_quality_information/lead_in_priority_area_sampling_program/NASCorpusChristi.html.