Chapter 1 Policies and Programs

CHAPTER 1 POLICIES AND PROGRAMS What is a policy or a program? A policy is an overall plan that contains general goals and broad guidelines. Policy usually establishes the end to be attained, not the means of getting there. A program is a plan or system under which action may be taken towards a goal. Programs provide the means to reach the end (goal) stated by the policy. In other words, policies tell where to go; programs tell how to get there. This chapter covers some of the policies and programs of the U. S. Navy. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CONTROL Learning Objectives: When you finish this chapter, you will be able to— Identify the need for environmental pollution control to include the sources and effects (natural, historical, archeological, physical, and biological) of pollution. Recognize the Navy programs for pollution control to include the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Noise Prevention Ashore. The Navy’s ability to accomplish its mission requires daily operations in land, sea, and air environments. The Navy is committed to operating ships and shore facilities in a manner compatible with the environment. National defense and environmental protection are and must be compatible goals. Therefore, an important part of the Navy’s mission is to prevent pollution, protect the environment, and conserve natural, historic, and cultural resources. To accomplish this mission element, personnel must be aware of the environmental and natural resources laws and regulations that have been established by federal, state, and local governments. The Navy chain of command must provide leadership and a personal commitment to ensure that all Navy personnel develop and exhibit an environmental protection ethic. Environmental pollution is the altering of the natural environment in an adverse way. Pollution can result from the presence of chemical, physical, or biological agents in the air, water, or soil. Some of the worst effects of pollution are economic loss (agricultural and industrial), fewer recreational opportunities, and the marring of the earth’s natural beauty. Pollutants affect human health and comfort, fish and wildlife, plant life, water resources, physical s t r u c t u r e s , a n d e q u i p m e n t . I n o t h e r w o r d s , environmental pollution results from any substance added to our water, air, or land that makes it less fit for use by plants, animals, or human beings. SOURCES OF POLLUTION Nature contributes to pollution by eroding the soil causing silt to build up in streams and by volcanic eruptions that pollute the atmosphere. However, people cause most pollution problems in the world. The main sources of pollutants are agricultural, industrial, municipal, and transportation operations. Agricultural pollutants include insecticides, herbicides, pesticides, natural and chemical fertilizers, drainage from animal feedlots, salts from field irrigation, and silts from uncontrolled soil erosion. Industrial operations produce a wide variety of pollutants. Industrial pollutants include acids from mines and factories, thermal discharges from power plants, and radioactive wastes from mining and processing certain ores. Industries create pollutants by producing food, chemicals, metals, petroleum products, and poisons, as well as countless other by-products of our country’s technology. The primary municipal pollutants are raw or inadequately treated sewage. Other municipal pollutants include refuse, storm-water overflows, and salts used on streets in wintertime. Transportation pollutants include emissions from aircraft, trains, waterborne vessels, and cars and trucks. 1-1 When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die. —Eleanor Roosevelt