In July 2001, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety, and Occupational Health) signed an action memorandum on EMS, which directed installations to initiate EMS implementation before October 2004 with an EMS in place by Dec. 31, 2005 and full ISO 14001 implementation required by Sept. 30, 2009.
Army compliance assessors saw a connection between EMS and Environmental Compliance Assessment System (ECAS) in 1996, when the Army analyzed repeat findings. On review, the ECAS team found that while Army installations already had environmental programs in place that addressed many of the elements of the ISO 14001 standard, implementing ISO 14001 could help solve many environmental performance problems. The Army began evaluating EMS conformance at installations in 2003, as part of the Environmental Performance Assessment System (EPAS), which evolved from the ECAS. In 2006, full EMS audits were conducted at installations designated by the Army as EMS Appropriate Facilities to document conformance with the ISO 14001 standard.
To conform with Army policy and the ISO 14001 standard, all major non-conformances documented in an EMS must be fully corrected with an approved corrective action plan in place for any minor non-conformance. All Army EMS appropriate facilities met the requirement to conform to the ISO 14001 standard by Dec. 31, 2009. Current Army policy from October 2010 requires all EMS appropriate facilities to maintain and mature their EMS as the framework to manage all environmental programs, as well as environmental aspects associated with other installation operations.
The Army developed the Environmental Management Systems Implementers Guide, which is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to help installation staff in implementing an EMS. In emphasizing the need to take mission priorities into account, it provides guidance on the use of a broad Cross Functional Team, involving leadership, and identifying mission priorities across the installation. Army leadership understands that an EMS will not be successful if it remains only in the environmental office. The people responsible for ensuring success of the mission will embrace programs that truly are designed to benefit them. A properly implemented EMS will help support and enhance the Army’s mission.
The Army also developed the Army Commander’s Guide to Environmental Management Systems. This guide focuses specifically on actions that should be taken by the Garrison Commander (GC) to successfully implement and sustain an effective EMS. The Army has emphasized that the Garrison Commander is the “EMS champion” for an installation, providing direction and leadership to the initiative. The content of this document has been included in the Garrison Commander Course to ensure proper leadership visibility is given to this area.
The Army later developed the Environmental Management System Aspect and Impact Methodology for Army Training Ranges. This methodology, along with Army guidance ensures that impact to training is one of the most prominent factors when determining overall significance of environmental aspects. It also ensures proper visibility and management of those aspects that have the potential to impact installation missions. This represents a dramatic shift in how the Army manages its ranges, and moves the Army from a reactive to a proactive posture, ensuring that training performed today does not restrict the training needs of tomorrow.
The Army's Incentive Programs for Implementing Environmental Management Systems provides a resource installations can use to determine if their state has a program in place which offers regulatory flexibility or other incentives for organizations implementing an EMS.