Edwards
Air Force Base is the home of the Air Force Flight Test
Center where, for more than 50 years, the United States
Air Force and much of the world of aerospace have met
their future.
From
America's first jet airplane to the landings of the space
shuttle, this historic base has been the scene of more
major milestones in flight than any other place on earth.
Unparalleled
natural resources. Its stature as the nation's premier
flight test facility stems from a unique blend of natural
resources that cannot be matched anywhere else.
Edwards
Air Force Base is more than just a valuable asset to the
Department of Defense and the state of California –
it is truly a one-of-a-kind and irreplaceable national
resource.
As
the second largest installation in the Air Force, Edwards
Air Force Base is uniquely postured to accommodate any
future growth compatible with its existing mission.
Indeed,
the vast expanse of the base, combined with the resources
of the Southwest Range Complex, make it well suited to
serve as the future home for all Department of Defense
flight test activities.
Supporting
the Edwards Air Force Base Mission
Through Sound Environmental Stewardship
At
Edwards Air Force Base, home of the Air Force Flight Test
Center, the mission and the environment go hand-in-hand.
The unique physical environment is what makes the desert
such an ideal place for flight-test activities. Helping
the flight testers maintain access to air, land and water
for testing and other operations, while not upsetting
the delicate balance of the desert ecosystem, is the mission
of the Environmental Management Office.
To
effectively accomplish its mission, Environmental Management
has adopted a four-pillar approach. Appropriate pillar
personnel are consulted during the planning and implementation
stages of all test programs and construction projects
on Edwards.
The
four pillars are:
Cleanup:
Manages hazardous waste cleanup efforts on Edwards AFB.
Under the cleanup pillar, hazardous waste sites are identified,
investigated and cleaned up with the goal of protecting
human health and the environment.
Conservation:
Provides environmental assessments for test programs and
construction projects. Also manages the protection and
preservation of natural resources, and cultural and historic
sites on Edwards.
Pollution
Prevention: Develops processes to minimize the use of
hazardous material, minimize generation of hazardous waste,
reduce solid waste going to the landfill and promote reuse
and recycling programs.
Compliance:
Manages air quality, water quality, hazardous waste, aboveground
and underground storage tanks, and special programs (PCB,
asbestos, and lead-based paint). Assists base organizations
with the selection, design, and installation of low emissions
equipment, as well as applying for and maintaining permits.
The goal of compliance is to meet and satisfy all applicable
environmental laws, statutes, and regulations.
Base
environmental personnel from all four pillars actively
work with regulatory agencies and the community in a spirit
of cooperation and commitment to ensure the center accomplishes
its mission without harming the environment.
For
all who conduct business on the base, Environmental Management
provides assistance with project planning to ensure compliance
with environmental law, reduce hazardous waste generation
and ensure proper disposal of pollutants.
By
working together and doing the job right every day, Edwards
will continue to comply with environmental law, preserve
the natural environment, and accomplish the Air Force
Flight Test Center’s mission.
Edwards
Air Force Base is located at an elevation of approximately
2,300 feet and has a typical desert climate. Annual rainfall
per year is about 4 inches. The desert area averages 345-plus
sunny days per year with low humidity and moderate temperatures.
All
terrain types are available in the local Edwards Air Force
Base flying area – desert, sea, mountain, urban (including
the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United
States).
The
desert environment offers several natural assets which
are the basis of Edwards' existence as a premier flight
test facility.
These
include broad expanses of hardened clay, which make up
the two dry lakebeds located on the base. These serve
as sources of marked and maintained runway areas.
In
addition, a number of off-base lakebeds are used as planned
and emergency landing areas. The two primary lakebeds
that are utilized as part of Edwards' runway system, Rogers
Dry Lake and Rosamond Dry Lake.
The
western Mojave Desert has traditionally enjoyed excellent
visibility in which to operate test programs – typically
10 miles or more 95 percent of the time. Flight test operations
depend on good visual air quality for photographic and
video tracking and remotely-piloted vehicle testing.
