Carter's Lake, Chatsworth GA -- Mr. Allen Earhart has been selected as USACE’s Sustainability Hero. Since 2016, Mr. Allen Earhart has used innovative methods to improve energy and water efficiency at Carters Lake, sharing lessons learned within the South Atlantic Division and beyond. He has verified reliable, accurate quarterly utility data submissions into the Corps of Engineers Reduced and Abridged FEMP Tool (CRAFT) and used the data to find the best routes to tackle inefficiencies at Carters Lake. He is quick to adopt new technology such as targeted electric vehicles for all volunteer vehicles and recyclable greenflush bathrooms. He has also done a great job leveraging CARES Act funding to install HVAC mini-splits with UV filtration at the project office, which saved money, provided personalized settings, and provided better cultural artifact climate preservation.
Allen’s most successful effort has been pioneering the installation of solar and hard-wired Automated Fee Machines (AFMs) at Carters Lake in 2016 and provided subsequent assistance to other Mobile District projects. AFMs eliminate the need for staffed gatehouses at day use recreation areas, and vandalism-prone honor vaults at primitive campgrounds while also cutting travel and labor associated with transporting, counting, verifying and submitting fees to the U.S. Treasury. The installation of the AFMs has improved the mission by reducing fleet fuel usage, allowing greater customer access, and improving site resiliency where implemented.
With the success of the AFMs at Carters Lake, Mr. Earhart has become a national leader in AFMs and promptly provided training on the benefits, installation, and lessons learned. He has also been a key figure in the addition of approximately 400 AFMS at USACE facilities.
Congratulations, Allen!
Release no. 22-004