Lansing, Mich.-The National Guard Bureau has selected the Michigan National Guard and its $24 million, 143,518 square foot, CSMS facility as the 2008 winner of the NGB "Pollution Prevention" environmental award. The award recognizes state installations that promote environmental stewardship and sustainability, and is presented during the National Environmental Workshop to be held next spring in Orange County, CA. A representative from the CSMS will attend the workshop and receive the award on behalf of the Michigan National Guard.

Winning the award was truly a joint effort between the environmental office and the CSMS staff. The partnership included procuring and obligating funds through the Nation Guard Bureau's Pollution Prevention program to purchase painting equipment provide specialized training that increased efficiency and minimized waste generation, and to invest in waste stream evaluation and analysis resulting from water based Chemical Agent Resistant Coating and Painting operations.

Being selected for the NGB "P2" award qualifies the Michigan Army National Guard and the CSMS for further competition and honors at the next higher level; the Department of the Army. Wins at the Department of the Army level would then qualify the installation for top level competitions at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Pollution prevention is a comprehensive initiative to reduce and prevent pollution at the source. It focuses on conservation of resources, replacement of hazardous materials with less hazardous materials, waste reduction, recycling, and other preventive means to successfully and cost effectively avoid, prevent, or reduce the generation of pollutants.

The CSMS, located at 3323 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. is a ground-vehicle maintenance facility consisting of 53 work bays and eight motor vehicle storage bays. It is the home work station for 100 full-time employees and 80 part-time Michigan National Guard members.

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