Photo By 94th Airlift Wing | Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point’s Tier 1 Environmental Partnering Team earned...... read more read more
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CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point’s Tier 1 Environmental Partnering Team earned the Secretary of the Navy’s Environmental Restoration Award for fiscal year 2013, March 31, 2014.
Environmental restoration involves cleaning and managing contaminated lands located on current and former military installations, according to the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program.
“Restoration is the cleanup of contaminated lands to levels deemed safe for human health and the environment,” said William Potter, an environmental engineer with Cherry Point’s Environmental Affairs Department.
Cherry Point covers more than 13,000 acres with an additional 15,890 acres in outlying support areas. The Neuse River watershed surrounds three sides of the air station. The land covered by Cherry Point, and the water surrounding it, serve as a habitat for many species of migratory birds and as a nursery for coastal shore birds and marine life.
Potter and his team conducted two pilot studies during 2013 to help restore some of the land and groundwater at Cherry Point. A pilot study is a scaled down version of a large technology system to assess the feasibility of restoration technologies and concepts. If proven effective during a pilot study, the department can implement a full-scale project, said Jeff Christopher, the Restoration and Recycling Division supervisor with the department.
“When we conduct these kinds of studies, it is a team process,” said Christopher. “We don’t move forward until the Navy, United States Environmental Protection Agency and State are all on the same page, and that works out better in the end.”
During 2013, the Environmental Affairs Department conducted several pilot studies, including a Permeable Reactive Barrier and enhanced biological remediation studies.
A ground water plume is ground water contaminated with solvents. To help solve the problem, Potter and his team used a permeable reactive barrier, or a large trench, containing neutralizing agents that react with contaminated water, removing pollutants.
“We like to think of it as a filter, but instead of filtering out contaminants, it breaks them down for us,” said Potter.
Enhanced bio remediation supercharges natural microbes that break down solvents in contaminated water.
“We create the conditions that cause the microbes to work efficiently, so they have everything they need to work as fast as possible,” said Potter.
According to the award, the Cherry Point Partnering Team accelerated cleanup through effective program management, collaborative teamwork, application of innovative technology and improved risk assessment. The studies and implementation of their findings led to the recognition.
“A big part of our program is using innovative technologies which we based this project on,” said Potter. “It always feels good to be recognized for all the hard work that you are doing.”
| Date Taken: | 03.31.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 04.17.2014 08:43 |
| Story ID: | 126382 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 79 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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