The United States and Australian Military have joined forces in agreeing to Best Practice in Environmental Management enabling sustainable environmental management in combined military activities.

 The historic Statement of Environment and Heritage Principles was signed by both parties, The Australian Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Angus Houston and America's Commander of United States Pacific Command, Admiral William J Fallon in Adelaide on November 18, 2005 to ensure that combined military activities do not have any significant impact on the environment.

The Environment & Heritage Principles listed are:

•  Australia and the United States will strive to protect the environment, conserve biodiversity and protect and conserve heritage for the benefit of current and future generations;
  
  
• Australia and the United States will strive to integrate ecologically sustainable development principles into the planning, implementation and concluding stages of activities;
  
  
• Australia and the United States will strive to ensure that all personnel understand their environmental and heritage obligations and responsibilities and have the ability to meet those obligations and responsibilities;
   
  
• Australia and the United States will meet relevant obligations under their respective environmental and heritage legislation and policies and International Conventions to which their governments are party;
   
• Australia and the United States are committed to a "continual improvement" approach to their activities supported by appropriate quality assurance processes, consistent with an Environmental Management System;
  
  
• Australia and the United States will consider the impact of activities on neighbouring landowners and communities and take all reasonable and practicable measures to minimise adverse impacts;
  
  
• Australia and the United States will strive to promote a cooperative approach to the protection and management of our environment and heritage by involving, where appropriate, relevant stakeholders; and
  
  
• Australia and the United States will consider environmental impacts at the earliest stage of planning activities as an integrated element of risk assessment and will strive to develop and implement measures to mitigate such impacts.
  
  

Source : Australian Department of Defence