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Management Division
Welcome to HMMD
Welcome to the Hazardous Materials
Management Division (HMMD) within
the Office of Property and Procurement
Management. The paragraphs that
follow provide some background
to help you better understand
our role within USDA.
Site Cleanup to Restore
Ecosystems and Watersheds
Some USDA-managed lands and
former USDA facilities are
affected by environmental
contamination from hazardous
materials. In general, the
contamination occurred from
historical materials and waste
management practices predating
the era of modern environmental
regulation, which began in
the 1970s. In addition, as
many as 7,000 mining-related
sites (of more than 40,000
such sites on National Forest
lands) release harmful quantities
of hazardous materials to
the environment. These sites
were created following passage
of the General Mining Law
of 1872, which encouraged
exploration and settling of
the American West. Mining
activities under the law were
virtually unregulated during
the first 100 years following
its passage.
State and local economies
rely on USDA-managed lands
for the many benefits and
services they provide, including
drinking and irrigation water,
fishing, camping, boating,
swimming, hiking, and subsistence
hunting and gathering. HMMD
is involved in funding priority
projects for ecosystem and
watershed restoration efforts
on USDA-managed lands that
have been adversely affected
by hazardous materials.
Incident/Emergency Response
The petroleum products and
hazardous substances that
fuel our prosperity can, in
a heartbeat, or over many
years, pollute the environment,
threaten health, curtail economic
activity, and disrupt safety
and security. It does not
matter whether the incident
resulted from an accident,
an intentional act, or a result
of a natural disaster. There
is a never-ending need to
prepare for, guard against,
and effectively respond to
incidents that regularly arise
during the manufacture, transport,
storage, use, or misuse of
hazardous materials. USDA
HMMD plays a key role in responding
to emergency situations on
USDA-managed lands which involve
discharges of oil and releases
of hazardous substances, pollutants,
and contaminants. Past emergencies
of national significance where
USDA has provided assistance
include: oil spills such as
the Exxon Valdez, and New
Carissa, the Columbia Space
shuttle recovery, and Hurricane
Katrina recovery efforts.
Environmental Management
Systems
In January 2007, the President
signed Executive Order 13423,
"Strengthening Federal
Environmental, Energy, and
Transportation Management."
The executive order mandates
that Federal departments and
agencies conduct their environmental,
transportation, and energy-related
activities under the law in
an environmentally, economically
and fiscally sound, integrated,
continuously improving, efficient,
and sustainable manner. The
order establishes ambitious
objectives related to energy
conservation, water conservation,
"green" procurement,
alternative fuel usage, "green"
building construction, and
other sustainable practices.
The executive order establishes
environmental management systems
(EMS) as the primary management
framework for achieving its
sustainable practice objectives.
HMMD assists USDA in the
implementation of E.O. 13423
by developing policies and
guidance related to:
Developing and implementing
EMS
Incorporating sustainable
goals and compliance management
plans into EMS
Establishing and achieving
goals to eliminate or reduce
the acquisition, use, and
disposal of toxic and hazardous
substances.
Brownfields Redevelopment Rural communities themselves
are not exempt from the effects
of environmental contamination.
Thousands of "brownfields"
abandoned industries and businesses,
such as mills, factories and
closed gasoline stations are
actual or perceived sources
of environmental contamination.
In a rural community, the
impact can be even more devastating
if the failed business is
the sole large employer. A
central blighted property
also increases pressure to
develop surrounding farmland
or "greenfields."
USDA helps support rural redevelopment
through programs in the Rural
Development and Natural Resources
and Environment Mission areas.
USDA HMMD serves as the primary
contact point for communities
needing USDA assistance with
a brownfields project. We
also have a special interest
on brownfields associated
with mine scarred lands and
communities from a cleanup
and redevelopment perspective.