By Anette Gross, USAG Ansbach Environmental Management Division
The Environmental Performance Assessment and Assistance System, or EPAAS, is the Army’s program for auditing installation-level environmental performance.
It is the key element in the plan-do-check-act framework of the Sustainable Environmental Management System, or SEMS.
Periodic external EPAASs are conducted every three years and in combination with the annual internal EPAAS audits they provide the garrison commander with a current picture and overview of the installation’s overall environmental performance posture.
An EPAAS assessment includes an assessment of the SEMS’s conformance to ISO 14001, EMS policy and the installation’s own EMS procedures, an assessment of the installation’s compliance with legal and other environmental requirements, and an outline of corrective actions required to address deficiencies identified during the assessment.
We, USAG Ansbach, had our external EPAAS from June 13 through 17. Many thanks to all for your hard work and cooperation.
In 2016, a total of 46 noncompliance findings were detected, compared to 75 findings during the last EPAAS in 2013. The results of the EPAAS show that we have significantly improved our environmental management performance compared to the last EPAAS in 2013.
It is important to remember: After the EPAAS, we need to work together to correct the findings. So please help us in continuing to improve our environmental performance.