United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of the Administrator [Mail Code 1802] EPA100-F-98-009 May 1998 (http://www.epa.gov) 5EPA Project XL: Vandonborg AFB WHAT IS PROJECTXL? SUMMARYOF THE VANDENBERG AFB PROJECT SUPERIOR ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE Project XL, which stands for "excellence and Leadership," is a national initiative that tests innovative ways of achieving better and more cost- effective public health and environmental protection. The information and lessons learned from Project XL will be used to assist the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in redesigning its current regulatory and policy-setting approaches. Under Project XL, sponsors - private facilities, industry sectors, federal facilities and communities - can implement innovative strategies that attain environmental results superior to those achieved under current regulations and policies, and promote greater accountability to stakeholders. For more information on Project XL, see EPA's fact sheet entitled, "What Is Project XL? Excellence and Leadership in Environmental Protection" (EPA 231-F- 97-01), April 1998, and other project-specific fact sheets, all of which are available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ProjectXL or via Project XL's fax-on-demand line at 202-260-8590. Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB), located about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles in Santa Barbara County, California, is the third largest Air Force installation in the United States. It is the only point in the United States from which unmanned government and commercial satellites are launched into polar orbit and from which intercontinental ballistic missiles are launched to verify weapon system performance. Most of the stationary source ozone precursor emissions at the base are generated by boilers, furnaces, process heaters, and internal combustion engines. Vandenberg has completed an assessment of the emission reduction potential from a variety of sources, including but not limited to internal combustion engines and solvent and surface coating applications. The base is now in the process of upgrading or retrofitting those emission sources with advanced pollution control technology to convert those sources to lower-emitting sources. Vandenberg is the first XL project involving a federal facility and is the first Department of Defense regulatory reform project known as ENVVEST (Environmental Investment). The Final Project Agreement was signed on Novembers, 1997. The implementation of Vandenberg AFB's project will increase environmental protection by reducing the facility's annual emissions of ozone precursors into the air by 10 tons or more within the first five Page 1 ------- FLEXIBILITY STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT years through emissions reductions in boilers, furnaces, and/or process heaters. Vandenberg will no longer be a potential major source of air pollution under Title V of the Clean Air Act. The project's long-term focus is on identifying and implementing pollution prevention opportunities for reducing emissions from internal combustion engines, solvent, and surface coating applications, and other suitable sources of ozone precursors. Vandenberg secured relief from the Title V operating permit program to implement pollution prevention activities that would ultimately have a greater environmental benefit than compliance with the operating permit. The project allows the Air Force to reduce environmental program costs and apply savings directly to clean-up programs on Vandenberg AFB. Vandenberg AFB is working to ensure that those parties with a stake in the environmental concepts and effects of its proposal are informed and have an opportunity to fully participate in project implementation. Efforts so far have included: $ Consulting closely with the Vandenberg Community Advisory Board (CAB) and the District Community Advisory Council (CAC) in formulating the agreement; $ Issuing press releases to keep the community informed of project progress; $ Publishing informational notices in the newspaper; and $ Holding regularly scheduled public meetings to inform the public on steps being taken to reduce pollution and solicit public comment. APPROACHES TO BE TESTED $ Can providing the flexibility to control pollution in a more cost-effective manner provide incentives for pollution prevention and innovative solutions that produce benefits for the regulated community and the environment? CONTACTS Sara Segal (EPA Region 9 Contact): 415-744-1569 John Walser (EPA Project Lead, Region 9): 415-744-1257 Walter Walsh (EPA/XL HQ): 202-260-2770 Will Garvey (EPA/DoD ENVVEST): 202-564-2458 Monte McVay (Vandenberg AFB): 805-734-8232 x61921 Peter Cantle (Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District) 805/961-8927 FOR ELECTRONIC INFORMATION More information about Project XL is available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ProjectXL, via Project XL's fax-on-demand line at 202-260-8590, or via Project XL's Information Line at 703-934-3239. Page 2 ------- |