NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Environmental Program is managed by the Environmental Management Branch (EMB), and the Environmental Assurance Branch (EAB), which is part of the Spaceport Integration and Services Directorate. The Environmental Branches have the professional capability for environmental policy development, engineering and research.

The EMB is responsible for managing Kennedy’s Sustainable Environment Management System (SEMS), recycling, sustainable acquisition, hazardous materials, pollution prevention, energy and water management, renewable energy, natural resources, historic properties and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) programs. These responsibilities include coordination and integration of all programs in these areas and all formal contact with environmental regulatory agencies.

The EAB is responsible for managing Kennedy’s environmental permitting, compliance, and remediation programs. For these areas, responsibilities include coordination and integration of all environmental programs, all formal contact with environmental regulatory agencies, development assistance and review of environmental permits, remediation of contaminated sites, cease and desist authority for all polluting activities and compliance monitoring and surveillance.

These services are supplied by a group of highly skilled professionals with backgrounds in civil, mechanical, chemical, environmental and electrical engineering, as well as physics, math, geology, biology, business and ecology. The professional services supplied by this staff include: providing guidance on regulatory requirements, providing liaison and advocacy for the Center with regulatory agencies and the general public, conducting public hearings on environmental issues, maintaining an inventory of Kennedy’s environmental conditions and providing technical review of designs which have environmental implications.