USS Nimitz Wins 2013 CNO’s Environmental Award

Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations (CNO), recognized USS Nimitz (CVN 68) as one of the winners of the 2013 CNO’s Environmental Awards Aug. 20 during a video teleconference ceremony at the Pentagon.

Nimitz received the CNO’s 2013 Environmental Award for the Environmental Quality, large ship category.

Nimitz Safety Officer Cmdr. Christian Cook said Nimitz received the award through the hard work of its Sailors from throughout the ship.

Some of the contributing factors included the July 2012 Great Green Fleet demonstration, where Nimitz was successful in the first ever carrier strike group-wide use of JP-5 bio-fuel.

Nimitz also safely transferred more than 2.9 million gallons of sewage and 900 pallets of hazardous waste in four different fleets with no incidents.

More than 1,000 pallets of hazardous materials and 22.9 million gallons of fuel were also moved without an incident in the Pacific and Indian oceans, and Mediterranean and Tyrrhenian seas. Nimitz also conducted 18 hazardous material spill drills during its 2013 deployment.

Cook said Nimitz is continuing its efforts this year, and when they are scheduled to enter into the shipyard in Bremerton, Wash. next year.

“I think receiving an award such as this means a continued effort for Nimitz,” said Cook. “When you set the bar high you have to continue to strive to maintain that and not just maintain it, but push it higher. We are going to try to carry a lot of these programs in the same attitude and philosophy into the yards in Bremerton. We have proven Nimitz can do it in an operational environment, now let’s take it to the yards and continue our record and continue to operate.”

The CNO began awarding commands for exceptional environmental performance at sea and ashore in 1994.