Public Works Environmental Division is a component of Naval Facilities Engineering Command aboard Naval Station Rota, Spain. The mission of the environmental division of the Public Works Department is to ensure operations aboard NAVSTA Rota are protective of the environment by ensuring compliance with the appropriate laws and regulations.

The Environmental Team is committed to sound management of all environmental programs throughout NAVSTA Rota; especially the protection of health and safety of our community and our environment. We utilize our Environmental Management System (EMS) to accomplish full compliance with the Final Governing Standards (FGS) of Spain, minimizing our adverse environmental impacts with our pollution prevention efforts, and seeking opportunities for continual improvement of our environmental performance.

Compliance Branch

The Environmental Compliance Branch is committed to ensuring that NAVSTA Rota and tenant commands maintain compliance with the Environmental Final Governing Standards (FGS) for Spain. These standards were developed by comparing and adopting the more protective requirements of the U.S. DoD Overseas Environmental Baseline Guidance Document (OEBGD) and Spanish national, regional and local environmental laws and regulations, and applicable international agreements. Departments and tenant commands are required to operate in compliance with the FGS and to promote environmentally safe and healthy working conditions for all employees. The Environmental Compliance Branch is here to assist the departments and tenant commands in reaching these compliance requirements.

Spill Prevention and Response

The FGS, Chapter 18 provides criteria for the installation’s Spill Prevention and Response program. Oil and hazardous substances are chemicals harmful to humans, wildlife or the environment that must be managed if spilled or released. Releases can occur during refueling operations, vehicle maintenance, hazardous material transportation, or other activities. The Compliance Branch works with NAVSTA Rota and tenant commands to prevent and control spills from containers, equipment, and processes and identifies personnel roles, responsibilities, and training requirements.

Underground and Aboveground Storage Tanks

The FGS, Chapters 9 and 19 provide criteria for the management of the installation’s storage tanks. On NAVSTA Rota, petroleum products and other hazardous substances are stored in aboveground storage tanks and underground storage tanks. The Compliance Branch works with tank owners to ensure these substances are not released to the environment, through review of storage tank design and operation, inspections, and operator training.

Construction Plan Review

The FGS, Chapters 1 through 19 provides environmental criteria for all actions undertaken at NAVSTA Rota. The Compliance Branch participates in the site approval process for all new actions and construction projects on base. Plan review also includes environmental review of construction project specifications and designs to ensure all FGS requirements are met.

Solid Waste and Recycling

The FGS, Chapter 7 provides criteria for the installation’s Solid Waste program. Solid waste is generated from base processes such as supply receiving and shipping, machine shops, recreational facilities, offices, base housing, and tenant activities. It includes solid, liquid, semi-solid, or contained gaseous material. Currently, non-hazardous solid waste is disposed of at a regulated Spanish landfill (NAVSTA Rota hazardous waste information can be found in the Environmental Division’s Services Branch section). The Compliance Branch manages the NAVSTA Rota Recycling Program. The main goal of this program is to reduce solid waste disposal costs through reducing the volume of solid waste produced. In FY2012 we successfully recycled or composted 45 percent of NAVSTA Rota's solid waste!

Storm Water

The FGS, Chapters 4 and 18 provide criteria for stormwater management on the installation. Precipitation from rain creates stormwater. As the runoff flows over surfaces, it picks up sediment, excess nutrients, debris, and toxic materials (such as oils and other spilled chemicals) that may enter stormwater conveyance systems and eventually end up in local waterways, the Cadiz Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. The Compliance Branch works to prevent storm water contamination through the Spill Prevention program, site inspections, and review of construction project plans (to ensure controls are in place to prevent erosion and sediment migration).

Waste Water

The FGS, Chapter 4 provides criteria for the management of waste water on our installation. NAVSTA Rota discharges its waste water to the City of Rota’s waste water treatment plant.

Services Branch

The Environmental Service Branch primary objective is to develop, maintain and implement environmental medias, such as hazardous material, hazardous waste, medical and pesticide. The responsibilities for implementing theses plans are also distributed throughout the Installation Commands and personnel involved with the management of them as per applicable DoD, Navy, NAVSTA Rota, and host nation instructions and guidance documents. Tasked organizations must work together to ensure an effective environmental management program. Environmental Service Branch is committed to serve VI Fleet Ships with the offload of hazardous material that meets COMSERVORSIXTHFLTINST and Navy instructions.

Hazardous Material

The FGS, Chapter 5 provides criteria for the storage, handling and disposition of hazardous materials.

Medical

The FGS, Chapter 8 contains criteria for the management of medical waste at DoD medical, dental, research and development, and veterinary facilities generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals or in the production or testing of biologicals subject to certain exclusions. It also includes mixtures of medical waste and hazardous waste. It does not apply to what would otherwise be household waste.

Hazardous Waste

The FGS, Chapter 6 provides criteria for a comprehensive management program to ensure that hazardous waste is identified, stored, transported, disposed, and recycled in an environmentally sound manner.

Pesticide

The FGS, Chapter 11 contains criteria regulating the use, storage, and handling of pesticides (as defined in FGS for Spain, Chapter 11), but does not address the use of these materials by individuals acting in an unofficial capacity in a residence or garden. The disposal of pesticides is covered in FGS for Spain, Chapter 6.