Historic Remediation Efforts Lead to 2026 Secretary of the Army Environmental Award for AZARNG
PHOENIX—The Environmental Remediation Projects Manager for the Arizona Army National Guard, Kim Birdsall, has won the 2026 Secretary of the Army Environmental Award.
This prestigious honor recognizes her decade long effort to achieve the formal closure of three legacy restoration sites. Through extensive coordination with the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Birdsall lead the remediation of two underground fuel storage sites at Papago Park Military Reservation and a legacy construction debris landfill at Camp Navajo. Her diligent oversight ensured the successful cleanup of soil, groundwater, and hazardous materials, culminating in DEQ’s formal “no further action” concurrence and site closure in 2024.
By leading the regulatory process and executing precise site restoration, which included decommissioning treatment systems and reestablishing native vegetation and original topography at Camp Navajo, Birdsall permanently eliminated costly long-term monitoring requirements. This generated significant cost savings for the Guard and reclaimed previously restricted acreage, making it fully available for warfighter training in alignment with the Installation Master Plan.
“Our primary focus is always force readiness, and maximizing our operational training land is vital to that mission,” said Brigadier General John Conley, Adjutant General of the Arizona National Guard and Director of the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. “Ms. Birdsall’s exceptional dedication ensures our Soldiers and Airmen have the resources they need to remain ready, while reflecting our enduring commitment to environmental safety. By safely restoring these sites, we uphold our promise to be responsible stewards of the environment and good neighbors in the communities we proudly serve.”