FLORENCE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--America's veterans have a new battlefront. This time, the enemy is garbage—a relentless invader of our landfills, waterways and roads. The Oregon Coast Military Museum (OCMM) in Florence, Oregon, is mobilizing a veteran-driven initiative to combat the growing waste crisis. The museum’s Camp Liberty project tackles environmental challenges and provides veterans with meaningful employment opportunities.
OCMM President Gary Cannon is a two-tour Vietnam veteran, two-time Purple Heart recipient who brought the history of our veterans as a teacher in Florence for 27 years.
"We are helping veterans by providing jobs, preserving their sacrifices and preparing for the future with clean lands, air and water," said Cannon. "The Oregon Coast Military Museum will be the first museum in the U.S. that is fully sustainable."
A Vision for the Future: Camp Liberty
Nestled along the breathtaking Oregon coast, Camp Liberty will be a self-sufficient "edutainment" venue offering visitors an immersive experience in military history while showcasing cutting-edge environmental technologies. Camp Liberty will turn Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) into electricity and pure water without contributing to pollution.
Veterans will play a vital role managing the on-site facilities and operating the latest waste-to-energy technology. Camp Liberty will feature a military museum, restaurants, a waterpark, a re-enactment area, an R.V. park, cabins, gardens, family-friendly activities like pickleball courts, mini-golf, a Computer War Games Gallery and a 450-seat theater.
A Zero-Waste Solution: The Pyrolysis System
An advanced Pyrolysis System will power the project and transform waste into usable electricity and clean water---with zero pollution. Camp Liberty will be entirely self-sufficient and disconnected from the local energy grid and external resources. Waste will be processed at a former paper plant near Florence with two piers, so waste can arrive by barge or railroad.
A Veteran-Focused Approach
Camp Liberty is a veteran-centric initiative that will create 150+ jobs. Veterans who served their country will now be helping make their communities cleaner. Veterans and other employees will receive hands-on training and education in managing and converting garbage.
Florence, Oregon, population 9,832, is the perfect setting for this transformative project because about half of the residents are veterans or married to veterans. The museum is partnering with local chapters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs and other organizations.
The Time to Act is Now
America's landfills are growing alarmingly, with millions of tons of waste added daily. Even the best recycling efforts fall short, as many recyclable materials still need to be placed in landfills. Camp Liberty offers a solution that can be replicated in communities nationwide.
"With the help of America's veterans, the victory against waste is within reach," said Patrick Ritter, Camp Liberty Project Director. "We can wage war on garbage wherever there are veterans and waste."
Ritter has been involved in large-scale environmental, conservation and infrastructure projects worldwide for more than 40 years. He says the $26 million capital funding campaign will allow the MSW project to be completed one year after construction begins with phased openings until 2028.
