由於環保意識逐漸高漲，我國自七十六年成立行政院環境保護署，並修訂各項環境保護的法案，包括環境保護基本法、環境影響評估法、公害糾紛處理法、振動管制法、廢棄物清理法、水污染防治法、空氣污染防制法、噪音管制法等，十年來把環境保護的基本法、預防、管制、救濟、行政等法案先後制定完成，惟對於對軍事機關相關之環境保護規定卻是寥寥無幾。由於軍事機關涉及國防安全及國家機密之保護，環境保護之稽查總是無法徹底執行，環保政策亦難以推動，故對軍事機關之執行與規範有再加以研究與探討之必要。國內曾出現許多軍事機關之訓練與處置影響周邊環境之案例，如軍事演訓造成漁場及海洋生態資源遭到嚴重破壞、軍方演習產生噪音造成民眾無法忍受、軍方靶場長期進行火砲射擊引起民眾抗爭，爭取補償及遷移、軍事用地釋出後所遺留之廢棄軍用品造成環境破壞、軍用化學及輻射性物質影響周圍民眾健康等，均充分說明軍事機關亦與環境保護息息相關，無法因國防安全及國家機密之保護而置身事外，仍應對環境保護付出一份心力。美國對軍事機關之環境保護有設專責機構，以處理環境保護之維護、檢測與管制。例如美國國防部設有環境復育辦公室，專責制定與軍方環保政策、行動綱要與準則。國防環境復育辦公室另一個重要任務則是執行與監督環境污染復育工作與成效。海軍陸戰隊設有生態風險評估之相關單位，工兵署設有環境稽查專門機構，使環保單位和軍事機關有密切之聯繫。美國有關軍事環保的法制發展已相當成熟，值得我國借鏡與學習。因國內針對軍事機關環境法律責任之探討尚屬初期階段，實務上雖面臨許多執法難題卻欠缺法制因應的通盤檢討或研究，針對國防事務或軍事設施所衍生的相關環境法律問題之文獻探討卻甚少。有鑑於此，本文將以美國軍中環保相關法制發展作為研究初探，並就軍事機關所造成環境之影響、國防安全與環境法令適用之關聯性分析以及調和國家安全與環境保護衝突方式之利弊分別予以探討。最後則是以美國法經驗作為基礎，提供我國軍中環境相關法制度之發展方向提出初步建議。

National defense has long been considered one of vital elements that construct stable social and economic order. Thus, it is important to maintain a trained and well equipped military power to achieve this national goal. Military activities, however, do produce many negative environmental impacts. Firing munitions during military training, for example, may make enormous noises and even endanger many species nearby. In addition, military bases produce a great deal amount of solid wastes and some of them present toxic or explosive characteristics. A lack of
comprehensive legal control of these military hazardous wastes would contaminate soils and underwater systems. Thus, these are many obvious conflicts between national security and the law and policy of environmental protection. The conflicts between national security and environmental protection, however, are not zero sum game. If defense activities could be brought into compliance with existing governing environmental laws properly. In doing so, it is expected that national security and environmental concerns could both be ensured.The study of conflicts between national security and the law and policy of environmental protection in Taiwan, however, is surprisingly lacking. The U.S. Military has long been requested by citizens and federal governments to fulfill its role in environmental protection. Thus, U.S. Military has established many environmental programs to evaluate and to propose environmental approaches to mitigate environmental harms caused by defenses activities. In addition,the Defense Department has worked closely with Environmental Protection Administration in reforming existing environmental legal framework that ensures the compliance of defense activities and in the meantime maintains the preparedness of military. In this regards, this study will explore legal and practical experience of the U.S. It is expected to provide a valuable lesson and
legal foundation for Taiwan to establish legal and policy framework to deal with longstanding conflicts between national defense and environmental protection.