517 



SUBJECT: Protection and Enhancement: -jf Environmental 

 ~ "Quality 



b. Environrngnta.l Qu^-lity Enhance:7.ent : Enviror.T.enCal preservation and 

 improvenient activities of the Army, including all actions to curtail pollution of 

 the environment by installations, facilities, buildings, structures, equip- 

 ment, aircraft, vehicles , .vessels , and any other property owned, leased, 

 and/or operated by the Army. 



4. DISCUSSION. ■ • 



a. While significant public interest in environmental factors is rela- 

 tively new, elements of the Army have been actively concerned with ecological 

 problems and projects for many years. It is noteworthy that in the present 

 era of austere budgets. Army fiscal planning includes provisions for projects 

 relating to protection and enhancement of environmental quality. 



(1) In planning for operations and in designing materiel and facilities, 

 individual elements of the Army Staff have long rec&gnized an interest and 

 responsibility in protecting environmental resources. However, the Army 

 Staff as a whole has not given deliberate and coordinated consideration to 

 the requirement to avoid contamination and destruction of land, water, and 

 air resources. 



■ (2) The increasing severity and pervasiveness £>f the contamination and 

 depletion of environmental" resources require a universal awareness and a 

 thoroughly coordinated response by the Army. The iriierent nature of military 

 operations and the professional and technical resources of the Army place it 

 in a unique position - to contribute 'both to the problem and to its solution. 



(3) The increasing attention being given the national pollution abatement 

 effort requires that Army planning consider the impact of Federal and local 

 environmental controls on the accomplishment of the ATmy's primary mission and 

 on the availability of resources. 



b. Environmental conservation issues have two ccmmon characteristics 

 which must be recognized in both Army planning and eicecution: 



(1) Environmental considerations are pervasive and impact on almost every 

 aspect of Army activity. Each Army Staff agency must acquire and sustain a 

 knowledge of current developments in this field, outside as Well as within 



the Army. Planners and action officers must develop a sufficient understanding 

 of environmental pollution control to be able to give it due consideration 

 in their planning. 



(2) Both the cause of deterioration and prograts for environmental pro- 

 tection and enhanr?.:ient opei-'cite slowly and over .. period of many years. Army 

 Staff planning for environmental pollution control miSt be constant and 

 continuous in nature, rather than oriented only to Lwnediatc problems, if the 

 Army's long-range responsibilities are to be net. 



62-513 O - 71 - 34 



