CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Four U.S. military bases in Japan received environmental excellence awards for 2009 during a ceremony here Wednesday.

Recipients of the U.S. Forces Japan Installation Excellence Awards were:

• Pollution Prevention: Kadena Air Base. The base reduced its inventory of materials that deplete ozone, used cooking oil to power vehicles and equipment at the base recycling center, and conducted a campaign where volunteer scuba divers removed trash from the Kadena Town seawall.

• Natural Resource Protection: Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Among the programs cited were installing low-illumination street lights to protect a known firefly mating area, and cooperating with the Kanagawa Fisheries Technology Center to release 400 young flounders into waters around the base.

• Host Nation Coordination Award: U.S. Army Garrison Japan. The USAG-J Environmental Program oversaw community and public activities that minimized impacts to the environment and ecosystems, maintaining, promoted biodiversity, preserved habitats, and managed natural recreational areas.

• Environmental Compliance Award: Marine Corps Bases Japan. MCBJ conducted a benchmark environmental compliance evaluation of Marine bases. Updates were made to MCBJ’s PCB elimination, pest management and hazardous waste management plans.

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