EARTH DAY 2025: Trump Team to Tackle Georgia, U.S. MIL Bases Pollution

[BREAKING NEWS ADDENDUM: At the time of the following Press Release by Steve Spacek for public viewing, 4:30 pm EST, The New York Times, CNN and CBS News reported Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was embroiled in a controversy, of publicly sharing detailed information about forthcoming strikes in Yemen on March 15 in a private Signal group chat. Newsweek reported The Pentagon, where Hegseth works, is now in a “state of chaos, of meltdown." Axios and The Guardian said Nebraska Republican Congressman Don Bacon suggested that Hegseth be removed from his Secretary position. NBC News and Politico observed President Trump’s response, that Hegseth has done no wrong, supports him 100 percent, and plans to keep him on board leading the U.S. Armed Forces.]

By STEVE SPACEK American State Litter Scorecard

WASHINGTON, D.C. April 21, 2025--As the world celebrates the 55th Earth Day, there are growing concerns of U.S. federal authorities inducing environmental degradation of public properties, according to STEVE SPACEK, Director of The AMERICAN STATE LITTER SCORECARD. In the last 25 years one federal authority group--the U.S. Military and its membership--have come under scrutiny as contributors to this conundrum.

Now, newly appointed leaders for the Trump Administration-- Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary ROBERT F. KENNEDY Jr., Defense Secretary PETE HEGSETH and Environmental Protection Secretary LEE ZELDIN-- are joining forces, combining their talents to reduce, even eliminate, glaring ecological and health harms from Georgia and American military bases, such as nearby Fort Benning and Fort Stewart outside Savannah, and adjacent public lands and waters.

The Scorecard, known for reporting on "Where is and Whose Is Littering and Dumping Waste in the USA," disclosed almost 15 years ago, that GEORGIA then, and still is, as a member of the USA's "Ten Biggest, Most Waste Littered States" where Death By Littering and Dumping incidents has annually ended the lives of over 30 persons STATEWIDE. And where Atlanta has made a list, the USA's "15 Biggest, Most Waste Littered Cities."

A sizeable portion of Active Duty working at Benning and Stewart are Persons Ages 18-25. That young adult age demographic are noted in national state littering and scientific study findings as PROFILED LITTERERS, people who are most prone or willing to litter waste, anytime and anywhere. Another group often working at the bases--Construction and Landscape Workers--also a PROFILED LITTERERS group, have contributed significantly to long ignored pollution enigmas found at Benning, Stewart and and other American military properties.

Since the 2000’s MOTHER JONES journalist Ruqaiyah Zarook, THE WASHINGTON POST Lyndsey Layton, NBC NEWS and THE SPOKANE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW have reported on adverse Department of Defense (DoD) environmental practices by Active Duty personnel. Zarook wrote of "decades of Military resistance" to follow binding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 'Final Clean Up Orders,'" putting "soldiers and communities at risk.” Layton disclosed congressional hearing findings released by the late John Dingell, then-chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, investigating DoD non-compliance with environmental regulations. Dingell said then, the U.S. Military “evaded the law through political maneuvers.” Additionally, NBC NEWS and THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW exposed several Army and Air Force bases across the United States to be found with "high levels of toxic Forever Chemicals in their drinking water, …posing as an imminent, substantial danger to the health of personnel and civilians."

KENNEDY Jr. has been an outspoken observer of Armed Forces comportment in regards to America's public health and the environment. In a 2003 article published in the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, Kennedy, then only a non-governmental public figure, alleged that the U.S. Federal Government was "America's Biggest Polluter," with the Pentagon (DoD) being "its worst offender." Kennedy purported Defense for "contaminating over 15 million acres of public land and water with unexploded ordinance waste, possibly containing biological or chemical weapons."

Last November 14, CBS EVENING NEWS reported on Kennedy’s HHS nomination and his intent to work alongside Hegseth--later confirmed as Defense Secretary. Kennedy and Hegseth shared their plan to implement a new operational mantra for the Military, dubbing the plan "MakeThePentagonCleanAgain." Both told of their “readiness to work” with Zeldin, the newly confirmed EPA Secretary, "to tackle long ignored DoD pollution."

The following month, Spacek of the Scorecard reached out to Kennedy and Hegseth for their thoughts on these developments, with phone calls and emails. Shortly thereafter they personally responded personally, with written feedback, acknowledging accuracy of their publicized comments, including the created Pentagon operational slogan. In return, Spacek sent them a post from his X.com account [@litterscorecard], congratulating both, wishing the very best for the Trump Administration and any and all Department of Defense bases affected by a longtime culture of noxious environmental morality.

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