EARTH DAY 2025: Trump Team to Tackle TEXAS, U.S. Mil. Base 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 reported Nebraska Republican Congressman Don Bacon suggestion that Hegseth be removed from his Secretary position. NBC News and Politico reported 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, DC 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 America's military bases. That included installations in and near San Antonio (Lackland AFB, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph AFB, Camp Bullis) and Fort Cavazos in the Killeen area of central Texas north of Austin.

The Scorecard, known for reporting on "Where is and Whose Is Littering and Dumping Waste in the USA," has already disclosed TEXAS, one of "Ten Biggest, Most Waste Polluted U.S. States." The Lone Star State is a top "Death by Littering State," where over 110 persons are KILLED STATEWIDE, each year, by attributed littering and dumping incidents. San Antonio, along with Austin and Houston, are among the Scorecard "USA's 15 Biggest, Most Waste Littered U.S. Cities."

A sizeable portion of Texas' total population, and of the Active Duty working at bases in the San Antonio and Killeen regions, are People Ages 18-25. That young adult age demographic are noted in Texas and national state littering, plus scientific study findings, as PROFILED LITTERERS: Persons who are most prone or willing to litter waste, anytime and anywhere. Another Profiled Litterer group--Contracted Construction and Landscape Workers-- are a sizeable portion, too, of Texas' total population, often doing work at these Bases but contributing mightily to the ugly widespread, unchecked, deadly waste littering and dumping seen across miles and miles of Texas public spaces (streets, roads, parks, creeks, rivers, beaches).

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 back 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 were found to "have 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, possiby 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, the Scorecard's Spacek reached out to Kennedy and Hegseth for their thoughts on these developments, with phone calls and emails. Shortly thereafter they personally responded, 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 those Defense bases affected by a longtime culture of noxious environmental morality.

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