Virginia Regional Environmental Management System VREMS

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Virginia Regional Environmental Management System
(V-REMS)

• Partnering to Support the Mission and
• Protect the Environment
• 2008 Association of the United States Army
• Army Installations Symposium and Exposition

April 8-10, 2008
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• Objective ? sustainability
• Challenge ? overcoming mounting pressures (e.g.
  BRAC)
• A Collaborative Solution ? V-REMS partnership
• Innovative DoD-led public/private collaboration
• Effective accomplishments recognition partner
  benefits
• Replicable framework customization keys to
  success

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• Implement proactive and effective policies and
  practices that ensure the sustainability of
• mission readiness by
• leveraging existing resources,
• safeguarding the environment,
• enhancing the quality of
• life of local communities.

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• Base Realignment Closure (BRAC)
• Expansion development
• Regulatory and sustainability requirements
• Executive Order 13423
• Encroachment
• Incompatible with training requirements
• Community concerns
• Noise, good neighbor expectation

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• Regional Framework for Effective Problem-Solving
• Connects diverse constituents (military,
  regulatory agencies, private sector) to form
  collaborative working relationships
• Establishes a replicable model to
• help shape appropriate policies
• and leverage resources
• Synergizes existing initiatives
• under regional umbrella
• (e.g. SERPPAS, SMEIWG)

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Improve communication, trust, and support between
regional stakeholders
Address local and regional community and
environmental priorities
Achieve on the ground results more efficiently
than any existing mechanism
Leverage resources ( and in-kind) and share
best practices and information
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• With V-REMS Partner communication leads to
  action results in meaningful outcomes
• Recognition due to environmental
  community-based improvements
• - Businesses
  for the Bay 2007 Partner of the Year
• -
  multiple DoD/state/EPA R3 Innovation Awards
• - White
  House Closing the Circle DSCR
• The following highlight a few V-REMS efforts

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Land Conservation
Highlights
Goal To improve the quality of the Chesapeake
Bay watershed, protect the declining habitat of
Virginias native and endangered species, support
military mission readiness, and enhance quality
of life within the Commonwealth.

• Accomplishments
• Fort A.P. Hill conserved over 1,300 acres to
  protect the installations borders against
  incompatible development
• DSCR will contribute 20 acres to conservation
  purposes
• DuPont has permanently protected 17 acres
• Land easements purchased from contributions of 3
  million by DoD, 1 million by Virginia, and 1
  million by private groups

• Projected Metrics of Success
• V-REMS partners have protected 1,400 acres of
  land in Virginia.
• Over 5 threatened or endangered species now
  protected
• Over 280 species habitat protected

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TiO2 Concrete Workgroup
Highlights
Goal To demonstrate and verify that using
titanium dioxide (TiO2) as an additive in
concrete and other construction materials can
improve air quality through reductions in
nitrogen oxides (NOx), at little to no increase
in lifecycle costs

• Accomplishments
• Awarded National Defense Center of Environmental
  Excellence grant to test TiO2 technology
• Conducted baseline air sampling at Fort Lee in
  June 2007 and at Fort Belvoir in August 2007
• Leveraged workgroup participant contributions
  including
• passive active air sampling equip.
• trained personnel
• quality assurance
• statistical analyses validation
• meteorological equipment
• stormwater sampling equipment
• concrete structural integrity testing

• Projected Metrics of Success
• Demonstrate validate technology for performance
  data.
• Incorporate technology into construction
  maintenance BMPs
• Measure/model and record air quality improvements
  
• Lay foundation for accreditation as a control
  strategy, offering State Improvement Plan (SIP)
  credits

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• Accomplishments
• Received 274K CSB grant (2/06) to
• Retrofit 170 buses in Richmond 27 buses in
  Hopewell school districts
• Train members of districts to inspect install
  Diesel Oxidation Catalyst
• Implement anti-idling policies
• Transfer lessons learned to other school
  districts across the nation

• Projected Metrics of Success
• 20,000 students breathe cleaner air
• 197 buses retrofit in two school districts
• Raised 288,000 to fund retrofit (274K, EPA and
  14K, VA DEQ)
• 50 reduction hydrocarbon emissions 40
  reduction CO annually
• Anti-idling policies reduce idling by over 6000
  hrs annually 18,000 in fuel cost savings

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• Improved relationships with surrounding
  communities
• Strong regional support for mission
• Increased awareness of DSCRs value to community

• Local, state, and national recognition
• Improved environmental management
• Operational efficiencies and cost savings

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• Supports CEQ sustainability objectives (Executive
  Order 13423)
• Supports Environmental Council of States
  (ECOS)/DoD Task Force objectives
• Supports VA Commonwealth and EPA Region III
  Priorities
• Active participation in V-REMS by both
  organizations
• Compliance role remains separate and distinct

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• Regular communication between partners
• Monthly phone calls 3-4 meetings annually
• Workgroups form to focus on specific initiatives
• Reporting and metrics
• V-REMS website www.vrems.org
• Communication and outreach tool (includes
  intranet)
• Neutral facilitator sponsored by DSCR staffs
  partnership needs
• Level of partner effort 4-5 hrs/month

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• Partners focus on individual and regional goals
• Emphasizes building trust across partners
• Customizable partnering framework that includes
  state and federal regulatory agency participation
  and endorsement
• Relies on an informal participation process
• Promotes creative and innovative voluntary
  approaches to (environmental) challenges
• Benefits from the support of neutral facilitator

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• Regional Management System
• A transferable process unique to particular
  region and partner organizations
• Can be championed by public and private
  organizations
• Demonstrates quantifiable performance improvement
  results oriented
• Operationalizes mission sustainability

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Questions Jimmy Parrish (DSCR) Jimmy.Parrish_at_dl
a.mil
Visit www.vrems.org