Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center

The mission of the VA Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia, is to deliver quality health care to our nation’s veterans. In order to accomplish this mission, the VA Medical Center recognizes that it must operate so as to protect both the environment and the health and safety of patients, employees and visitors. In order to accomplish this, the VA Medical Center is committed to the following actions: 

• Operating a Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) that meets the requirements of Presidential Executive Order 13423 and the guidance provided by Veterans Health Administration.

• Being a good steward of the environment by complying with federal, state and local environmental laws and other requirements, preventing pollution, minimizing waste, conserving cultural and natural resources and continuallyimproving environmental programs.

• Utilizing sustainable practices to eliminate minimize or mitigate adverse environmental impacts.

• Evaluating the operation of the VA Medical Center to incorporate actions into facility planning and procedures to reduce environmental vulnerabilities.

• Integrating pollution prevention, waste minimization, resource conservation into the VA Medical Center operations, whenever practical.

• Using natural resources efficiently, and maintain a policy of protecting plant and wildlife habitats consistent with the VA Medical Center’s mission.

• Recognizing that the development and construction at the VA Medical Center must consider the unique conditions of the environment of which the facility is a part.

• Training VA Medical Center staff, as needed, to carry out the environmental responsibilities of their positions.

• Soliciting input, as appropriate, from stakeholders including staff, patients, visitors, and the local community regarding environmental matters affecting the operation of the medical center.

 The official environmental policy document is MEMORANDUM NO. 509-05-13/04 which can be obtained by contacting Mike Dobbins, GEMS Coordinator, at 706-733-0188, extension 6000.