Battle Ready Environmental Warriors: Challenges, Combat and Catalyst for Change BREW C4
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Transcript of Battle Ready Environmental Warriors: Challenges, Combat and Catalyst for Change BREW C4
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2 An Adaptive Management Plan for Environmental Action: Operation Enduring Freedom
In February 1991, the tiny country of Kuwait in the Middle East experienced an environmentaldisaster unlike any the world had ever seen, and it was no accident. In a deliberate act of war,invading soldiers from the country of Iraq damaged, destroyed, and ignited hundreds of oil wellsin desert oil fields throughout Kuwait. The Kuwaiti oil fires had a disastrous impact on the
people and wildlife of Kuwait, the economy, and the land, sea, and air of the entire region.
Almost 15 years later, much of the physical and environmental damage remains, and scientistsare still tracking pollution levels and health histories of people in the regions that surroundedthe fires.
-Kristine Herschmann,The Kuwaiti Oil Fires
War. What is it good for? Edwin Starr
The impact of armed conflict on the environment has been acknowledged for many years and was
formally addressed by the United Nations in the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other
Hostile Use of Environmental Modifications Technique (ENMOD). The enormity of this impact became
visibly apparent to the worlds population during the first Gulf War, when Iraq released enormous
quantities of oil into the Persian Gulf (McLaren & Willmore, 2003).
To address the impacts from intentional environmental destruction during war, the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) developed guidelines for military manuals and instructions on the
protection of the environment during times of armed conflict; paragraph 702 of these guideline states
Damage which is not militarily necessary may not be inflict ed. A lso included in these guidelines, is the
tenet environmental agreements and customary law may continue to apply (Henckaerts, 2000).
According to Gasser (1995) a group of experts convened by the Canadian Ministry of External
Affairs in Ottawa, July 1992 made the point rules of general (peacetime) law protecting the natural
environment remain applicable during armed conflict (p. 639).
Protecting the environment from acts of war, e.g. wanton destruction, is addressed by several
international laws and protocols, as well as by the rules and principles of International Humanitarian Law
(Bouvier, 1991). It is the day-to-day operations, activities and maintenance, the human and material
footprint from deployments of troops which are causing an adverse environmental impact (Waleij &
Lijedahl, 2009).
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3 An Adaptive Management Plan for Environmental Action: Operation Enduring Freedom
Environmental damage during war or armed conflict is inevitable. This fact makes policies and
programs designed to minimize the amount of damage incurred during contingency operations of
considerable importance.
The Issue
Allied Forces in Afghanistan, as well as the businesses and organizations, who work to support
them, face significant challenges in the effort to implement existing environmental policies and programs.
Basic Facts
Afghanistan is an immense, land-locked country approximately the size of Texas with a population
of around 24 million. It is a land of massive mountain ranges and remote valleys in the north and east and
near desert-like conditions on the plains to the south and west (Center of Military History, 2004). The
following statistics were collected by the United Nations Environment Programme (2009):
Up to 80% of Afghans are directly dependent on natural resources for income and sustenance.
Agriculture provides livelihoods for more than 60% of the population.
Approximately 75% of Afghanistan is vulnerable to desertification.
Some 85- 90% of the countrys water is taken from surface sources and 10 -15% from below the
ground.
Background
The war in Afghanistan, known as Operation Enduring Freedom, began October 7, 2001 as a joint
US-UK mission in response to the Sept 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.
The Bonn Agreement of 5 December 2001 requested the United Nations to authorize the
development of a security force to assist in maintaining security in Kabul and its surrounding areas. On 20
December 2001, the UN Security Council approved the first resolution authorizing the International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF). This military presence is now considered a peacekeeping mission.
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4 An Adaptive Management Plan for Environmental Action: Operation Enduring Freedom
According to NATO (2011) ISAFs key priorities in Afghanistan are:
Protect the Afghan people;
Build the capacity of the Afghan Security Forces so they can take lead responsibility for security
in their own country;
Counter the insurgency; and
Enable the delivery of stronger governance and development.
NATO-ISAF consists of 48 troop contributing nations and 28 Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs)
Photo credit: http://www.isaf.nato.int/images/stories/File/Placemats/PLACEMAT.MARCH%2004..pdf
Economics
Military base closure is a lengthy and expensive process. Environmental cleanup requirements for
domestic military base closure are detailed, specific and must comply with numerous environmental laws,
including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
http://www.isaf.nato.int/images/stories/File/Placemats/PLACEMAT.MARCH%2004..pdfhttp://www.isaf.nato.int/images/stories/File/Placemats/PLACEMAT.MARCH%2004..pdfhttp://www.isaf.nato.int/images/stories/File/Placemats/PLACEMAT.MARCH%2004..pdf -
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5 An Adaptive Management Plan for Environmental Action: Operation Enduring Freedom
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA),
as well as state environmental statutes (Myers, 2010).
A significant disparity exists between the requirements for domestic base closures and base
closures overseas. The existing Department of Defense (DoD) overseas remediation policy is not nearly
as strict as that required by domestic law (Lindsey-Poland & Morgan, 1998). According to Lindsey-
Poland et al., only the absolute minimum of environmental restoration at overseas bases is implemented.
Even so, environmental cleanup costs abroad are more than initially anticipated. In 1992 the federal
government planned to spend $1 billion on environmental remediation for overseas base closure, but later
research determined the cost of cleaning up Germany alone would exceed $3 billion (Myers, 2010).
Regardless of the difference between regulatory requirements abroad, failing to effectively remove
environmental contaminates from overseas bases can cause significant impact on our ability to maintain
constructive relations with foreign countries and further damage the United States reputation abroad.
Security
The debate concerning if the continual decline in environmental conditions will lead to an increase
in violent conflict has created significant controversy (Gleditsch, 1998). In the sense of a peacekeeping
mission, a large body of academic literature and case studies has shown that failing to provide for the
environmental needs of the citizens in a war-torn society will only make the (peacekeeping) task more
difficult (Conca & Wallace, 2009). In fact, Conca et al., maintain that shared environmental challenges
may create opportunities for peace building and that cooperative sharing of environmental knowledge can
be a useful tool to build the citizens confidence in the military presence.
According to the ISAF Commanders Counterinsurgency Guidance Document (ISAF, 2009) the
Afghan people will decide who wins the fight and their answer will be based on rational choices on who
can better protect them, provide for their needs, respect their dignity and their community, and offer
opportunities for the future. As an example, consider the following:
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An ISAF unit in a relatively tolerant area had a difficult time maneuvering large vehicles along a
road because it was lined with fruit trees. To improve mobility, the unit had the trees cut down.
Many people in the village had their livelihoods destroyed. IEDs began appearing along the road
shortly thereafter. (p. 2)
Health
The current health of troops contributes directly to the security of the operation, while the potential
health impacts related to environmental practices will impact future liabilities.
U.S. military operations in Afghanistan generate about 10 pounds of solid waste per soldier (Navy,
Army, Marine Corps and Air Force) per day; this figure does not include other Department of Defense
components or contractors (GAO, 2010). To avoid public health risks and other problems this waste
(plastic, Styrofoam, food scraps, discarded electronics, shipping materials, appliances, mattresses,
clothing, tires, metal containers, treated wood, batteries, etc) must be handled expeditiously. To
accomplish this task, wide spread use of burn pits have been employed since the beginning of United
States military presence in Afghanistan since 2001 (Kurera, 2010).
Open pit burning contributes to particle pollution and the EPA has identified several health
problems associated with particulate exposure, such as irritation of the airways, coughing, difficulty
breathing, decreased lung function, aggravated asthma, development of chronic bronchitis, irregular
heartbeat, nonfatal heart attacks and premature death in people with heart or lung disease (GAO, 2010).
Not only is the use of burn pits for waste disposal expressly prohibited by the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA, 2006), it is also addressed by the U.S DoD Overseas Environmental Baseline
Guidance Document, 5715.5-G (2007) in Chapter 7on Solid Waste Where burning is the method,
incinerators meeting air quality require ments of Chapter 2, Air Emissions, will be used (p. 94).
The use of burn pits is noted by various DOD guidance documents, standard operating procedures
and policies; however none of these documents explicitly prohibit the use of burn pits. Instead these
documents provide instructions on when, where and how burn pits can be used. Although these same
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documents include directions such as, in the United States Department of the Army, MED 593 (2006)
only using open burning in emergency situations , (p. 7), DoD Instruction 4715.19 (2011) burn pits
should be a short-term solution during contingency operations where no other alternative is feasible , (p.
2) and DoD Guidance 4715.05-G (2007) open burning will not be the regular method of solid waste
disposal, (p.94) as of August 2010 U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported there were 251 active
burn pits in Afghanistan (GAO, 2010).
Vision Statement
Battle Ready Environmental Warriors: Challenges, Combat and Catalyst for Change
(BREWC4) seeks to overcome the challenges preventing the implementation of existing environmental
policies, resulting in improved environmental protection, healthier troops, and increased local confidence
in the mission of NATO-ISAF.
Identified Stakeholders
International Security Assistance Force- Commander ISAF
- Deputy Commander ISAF- Chief of Staff ISAF- Deputy Chief of Staff Operations ISAF- ISJ Commander, ISAF Joint Command- ISAF Regional Commander, Southwest- ISAF Regional Commander, Capital- ISAF Regional Commander, North- ISAF Regional Commander, West- ISAF Regional Commander, South- ISAF Regional Commander, East
Armed Forces- Division Commanders- Brigade Commanders- Battalion Commanders- Company Commanders- Platoon Commanders
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- Squad Commanders- NCOs and enlisted
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Disposition Services- Disposal Region CENTCOM
Afghanistan National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA)- Director General- Head of Division of International Environmental Affair- United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident Coordinator- UNDP Environmental Officer
Representatives from each defense contractor in theatre
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)- Regional and Provincial Field Offices
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)- Post Conflict and Disaster Management Branch, Kabul, Afghanistan
The World Bank Group- Afghanistan, Projects & Programs Country Director
Various Universities throughout Afghanistan- American University of Afghanistan- Kabul University- Ghazni University- Balkh University- Polytechnical University of Kabul
Nongovernmental Wildlife Conservation Society
Society for Afghanistan Volunteer Environmentalists (SAVE)
Getting Started
BREWC4s first task will be to determine what is preventing the implementation of existing
policies and programs designed for environmental protection. This task will be determined through
literature and field research, surveys and shareholder feedback.
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Additional changes to structure and or reporting may also be required, depending upon the results
of implementation and rollout.
Materials/Data Needed
Troop and contractor surveys
Feasibility studies for alternative methods of waste disposal, to include source reduction, minimizationand recycling
Cost benefit analysis on waste management alternatives to include avoided future costs of potential healtheffects
The number and type of local alternatives available, i.e. landfills, incinerators, recycling facilities, etc. areneeded
Full waste stream analysis (military and contractors)
Improved contractor oversight
Air and water quality baseline studies and monitoring
Health studies on burn pit exposure
Possible Outcomes
Two basic potential outcomes of this project can be predicted, negative or positive acceptance.
Positive
Top ISAF Command recognizes the value, both to the environment and to the mission objectives
and dedicates resources to ensuring the success of the project. Top command commitment is visible and
active involvement is demonstrated.
Negative
If commitment from top commanders is not visible and sincere, the chances of getting lower ranks
to participate will diminish with each level of command. This in of itself will lead to failure of the entire
project.
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Measuring Acceptance
Commitment from the top down will be determined by emphasis given to attendance to meetings,
participation and feedback of shareholders, resources allocated, and interest/enthusiasm generated at all
levels. Top ISAF and CENTCOM Commanders attendance to initial base town hall meetings will be one
method of measuring top command commitment to the project overall.
Project Targets
Barriers to implementing existing environmental policies and programs identified by 07-31- 2011
Options to overcome barriers identified and prioritized by 09-31-2011
Amount of waste per soldier reduced by 20% by 12-31-2011, as measured per site.
Amount of waste per soldier reduced by 40% by 06-30-2012, as measured per site.
50% reduction in respiratory illness reported by troops measured by visits with medical staff while
deployed in Afghanistan
Number of active burn pits in Afghanistan reduced by 25% by 12-31-2011
Number of active burn pits in Afghanistan reduced by 50% by 06-31-2012
Number of active burn pits in Afghanistan reduced by 75% by 12-31-2012
All active burn pits are in compliance with CENTCOM Regulation 200-2 by 12-31-2011, as
demonstrated by DCMA inspection reports and shareholder feedback.
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Identified Objectives/Plans
Assess
Objective 1 Open & effective communication between all military, civilian contractors andAfghan stakeholders
Methods Solicit English speaking volunteers from Military Units to interpret and hire a localinterpreter
Monthly NATO-ISAF/contractor stakeholder meetings (location specific)
Quarterly NATO-ISAF/contractor Task Force meetings (representatives from eachlocation, contractor, technical experts, and regional representatives)
Any reports or documents generated by BREWC4 will be made available in eachstakeholders native tongue
Predictions Some amount of information will be lost in translation
Participation from non-English speaking troops may be weak, at best.
Logistics of military action and transport between bases may limit attendance at thequarterly meetings
Measures Percentage of non-English speaking troops participation
Participation and attendance at site specific stakeholder meetings
Participation and attendance at quarterly meetings
Consensus and willingness to compromise among shareholders
Uncertainties Sustained military/political support
Funding
Design
BREWC4 is designed to initially involve military and contractor personnel who work and live on militaryinstillations in Afghanistan. Open communication is needed to identify the reasons current policy and
programs are not being implemented. The involvement of a diverse group of individuals will providedifferent perspectives and ideas on how to overcome these challenges.
In the later stages of the project, BREWC4 plans to involve local and government officials, including
respected professors from the various universities. This involvement will allow for the transfer ofknowledge and past experience concerning environmental stewardship and protection. Monitor
Details of troop involvement during awareness, training and community meetings will be kept. Eachindividual situation will determine how these numbers are verified.
Site specific stakeholder meetings will be conducted on a monthly basis and attendance will be kept by
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using a sign in sheet. All stakeholders will be encouraged to participate.
Task Force meetings will be held on a quarterly basis and attendance will be kept documented in themeeting minutes (responsibility for taking meeting minutes will be assigned). Ability to compromiseamong this group will also be captured in the minutes.
Evaluate
Participation from English speaking troops and non English speaking troops will be compared.
Attendance to stakeholder meetings vs. number of identified stakeholder groups will be examined.
Task Force members are the SMEs assigned to the project along with an appointed representative fromeach site (larger sites may have more than one appointed representative). Task Force members arerequired to attend each quarterly meeting; the percentage of attendance and names of attendees will bereported in the quarterly Task Force Summary Report.
Adjust
Examine how cultural differences could be impacting open & effective communication; altercommunication style. Evaluate providing an incentive for attendance to the site specific stakeholdermeetings. If Task Force attendance is problematic, alternate locations will be assessed.
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Assess
Objective 2 Identify barriers to implementing existing environmental policies and programs,determine options to overcome barriers and rank those options according to leastexpensive and easiest to implement
Methods Conduct troop and contractor surveys and interviews; have stakeholder brainstormingsessions; conduct literature research, perform root-cause, fault tree or other scientificmethod of analysis.
Survey, interview and brainstorming session results will be used to identify barriers.Prioritize according to easiest to implement, cheapest to implement and greatest potentialimpact.
Locate or conduct a feasibility study on waste treatment/ disposal options, ie composting,recycling, etc including full waste stream analysis. Assess availability of local facilitiesand resources. Perform or locate cost benefit analysis on alternative waste managementoptions.
Predictions Survey returns are below norm or extremely below norm. Military personnel unwilling oruncomfortable answering interview questions (fear of reprisal). Lack of consensus among
participants or negative feedback/attitude. Scientific uncertainty or perceived need formore information results in slow decision making and inaction.
Waste treatment/disposal option feasibility studies data exists, but is not applicable tomilitary installations. Cost benefit analysis on alternative waste management optionsexists, but does not include implication of health concerns. Lack of consensus whichoptions are cheapest or easiest to implement. Availability of local facilities or resources isminimal at best; areas where facilities are available are not logistically feasible for allsites.
Measures Percentage of survey returns, number of interviews conducted, stakeholder attendance at brainstorming session.
Waste stream analysis report, report on waste treatment feasibility study, report on cost benefit analysis of alternative waste management options compared with continued use of burn pits.
Report detailing number and type of local facilities available and distance from each site.
Report listing the identified challenges, recommended options and ranking.
Uncertainties Being in a contingency environment brings a certain level of uncertainty into everything.
Support and willingness of troops and contractors to participate.Military Command commitment.Available funding for alternative waste disposal methods.
Design
A survey questionnaire will be developed to determine level of environmental awareness, level ofenvironmental concern and population consensus of the reason existing policies and programs are not
being followed. Percentage of survey returns are normally low; to improve this percentage drop boxes
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and survey forms will be available at various locations around the site. Individual interviews will bevoluntary on a walk-in basis and completely confidential. No name will be documented on either theinterview report or the survey. To minimize negative feedback/attitudes, brain storming session rules will
be clearly established and communicated. Any person unwilling to comply with these fair and simplerules will be asked to leave. To prevent a stalemate or slow progress, a maximum time for data collectionduring this phase the project will be established.
The ability of BREWC4 to prioritize implementation of measures by ranking according to easiest andcheapest to implement will provide the opportunity to quickly demonstrate progress. This will alsodemonstrate to command not all changes are expensive and hard to implement leading to greatercommitment for the more costly and difficult options.
Monitor
The number of returned surveys, number of interviews, brain storming session attendance and on timecompletion of this phase for each site will be noted.
Time to complete analysis and develop action plan for implementation.
Number of options identified, cost and time to implement.
Evaluate
Percentage of surveys returned vs. site population
Number of interviews conducted and willingness to participate.
Outcome of brain storming sessions; positive or negative.
Time and cost to implement identified options
Adjust
In the event survey returns are below the norm, the Task Force will examine providing an incentive forreturns. Other needed adjustments may be identified during this phase, such as extra time is needed or notas much time is needed for completion, or brain storming session attendance limited to max number of
participants. Adapt existing studies, as available to meet military installation demands. Implement votingmeasures to reach consensus. Other adjustments will be made as needed based on stakeholder input.
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Assess
Objective 3 Implement identified options to overcome barriers.
Methods Implementation will begin with the focus on waste management, specifically byimproving segregation of waste streams at the source of generation, beginning a
recycling program., starting a compost area (if determined feasible), and establishingcontracts with local service providers.
Predictions Minimal participation to waste segregation by waste generators, trash and rubbish placedin with recyclables and vice versa, compost pile leads to increase in vector population.
Measures Weekly observation reports on waste segregation, material recycled, vector populationand status of compost pile.
Uncertainties Stakeholder commitment and participation.Does composting impact vector population?
Design
To successfully manage waste, a plan must be put into place. Waste segregation must be easy and simplefor the generator; they should not have to go out of their way in order to separate the trash. Use of colorcoded bins to distinguish between different waste streams may be effective. Placing bins at strategiclocations around the camp and providing drop points for items such as batteries, WEEE (Waste Electronicand Electrical Equipment), and aerosol cans will improve the chances of success.
Monitor
Participation of troops and contractors determined by amount of waste segregation occurring, amount ofmaterial being recycled, vector population at compost pile and number of local service provider contractsin place.
Evaluate
Percentage of recyclable material collected vs. consumption.
Decrease in amount of waste for disposal.
Vector population vs. baseline.
Number of and distance to local facilities in each area of operation.
Adjust
Movement of waste bins, increase in number of locations as needed based on outcome of evaluations.Increase vector control in area of composting, provide feedback forms or conduct additional surveys todetermine lack of participation in recycling program
Evaluate landfills (dumps) vs. compost for difference in vector populations, conduct education andawareness training, implement ad campaign.
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Assess
Objective 4 Improved environmental performance
Methods Conduct educational briefings i.e. town hall meetings to increase awareness , promote base camp life as a community, celebrate environmental protection by participating in site
wide environmental events, such as Earth Day, International Day for Preventing theExploitation of the Environment in War , etc. Have a competition for The BestEnvironmental Performers on a team basis; teams will be made up of a individual units,companies, etc.
Predictions Being away from home, promoting base camp life as a community will be readilyaccepted. Military units tend to be very competitive, so participation in the contest isexpected to be high.
Town hall meetings get off track of subject or become a compliant session.
Improved environmental performance in Afghanistan is not seen as serious.
Measures Attendance at town hall meetings must be small enough to maintain order and direction.
Camp visit by upper level Military Command to promote improved environmental performance will provide credibility.
Uncertainties Stakeholder commitment and participation.
Military command commitment to time and resources.
Design
Promoting the base camp life as a community will instill a sense of home for those who are so far away
from home. If this were my back yard would I throw rubbish around? Providing the opportunity for unitsto participate in a friendly competition will encourage participation, as troops tend to be very competitivealready. Several town hall sessions will be conducted at each site to allow for maximum attendance.
Monitor
Troop and contractor attendance and participation during town hall meetings, contests and events.
Evaluate
Percentage of population attending town hall meetings less than 50%.
Percentage of units/companies participating in BEP contest less than 30%.
Percentage of population participating in Environmental events less than 30%.
Adjust
Provide T-shirts to participants of environmental events, Earth Day 2012 Afghanistan; providerefreshments at meetings to encourage participation; prize to winner of BEP should be substantial enoughto encourage participation. Other adjustments to be made as needed.
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Assess
Objective 5 Maximize waste reduction
Methods Reducing the amount of waste generated will be accomplished by promoting the principleof the 3 Rs; Reuse, Reduce & Recycle.
Predictions Throwing unwanted items away is always easier than taking them to a collection point fordonation.
Measures Task force quarterly report to include data on amount of material being donated for reuse,amount of recycled material and amount of reduction in waste per soldier per day.
Uncertainties Stakeholder commitment and participation.
Military Command commitment.
Design
BREWC4 will promote the 3Rs principle by simple ad campaign utilizing AFN TV and Radio. Inaddition, a collection point will be established where soldiers and contractors can donate items they nolonger use or want. The distribution of these donated items will be determined by consensus of the taskforce. Examples could be operation of a second hand store, with the proceeds being donated to an ArmedForces Charity or the goods could be donated to a local charity, such as an orphanage.
Monitor
Amount of waste generated, number and types of items donated, amount of material recycled.
Evaluate
Reduction of waste generated per soldier per day vs. baseline
Adjust
Increase awareness and education training; examine level of military command commitment, increasenumber and type of ads to include the possibilities of billboards or incentive for donating unwanted items.
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Assess
Objective 6 Minimize potential health impacts
Methods Air and water quality baseline studies and monitoring; conduct health studies on burn pitexposure
Predictions Air and water quality is below WHO recommended guidelines; burn pit exposure healthstudies already underway. Political and upper command military resistance to conductair and water quality monitoring due to implicated liabilities.
Measures Air and water quality results provided to the site population via monthly reports in Starsand Stripes Newspaper and other media.
Task force quarterly report to include air and water quality data.
Uncertainties Political and upper level military command agreement to conduct air and water qualitymonitoring. Could be presented as lack of funding or impractical to implement.
Design
BREWC4 will implement air and water quality monitoring programs; these results will be provided to thegeneral population on base. This will be done to promote the wearing of dust masks, especially on daysof high particulate load. Water quality results will aid to promote protection of the environment as a largeamount of the water used on base comes from wells and bore holes. With approval, air quality can be
posted outside DFACs similar to PPE levels, i.e. green, yellow, orange, red & black.
Monitor
Air and water quality, number of individuals reporting respiratory distress, and types of waste being sentto burn pits.
Evaluate
Number of individuals reporting respiratory distress vs. baseline (could use numbers from US forcomparison)
Frequency of burn pit operation, distance from burn pits to living areas, frequency of noncompliant itemssent to burn pit
Adjust
Consider relocation of mission essential burn pits, ensure prohibited items are not being burned; promoteself reporting by contractors operating burn pits, segregate and report unauthorized items vs. burningthem.
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Assess
Objective 7 Minimize use of burn pits and when their use is considered mission critical, ensureguidance on safe operation of burn pits is followed (location, prohibited items, etc).
Methods Implementation of this project will result in a decrease in the use of burn pits. In order to
truly minimize their use, other methods of waste disposal are required. Cost benefitanalysis should provide answers as to which methods are most cost effective, i.e. landfillsor incinerators.
Encouraging self reporting of contractors operating the burn pits will reduce prohibiteditems from being burned, as well as waste segregation, reuse, reduce and recycle.Initially, more focus on audits and evaluation of burn pit use is indicated; however, asresidents see improvements in air quality and overall health, self enforcement will becomethe active method of control.
Predictions If political and military command support and commitment is visible and positive, thetroops and contractors are more likely to participate and be positive about this project.
This will result in a decrease in the number of burn pits in operation.If political and military command support and commitment is not visible and or positive,the troops and contractors are less likely to participate and be positive about this project.This project will have minimal impact on the number of burn pits in operation.
Measures Task force quarterly reports to include data on number of burn pits in operation, numberof burn pits closed and any new burn pits opened. Also included in this report will beinformation on burn pits which are mission critical, their distance from living areas andamount/type of prohibited items sent to burn pits.
Uncertainties Political and military command commitment.
Troop and contractor commitment.
Available funding.
Design
Successful implementation of this project will result in a decrease in the number of burn pits in operation.Those burn pits considered mission critical will not burn prohibited items as a regular method ofoperation and they will be located the minimal distance from living areas.
Monitor
Number of burn pits in operation, occurrences of prohibited items sent to mission critical burn pits.
Evaluate
Distance from mission critical burn pits to living areas.
Number of burn pits closed per month; number of new burn pits opened per month.
Types of prohibited items being sent to burn pits.
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Adjust
Number and location of drop points for prohibited waste items; seek to understand lack of political andmilitary command support, consider involvement of the press and local Afghan Environmental ProtectionAgency. Other adjustments as identified by stakeholders.
Potential Challenges
Goals &Objectives
ImplementedAction(s)
Trigger Possible NextSteps/Actions
Feasibility of NextSteps/Actions
Open & effectivecommunication
between allmilitary,contractor andAfghan
stakeholders
Solicit Englishspeakingvolunteers fromMilitary Units tointerpret and hire alocal interpreter
Non Englishspeaking NATOtroops
participation below 30%
Examine howcultural differencescould be impactingopen & effectivecommunication;alter communication
style
Understandingcultural differencescan be critical toeffectivecommunication andchanges easily made
Afghanstakeholderinvolvementimpossible
Limit Afghan participation togovernment anduniversity officials
This will be easierto manage; howevertime to get anyAfghan local on
base can be timeconsuming
Monthly NATO-ISAF/contractorstakeholdermeetings (locationspecific)
Attendance & participation below 30%
Provide incentivefor attendingmeetings, food,drink, show a movieafterwards, etc
Logistics workedwith food service;MWR
Quarterly NATO-ISAF/contractorTask Forcemeetings(representativesfrom eachlocation,contractor,technical experts,and regionalrepresentatives)
Attendance & participation below 75%
Consider alternatelocations formeetings
Meetings could beheld in Dubai orPakistan
Security of meetinglocation could limitoptions
Cost, logistics andavailable staffingremaining in theatrecould limitfeasibility
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22 An Adaptive Management Plan for Environmental Action: Operation Enduring Freedom
Goals &Objectives
ImplementedAction(s)
Trigger Possible NextSteps/Actions
Feasibility of NextSteps/Actions
Identify barriers toimplementingexistingenvironmental
policies and programs
Conduct troop andcontractor surveysand interviews
Percentage ofsurvey returns
below 30%
Include incentivewhen surveys aresent; follow uprequests offeringan additionalincentive forreturn
Depending on typeof incentive, could
be costlyconsidering thenumber of troopsin theatre Seekdonations fromonsite vendors
Willingness ofrespondents toanswer questions
Ensureconfidentialityfrom feedback;respondents arenot identified
Do not requirenames on surveys;interviews are notconducted bychain of command
Literature researchand surveys Scientificuncertainty or othercauses result inslow decisionmaking andinaction
Education of participants;scientificuncertainty willalways existEmphasis on smallsteps; some actionis better than none
By focusing onsmall steps, thetask(s) is lessoverwhelming and
becomesachievable
Shareholder brainstormingsessions;
Lack of consensusamong participantsor negativefeedback/attitude
Seek middleground; avoidcontroversialissues; seek to
understand theindividuals pointof view; empower
participants
Empowering participants toaction could provedifficult due to
available time,funding andmission objectives(command)
Conduct root-cause/fault tree orother scientificmethod of analysis
Scientificuncertainty or othercauses result inslow decisionmaking andinaction
Education of participants;scientificuncertainty willalways existEmphasis on smallsteps; some actionis better than none
By focusing onsmall steps, thetask(s) is lessoverwhelming and
becomesachievable
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23 An Adaptive Management Plan for Environmental Action: Operation Enduring Freedom
Goals &Objectives
ImplementedAction(s)
Trigger Possible NextSteps/Actions
Feasibility of NextSteps/Actions
Identify and prioritizeoptions toovercome
barriers
Prioritize accordingto easiest toimplement,cheapest toimplement andgreatest potentialimpact
Lack ofconsensusamong
participants
Seek compromise,conduct independent(anonymous)voting/ranking ofoptions to reachconsensus
Easily implemented by using simpleranking tables/charts
Conduct feasibilitystudy on wastetreatment/ disposaloptions, iecomposting,recycling, etcincluding full wastestream analysis
Slow or limited progress
Determine cause ofslow progress;assign additionalresources if needed
Availability ofadditional resourcescan be limited
Assess availabilityof local facilitiesand resources
Number andtype of localresources andfacilitiesavailable in eacharea of operation
Short term:Consider purchaseor construction onlarger bases; assesstransboundarymovement
Funding for purchase orconstruction may not
be availableTransboundarymovement iscumbersome
Long term: InvolveAfghan stakeholdersto seek developmentof facilities;
Feasible, but will notmeet timeconstraints
Perform cost benefit analysis onalternative wastemanagementoptions
Slow or limited progress Determine cause ofslow progress;assign additionalresources if needed
Availability ofadditional resourcescan be limited
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24 An Adaptive Management Plan for Environmental Action: Operation Enduring Freedom
Goals &Objectives
ImplementedAction(s)
Trigger Possible NextSteps/Actions
Feasibility of NextSteps/Actions
Implementidentifiedoptions toovercome
barriers
Improve wastesegregation at thesource
Observation ofsignificantresistance towaste segregation
by wastegenerator
Access logistics ofsegregation; must
be simple andconvenient for thewaste generator
Layout of DFACsand availablespace could be a
potential problem
Recycling (aluminum, plastic, metal)
% of recyclablematerial collectedvs. % ofrecyclablematerial used
below 1:2
Supply feedbackforms, conductadditional surveysconcerning
participation
Surveys are simpleto implement;getting response isnot
Composting Increase in vector population vs. baseline
Increase vectorcontrol in compostarea; consultexperts oncause/solutions
An increase invector populationcreates a risk totroop health andthus the mission;composting maynot be feasible
Establish servicecontracts with localfacilities/resources
Number of anddistance to localfacilities in eacharea of operation
Consider purchase(cost benefitanalysis) of onsiteincinerators forlocations wheredistance to service
provider is an issue
Availability offunding; shippingor constructiontime
Compliance of
local service providers toenvironmentalstewardship
Involvement of
Afghanistans NEPA; conducteducation &awarenesscampaigns for localservice providers
Environmental
stewardship toAfghanistan maynot equal westernworldrequirements;availability offunding could also
be an issue
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25 An Adaptive Management Plan for Environmental Action: Operation Enduring Freedom
Goals &Objectives
ImplementedAction(s)
Trigger Possible NextSteps/Actions
Feasibility of NextSteps/Actions
Improvedenvironmental
performance
Contests betweenunits (bestenvironmental
performer, etc)
% of units participating incontest below30%
Offer incentive towinner of 2 beers
per unit member
This is feasible as ithas been done in the
past, however it willrequire upper level(CENTCOM)command approval
Conducteducational
briefings i.e. townhall meetings toincrease awareness
Percentage of populationattendance
below 50%
Offer refreshmentsduring meetingssuch as cookies,cakes, juice, soda,etc
Logistics to beworked with foodservices
Participate in sitewide environmentalevents, i.e. EarthDay, InternationalDay for Preventingthe Exploitation ofthe Environment inWar
Percentage of participation below 30% persite
Promote living on base as being partof a community;
promotecommunityinvolvement
Simple advertisingcampaign, postings,AFRTS (AmericanForces Radio &Television Services)and AFN (ArmedForces NetworkEurope), etc
Provide T-shirts to participants
Feasible if cost isminimized byseeking corporateand environmentaldonors/sponsors
Waste reduction Minimize theamount of wastegenerated by
promoting the principles reduce,reuse and recycle(Three Rs)
Less than 10%reduction inwaste
generation persoldier per day
Increaseawareness andeducation; look at
troop commandercommitment
Commandercommitment iscritical to success
Gaining thiscommitment rests ondemonstrating
program improvesmission success
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Goals &Objectives
ImplementedAction(s)
Trigger Possible NextSteps/Actions
Feasibility of NextSteps/Actions
Minimize potential healthimpacts
Air and waterquality baselinestudies andmonitoring
Air or waterquality results
below theminimumestablished byWHO
Provide andencourage wearingof dust masks;utilize alternatesource of water;
post air qualityindicators (similarto weather in US)
Drinking water isnot an issue as
bottled water isshipped in, cost oftrucking water fromdifferent locationcan be costly;military use ofROWPU; dustmasks are feasible,
but will peoplewear them?
Conduct healthstudies on burn pitexposure
Number ofindividualsreportingrespiratorydistress increasesvs. baseline
Audit reports onwaste disposal
practices
Examine air qualitydata; considerrelocation ofmission essential
burn pits; contractwith local wastedisposal providersEnsure prohibiteditems are not being
burned; promoteself reporting bycontractors
Certain FOBs aresmall andrelocation of burn
pit may not befeasible;
Better policing of burn pit operationrequires additionalresources whichmay not beavailable; fear ofcontract loss due toerrors may preventcontractors fromself reporting
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27 An Adaptive Management Plan for Environmental Action: Operation Enduring Freedom
Goals &Objectives
ImplementedAction(s)
Trigger Possible NextSteps/Actions
Feasibility of NextSteps/Actions
Minimize use of burn pits
All of the aboveimplementedactions should leadto reduced use of
burn pits
Less than 25%reduction of
burn pits inoperation by31-Dec-2011
Less than 50%reduction of
burn pits inoperation by31-Jun-2012
Less than 75%reduction of
burn pits inoperation by31-Dec-2012
Conduct audits on burn pit location,type of items being
burned, etc todetermine NATOcompliance withexisting burn pitregulations
Investigate status ofconstruction and
purchase process forincinerators
Disciplinary action
Consider if use of burn pit is actuallymission critical ormerely convenient;use of burn pitsalready requiresupper commandsignature and is notalways followed
Prefer disciplinaryaction be avoided;instills a police stateof compliance ratherthan voluntarycommunity do theright thingmotivation
When use of burn pits isconsideredmission critical,ensure guidanceon safe operationof burn pits isfollowed(location,
prohibited items,etc)
Waste segregationat the source;improved oversightof contractorsoperating burn pits
Change innumber of burn
pits in operation
Audit results onoperation of
burn pits; nomission
justification foruse
Review obstacles preventingimplementation ofcurrent policies and
programs; conductroot cause analysis
Implementation of program in phases; base by base isrecommended tolimit costly mistakesdue tomisidentification ofobstacles
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28 An Adaptive Management Plan for Environmental Action: Operation Enduring Freedom
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