The South Carolina Army National Guard (SCARNG) is committed to excellence in all operations, including environmental stewardship. To support the SCARNG’s mission, the Environmental Office maintains a staff of highly trained environmental professionals with expertise in a range of areas from the management of hazardous waste to threatened and endangered species.
To enhance mission readiness and reduce our impact on the environment, SCARNG has implemented an Environmental Management System (EMS). The EMS is a set of processes and practices that enable SCARNG to reduce our environmental impacts and increase our operating efficiency. SCARNG’s commitment to environmental excellence is evidenced in The Adjutant General’s Environmental Policy:
The South Carolina Army National Guard is committed to maintaining the highest level of mission-readiness to achieve both federal and state objectives. As responsible environmental stewards, we will strive to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and statutes, as well as other requirements to which we subscribe. The South Carolina Army National Guard will accomplish this through the establishment of a framework for setting and reviewing environmental objectives and targets with the intent of preventing pollution, protecting the environment and continually improving environmental performance for present and future generations.
As part of the EMS, SCARNG set a goal to reduce the environmental impact from vehicle painting operations. We successfully reached that goal by drastically reducing the amount of waste and air emissions generated from these operations. In order to maintain our vehicles and equipment, the SCARNG must strip and paint equipment ranging in size from generators to tanker trucks. The old process used a “bead blast” material to strip the old paint from the vehicles and equipment, but it generated considerable amounts of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. In 2009, a large renovation project was completed that converted the previous bead blast stripping system to a high pressure water blasting system.
In addition, the SCARNG switched to a water-based paint from a solvent-based paint which reduced the amount of air emissions generated and the amount of paint thinner needed.
As the following graph depicts, the volume of waste generated was reduced by almost 90%. The new water blasting system recycles the water used for blasting.
The Environmental Office also manages the natural and cultural resource issues for all SCARNG facilities including 17,000 acres at four training areas and armories across the state. The majority of this acreage is at the Robert L. McCrady Training Center which is inhabited by several rare and unique species. Three of these species are listed on the Federal Threatened and Endangered Species List, each of which receives special protection and consideration.
McCrady Training Center is home to the Harry J. Vann Trail, a one-mile interpretive loop trail that connects to the Palmetto Trail. This trail is open to the public and meanders through the black water flood plain of Colonels Creek and upland pine forest. The Environmental Office constructed this trail in part due to a grant received from NETF for National Public Lands Day. Signs posted along the trail address topics from the history of the Sandhills region to recycling. Located at the mid-point of the trail is an outdoor classroom which is used for hands-on displays and lectures during guided walking tours, but which also makes for a nice resting spot. Contact us at 803.806.2307 if you are interested in scheduling a guided walking tour.
Call 803.806.1676 for any environmental inquiries.
