Download printable agenda here: Agenda
Tue Sept 22 7:50 am – The Year in Review
Description: Our annual fast-paced review of key environmental issues from multiple perspectives before the conference sessions begin.
Speakers: Brittany Barrientos (Stinson); Tom Jacobs (Mid-America Regional Counsel); Tom Grever (Shook Hardy Bacon); Dan Wilkus (Evergy); David Cozad (EPA Region 7); Roger Walker (REGFORM, Moderator)
8:50 am – Water Resources, Scarcity and Planning for the Future
Description: Surface and groundwater challenges, drought, planning, and partnerships.
Speakers: Earl Lewis (Kansas DWR); Dru Buntin (Missouri DNR); Aimee Davenport (Stinson)
8:50 am – Air Update: Understanding EPA’s Ambitious Air Agenda and Timetable
Description: Rule reconsiderations, ozone/PM2.5, Regional Haze, staffing and policy.
Speakers: Dana Skelley (EPA Region 7); Mary Hauner-Davis (Burns & McDonnell); Stephen Hall (MDNR); Doug Watson (KDHE)
8:50 am – Navigating PFAS Investigations in a Landscape of Regulatory Uncertainty
Description: Risk-informed PFAS investigation strategies and regulatory update.
Speakers: Andrea Collier (Barr); Kelsi Leverett (Barr)
9:20 am – Navigating EPA Audits: Recent Trends in SPCC & FRP Compliance
Description: Recent EPA audit trends and SPCC/FRP compliance.
Speakers: Brittani Jacobsen (Burns & McDonnell); Amy Reed (Burns & McDonnell)
10:20 am – Emerging Environmental Challenges Facing Data Centers
Description: Water, energy and community scrutiny for data centers.
Speakers: Speaker TBD
10:20 am – What Does the Repeal of the Endangerment Finding Mean?
Description: Legal and practical implications of repeal.
Speakers: Stacy Stotts (Polsinelli)
10:20 am – No Leaping to Assumptions: How 3D Modeling Workflows Benefit CCR FERs
Description: 3D conceptual site models for CCR investigations.
Speakers: Victor Cimino (Burns & McDonnell)
10:45 am – SPCC Digital Management
Description: Digital platform for enterprise SPCC management.
Speakers: Zach Al-Marhoun (GHD); Tom Fewless (GHD)
11:20 am – Common Pitfalls for Data Centers
Description: Text TBD.
Speakers: Speaker TBD
11:20 am – California Proposition 65 Impacts on Midwest Companies
Description: Prop 65 warning labels and enforcement risk.
Speakers: Paul Jacobson (Spencer Fane)
11:20 am – Practical Tips for Brownfield Sites
Description: Redevelopment strategies and regulatory lessons.
Speakers: Tyler Marshall (The Stanley Group)
1:00 pm – Navigating Emerging Environmental Challenges in the Food & Beverage Industry
Description: Panel on air, water, wastewater and compliance.
Speakers: Janet Scheirer (Trinity); Andrew Brought (Spencer Fane, Moderator)
1:00 pm – Surviving the Minefield of IRS/EPA Enforcement of Tax Credits
Description: Environmental tax credit enforcement.
Speakers: Bill Curtis (Spencer Fane)
1:30 pm – Taking Full Advantage of ‘Embedded Flexibility’ in the Clean Water Act
Description: Adaptive management tools under the CWA.
Speakers: Tom Stiles (HDR)
2:00 pm – PFAS Update and the Nexus between Law and Science
Description: PFAS regulation, litigation and CERCLA.
Speakers: Brent Dwerlkotte (Shook Hardy Bacon); Brian Hanks (Ramboll)
2:00 pm – Waste in Transition: Regulation, Risk, and the Next Decade
Description: Emerging waste issues and compliance.
Speakers: John Hoke (MDNR); Liane Hetherington-Ward (BASF); Adam Nanney (Barr); Kate Yentes (Terracon); Drew Brought (Spencer Fane)
2:00 pm – The Hidden Pipeline: Water’s Role in Data Center Success
Description: Water infrastructure for data centers.
Speakers: Mackenzie Cremeans (Geosyntec)
2:45 pm – From Superfund to Server Hall
Description: Brownfields development for data centers.
Speakers: Jessica Merrigan (Spencer Fane); Maria Vishnevskiy (Geosyntec)
3:15 pm – Finish Empty: The Key to Extraordinary Results
Description: Leadership keynote.
Speakers: Jason Curry (Finish Empty)
3:45 pm – Last Word with our Regional Administrator & All Four State Directors
Description: Regional leadership panel.
Speakers: Jim Macy (EPA); Kate Gleeson (KDHE); Art Goodin (MDNR); Steven Goans (NDWEE); Amie Davidson (IDNR); Kevin Perry (REGFORM, Moderator)
Wed Sept 23 8:00 am – Keynote: Deregulation or Recalibration?
Description: State of EHS compliance.
Speakers: Andy Ewald (Trinity Consultants)
8:40 am – Water Issues Update
Description: Current and future water issues.
Speakers: Adam Schneider (Iowa DNR, invited); William Carr (KDHE); Jeff Robichaud (EPA); Laura Hines (Evergy); Rob Morrison (Barr, Moderator)
8:40 am – Why Midwest Climate Disclosure Still Matters
Description: Audit-ready climate disclosure.
Speakers: Cassie Greer (Ramboll)
9:50 am – Environmental Considerations for Midwest Critical Mineral Mine
Description: NioCorp permitting and compliance.
Speakers: Will Calderon (Olsson); Matt Arnold (NioCorp)
9:50 am – Think Like an EHS Director
Description: Leadership panel.
Speakers: Linden Terpstra (EHS Support Source, Moderator)
10:40 am – TBD
Description: TBD
Speakers: TBD
10:40 am – Recent Developments at OSHA That May Impact Your Operations
Description: EHSS regulatory trends.
Speakers: Tonya Read (Terracon)
10:40 am – You Inherited Environmental Compliance. Now What?
Description: Workshop for new environmental leaders.
Speakers: Linden Terpstra (EHS Support Source)
11:35 am – Negotiating with State and Federal Agencies
Description: Communication strategies with regulators.
Speakers: Mike Linder (Koley Jessen); Jacob Westen (Missouri DNR); David Cozad (EPA Region 7, invited); Tom Grever (Shook Hardy Bacon, Moderator)