LGEAN Webinars and Podcasts

From Trash to Triumph: The Mount Growmore Initiative

In this week's episode, host Georgia Ray dives deep into an incredible transformation journey with her guests Debbie Sims, Suzi Ruhl, David Cash, and Bill Coleman. Together, they discuss the evolution of Bridgeport, Connecticut's once-neglected Mount Trashmore into the thriving Mount Growmore agricultural, wellness, and learning campus. Tune in to explore the significance of community-driven solutions, the power of inter-sectoral government collaboration, the importance of trusted relationships with academia, and the essential steps that other communities can take to replicate such transformative projects. This episode, produced in partnership with ELI's People Places Planet Podcast, promises a compelling narrative of turning environmental challenges into community triumphs.

Panelists:

Georgia Ray, Environmental Law Institute

Debbie Sims, Community Leader

Suzi Ruhl, Director of Policy at Elevate Policy Lab at Yale Child Study Center

David Cash, Regional Administrator at EPA Region 1

Bill Coleman, Deputy Director of Planning & Economic Development for Bridgeport

Integrating Wild Animal Welfare into Municipal Policy

Date: December 3

Time: 12:00-1:00pm

This webinar, co-sponsored by the Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN), focused on integrating wild animal welfare into municipal policies and programs in urban and suburban areas. As cities and towns increasingly host a wide variety of wild animals such as geese, foxes, turkeys, and coyotes, much of the attention has been on resolving conflicts between these animals and human residents. However, there has been limited focus on the welfare of the animals themselves.


New research highlighted how local governments can incorporate wild animal welfare considerations into the planning and design of new green spaces, buildings, and roads. The discussion also emphasized how green infrastructure, such as bioswales, could be integrated into urban design to create spaces that protect wildlife, reduce conflicts with human residents, and reduce risks of stormwater issues. This approach is becoming increasingly important as land development continues, and the effects of climate change intensify.


Panelists discussed strategies that protect both human and wild animal residents, emphasizing the need for policies that benefit all stakeholders, including the environment. Experts included Linda Breggin (ELI Center for State and Local Governance), Katrina Wyman (NYU Law Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy, and Land Use Law), Laurel Creech (The Nature Conservancy), Taylor Burdin (Town of Brunswick, ME), and Justin Bates (City of Austin Wildland Conservation). The session offered valuable insights for local governments and others working to balance human development with wildlife conservation.

Panelists:

Linda Breggin, Senior Scientist, European Commission Joint Research Centre

Katrina Wyman, Wilf Family Professor of Property Law and Director of Environmental and Energy Law LLMP Program, NYU Law Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy, and Land Use Law

Laurel Creech, Tennessee State Director, The Nature Conservancy

Taylor Burdin, Code Enforcement Office & Zoning Administrator, Town of Brunswick, ME

Justin Bates, Division Manager for Wildland Conservation, City of Austin Water Utility

Advanced Air Pollution Monitoring

Date: September 11

Time: 11:00-1:00pm

This webinar, co-sponsored by ELI, INECE, and LGEAN, focused on advancements in air pollution monitoring technologies and their impact on environmental compliance and enforcement. Air quality data is essential for addressing pollution, but access to comprehensive data, especially in areas impacted by hazardous pollutants or contributing to climate change (e.g., methane), remains limited in many parts of the world. Recent technological developments—such as satellite- and drone-based monitors, infrared cameras, and portable handheld devices—have improved data accessibility for both government agencies and the public.


Panelists discussed how these new tools are enhancing compliance and enforcement efforts, while also addressing challenges such as data quality, usage, and privacy concerns. The webinar also explored emerging restrictions on collecting and utilizing air quality data. Participants heard from experts including Claudio Belis (European Commission Joint Research Centre), Tim Dye (TD Enviro), and Jane Wallace (US Environmental Protection Agency), among others. This session was of particular interest to those working in environmental compliance, policy, and air quality management.

Panelists:

Claudio Belis, Senior Scientist, European Commission Joint Research Centre

Tim Dye, Founder, TD Enviro

Gerry Opondo, Executive Director, Environmental Compliance Institute

LeRoy Paddock, Managing Director, INECE

Jane Wallace, Deputy Division Director, US Environmental Protection Agency

Sensing a Change in the Air: How Local Governments Can Respond and Adapt to Shifts in Air Quality Monitoring Technology

Recent wildfire smoke events have highlighted the value of air quality measurement. But how does it really work, anyways? From the latest technologies and regulations to the unique challenges faced by local governments and Tribes, this week's guests discuss the transforming landscape of air quality monitoring. Join hosts Georgia Ray and Ella Stack and guests Chet Wayland from the EPA, Christopher Lee from Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center, and Miles Keogh from the National Association of Clean Air Agencies for the discussion. This episode was completed in partnership with ELI's People Places Planet Podcast. 

Defending our Water Infrastructure: Creating a Cybersecurity Culture in Small Community Water and Wastewater Systems

This webinar convenes the three major federal agencies that play a role in addressing cybersecurity in the water and wastewater sector. Panelists from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation will discuss cybersecurity threats to the sector, provide advice on how to prevent and respond to cyberattacks, and share tips and resources for small community water systems to create a robust cybersecurity culture. Cyberattacks on our public drinking water systems are occurring with greater frequency. Recent examples include a hacker altering chemical levels at a Florida water system in 2021, as well as the SolarWinds network breach in 2020, which gave cybercriminals access to 73 water systems. In 2021, EPA estimated water and wastewater utilities to be at risk of at least one cyberattack per year on both Business Enterprise and Process Control Systems. Malevolent actors encompass terrorists, hackers, and even disgruntled former employees who put the public health at risk from loss of service and unsafe drinking water. The America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA) recognizes these and similar risks by requiring every water system serving more than 3,300 people to prepare and regularly update a Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and Emergency Response Plan (ERP). But 1,000, or over 11%, of small water systems serving 7.2 million people, still failed to certify their ERPs by mid-2021, six months after the deadline. Small community water systems in particular face great challenges in preparing and implementing cybersecurity strategies due to limited resources, technical knowledge, and funding.

Additional Resources:
Defending our Water Infrastructure

Panelists:

Cynthia R. Harris, Deputy Director, Center for State, Tribal, and Local Environmental Programs, Environmental Law Institute, Moderator

Brandon M. Carter, Sr. Cybersecurity Specialist, Water Infrastructure and Cyber Resilience Division (WICRD), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Benjamin Gilbert, Cybersecurity Advisor, CISA Region 3, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Vijal Pancholi, Cybersecurity Specialist, Water Infrastructure and Cyber Resilience Division (WICRD), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Aaron Steps, Supervisory Special Agent, Cyber Division, U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation

Youth Climate Action How Local Governments Can Learn from Generation Z

Young people are leading the fight against climate change both in the United States and around the world. Thirty-two percent of Gen Zers— more than any other generation—have taken concrete actions to address climate change in the last year. These youth are leading campaigns against fossil fuel companies and are bringing constitutional challenges in court against their state and federal governments, as in Juliana v. U.S. and Held v. Montana. Many of these young people are thinking globally and acting locally, serving on municipal climate commissions, helping their school districts shift to renewables, and demanding that City Hall recognize the climate emergency. Local governments and officials can work in tandem with young leaders in their community to advance climate action. While young people have the knowledge and fervor required to raise awareness, local governments can provide resources and have the power to enact change through ordinances, policies, programs, and infrastructure development. Join the Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN) and the Environmental Law Institute to hear from a panel of youth climate leaders as they share insights with municipalities about how to engage youth in climate action and their climate action priorities. The panel will provide advice to other inspiring young leaders and suggestions for local governments on how to work with youth activists to foster joint action that brings about meaningful and long-lasting change.

Panelists:

Linda Breggin, Director of the Center for State, Tribal, and Local Environmental Programs, Environmental Law Institute, Moderator

Oscar Fox, Representative, City of Nashville - Mayor's Youth Council

Brendan Hyatt, Research Fellow for Human Trafficking Search

Keala Minna-Choe, Youth v. Oil Intern, Youth4Climate

Lily Morse, Executive Director, Green Schools Campaign

Climate and the Community: Centering Equity in Vulnerability Assessments

The LA County Chief Sustainability Office set out in 2020 to accomplish a monumental task: assess the risks and challenges that a changing climate will bring to over 10 million people and physical infrastructure spanning 182 square miles—while incorporating the needs and priorities of the County’s most vulnerable populations. The result of this collaboration with Climate Resolve is the County of Los Angeles Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA), an impressive document that centers equity and represents extensive community outreach. ELI’s own Cynthia R. Harris sits down with LA County’s Sustainability Program Director Kristen Torres Pawling and Climate Resolve’s Director of Climate Planning and Resilience Natalie Hernandez to walk through LA County’s experience and learn how every municipality, large or small, can learn from LA County’s experience in carrying out their own equity-centered CVA and prepare to meet their community’s needs in a changing climate.


In This Episode We Cover

  • What a Climate Vulnerability Assessment is and why every local government should adopt a CVA
  • Most important components of a strong CVA: physical assessment, social assessment, and cascading impacts
  • Identifying your most vulnerable communities and questioning your assumptions about them
  • Centering equity and effective outreach to your most vulnerable community members
  • Leveraging your CVA to bring in grants and loans to fund critical infrastructure
  • Building strong community partnerships to carry out your CVA and implement your Climate Adaptation Plan
  • And so much more!

Panelists:

Cynthia R. Harris,

Kristen Torres Pawling,

Natalie Hernandez ,

Meeting Stormwater Compliance Objectives with Green Infrastructure

Local communities are increasingly turning towards green infrastructure as a cost-effective and successful solution to address the growing challenges presented by stormwater management. Green infrastructure represents a shift away from aging, gray infrastructure (pipes, gutters, and tunnels) and towards systems that mimic nature to sustainably filter stormwater and improve water quality. Localities that have implemented green infrastructure are reaping numerous benefits, such as reduced localized flooding, water quality improvements, climate resiliency, and enhanced community quality of life. It's no surprise the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) champions green infrastructure for local jurisdictions to meet Clean Water Act requirements. Join ELI’s Linda Breggin and Shehla Chowdhury in conversation with Jacob Lunn (EPA Water Enforcement Division), Dennis Sayre (environmental engineer at EPA Region 4), and David Johnson (Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District) to learn from these experts how frontline localities successfully implement green infrastructure to generate resilient communities. Hosts: Linda Breggin & Shehla Chowdhury, Environmental Law Institute Guests: Jacob Lunn, EPA, Dennis Sayre, EPA Region 4 & David Johnson, Metropolitan Sewer District of Louisville and Jefferson County Additional Resources: - General GI Resources - EPA Municipal Ombudsman - EPA Permitting and Enforcement Series with case studies and example language - EPA Green Infrastructure Modeling Toolkit

Equity-Centered Local Climate Action Planning

Cities, towns, and metroregions across the United States and around the globe are developing or updating climate action plans. In recent years, the focus has shifted among mitigation, adaptation, and sustainability goals. But best practices now integrate equity: recognizing that frontline populations, including historically marginalized communities, often experience the worst impacts from climate change impacts while also not sharing in the benefits from transitioning to a low-carbon economy. These populations include Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), the elderly, children, physically and mentally disabled individuals, people experiencing homelessness, pregnant women, and immigrants. Local leaders are increasingly aware that many disparate impacts of climate change reflect the results of systemic discrimination, and they are exploring methods of integrating equity into climate planning while also taking advantage of opportunities to simultaneously address these longstanding disparities. This panel of experts discussed best practices in taking an equity-centered approach to local climate action planning, from meaningful and inclusive stakeholder engagement at the earliest stages through prioritizing bold yet achievable strategies, to implementation and ensuring accountability to all impacted communities.

Panelists:

Cynthia R. Harris, Deputy Director of the Center for State, Tribal, and Local Environmental Programs, Environmental Law Institute, Moderator

Darbi Berry, Director of Climate and Environmental Programs, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

Matt Gray, Former Chief of Sustainability, City of Cleveland, Ohio; Current Senior VP of Program, Student Conservation Association

Jennifer Li, Staff Attorney and Adjunct Professor, Harrison Institute for Public Law, Georgetown University Law Center

Luis Martinez, Youth for Environmental Justice Alumni and Climate Adaptation and Resilience Enhancement (CARE) Lead Intern, Communities for a Better Environment

Taking on Trash: The National Recycling Strategy

The United States produces nearly 300 million tons of municipal solid waste each year, about a third of which is recycled or composted. As foreign markets begin to crack down on the importation of solid wastes for recycling abroad, it is vital that the U.S. advance and improve its current waste management practices. To achieve the National Recycling Goal of 50% by 2030, the EPA consulted with stakeholders and developed  the National Recycling Strategy, released this past November. Join ELI’s Jim McElfish as he speaks with David Biderman, Executive Director and CEO of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), to learn how local governments can engage with this strategy – from accessing funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade facilities, to improving communication with customers to enhance worker safety and prevent contamination.

Guests:

David Biderman, Executive Director and CEO, Solid Waste Association of North America

Additional Resources:

Small Community Drinking Water Systems Financing Workshop

Operators of the close to 50,000 community water systems across the U.S. are dedicated to ensuring nearly 312 million Americans have access to clean and safe drinking water. But maintaining compliance with stringent drinking water standards requires costly infrastructure investments, often a challenge especially for the small and very community water systems that make up approximately 80 percent of community water systems. In 2020, nearly 1,800 of the United States’ small and very small community drinking water systems were found to be in significant noncompliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. This LGEAN & ELI co-sponsored workshop provides local officials, water utility managers and other decision-makers with innovative approaches to planning, funding and financing, specifically for small water systems. In the first module of this session, experts from the Environmental Protection Agency discuss approaches to funding and finance that facilitate compliance and management to protect the environment and public health. This module provides participants with information on planning and use of new and existing federal funding sources – covering options from state revolving funds to the American Rescue Plan Act. In the second module, specialists from the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill demonstrate how local communities can use asset management and capital planning, rate setting and other strategies and tools to achieve sustainable financing. EPA experts also provide a live demonstration of their Water Finance Clearing House, an online, interactive database with water financing resources including funding opportunities and guidance documents.

Panelists:

Cassandra Rice, Attorney Advisor, Office of Enforcement Compliance Assurance, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Tara Johnson, Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Wastewater Management, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Alison Flenniken, Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Elsemarie Mullins, Project Director, Environmental Finance Center, University of North Carolina

Stephen Lapp, Project Director, Environmental Finance Center, University of North Carolina

Toxics in the Community: Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) for Local and Tribal Governments

The Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) created the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) to inform the public about potentially hazardous materials in their communities. In fact, two out of every three Americans live within three miles of facilities subject to the TRI, which covers over 800 individual chemicals and chemical categories. These substances often originate from manufacturing, mining, and hazardous waste management sites and are known to cause significant adverse harm to the environment and human health. Local governments use TRI data in many ways, from supporting emergency planning to informing siting and permitting decisions and aiding “fence-line” communities at risk of potential exposure. Local and tribal government owned- and operated facilities, such as waste management and locally owned utilities, may also be subject to TRI reporting requirements, and governments officials need to be informed about their obligations. Join the Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN), the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), and EPA to learn more about how local and tribal governments can best use the TRI to help protect community members’ health and welfare. EPA experts will provide an overview of the TRI, explaining which local and tribal government facilities may be subject to reporting requirements and how officials can use the TRI and other EPA tools to respond to community concerns and trace chemical releases back to their sources.

Panelists:

Cynthia R. Harris, Deputy Director of the Center for State, Tribal, and Local Environmental Programs, Environmental Law Institute, Moderator

Caitlin Briere, Senior Analyst, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency

Sarah Swenson, Communications Specialist, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency

Steve Witkin, Specialist – TRI Explorer, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency

EPA, States and Permittees Take on Significant Non-Compliance

Sixty percent of facilities in significant non-compliance (SNC) with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits are small municipal wastewater treatment plants. The Clean Water Act’s permit program regulates point sources of water pollution, such as discharges from publicly owned municipal wastewater treatment plants. Why is this? And what can we do about it? Join ELI’s Shehla and Cynthia for a conversation with Dan Palmer, Deputy Division Director of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, all about NPDES permits, EPA’s new National Compliance Initiative for Reducing SNC with NPDES Permits, and actions local governments -- especially those operating small systems -- can take to tackle their compliance challenges.

Dan Palmer, Deputy Division Director of Planning, Measures, and Oversight Division, EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

A transcript of this episode is available at https://lgean.net/podcasts.php. 

Additional Resources:

● Overview of Clean Water Act (CWA)

● NPDES Permit Basics

● Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO)

● National Rural Water Association (NRWA)

● Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)

● WaterOperator.org 

● Technical Assistance Webinar Series: Improving CWA-NPDES Permit Compliance

● EPA Water Finance Clearinghouse

● EPA Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center

● Environmental Finance Center Network

● Compliance Tips for Small, Mechanical Wastewater Treatment Plants 

● Report Environmental Violations with ECHO

● Report an Environmental Emergency with the National Response Center 

  • By phone: 800-424-8802


Acronyms

BOD: Biochemical Oxygen Demand

CWA: Clean Water Act

DMR: Discharge Monitoring Report

ECHO: Enforcement & Compliance History Online

EFCN: Environmental Finance Center Network

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency

NCI: National Compliance Initiative

NPDES: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

NRWA: National Rural Water Association

POTW: Publicly owned treatment work

RCAP: Rural Community Assistance Partnership

SNC: Significant noncompliance

TSS: Total Suspended Solids

WWTPs: Wastewater Treatment Plants


*DL: Down low

*GMTA: Great minds think alike

Meet EPA’s Ombuds

Shehla and Cynthia sit down with two EPA ombudsmen to discuss their role helping municipal and tribal governments navigate the sometimes complex web of federal environmental requirements—from carrying out obligations under the Clean Water Act to addressing asbestos still present in many schools and buildings today. Tune in to learn more about how these “ombuds” can serve as a resource for your city or tribe’s compliance and enforcement needs.

Guests:

· Jamie Piziali, Municipal Ombudsman, Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations

· Paula Hoag, Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman, Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

Additional Resources:

National Small Business Environmental Assistance Program

Check out these state-specific compliance assistance resources, including a map of state-level compliance programs and associated contact information.

Giving Green Streets the Green Light: Improving Water Quality Through Capital Improvement Policies

Many localities facing difficulties in complying with the Clean Water Act due to pollution from stormwater runoff are turning to green infrastructure practices, which can reduce flooding and prevent polluted runoff from entering nearby waterbodies. Learn more about how local governments across the U.S. are implementing these policies, and how your city can do the same.

Database of State Indoor Air Quality Laws

The ELI Database of State IAQ Laws is an annual compilation of laws reflecting a wide range of state policy strategies to improve indoor air quality, including regulations around asbestos in schools, homes, and businesses.

For more information and resources on these topics, be sure to visit LGEAN’s Wastewater, Stormwater, and Asbestos pages!

Transcript

The 4-1-1 on Financing: Strategies and Support for Small Water and Wastewater Systems

Complying with environmental requirements under the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act can be costly, especially for smaller water utilities, which often struggle to find capital to improve aging infrastructure. In this episode, your LGEAN hosts, Cynthia and Shehla, chat with four experts from EPA and the Environmental Finance Center at UNC at Chapel Hill on environmental financing. Listen to hear about eight key steps for creating an effective financing plan, all the funding and financing options available to you—including bonds, self-financing through rate revenues, grants including Community Development Block Grants, and loans like the State Revolving Fund—and where you can go for resources that best address your local government’s financing needs.

Guests:

Cassandra Rice, Attorney Advisor, Office of Enforcement Compliance and Assurance, U.S. EPA

Tara Johnson, Environmental Protection Specialist, Office of Wastewater Management, U.S. EPA

Erin Riggs, Executive Director, Environmental Finance Center - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Tom Roberts, Senior Business Analyst, Environmental Finance Center – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Additional Resources:

· LGEAN Financing 

· EPA Financing for Environmental Compliance

· EPA Water Finance Clearinghouse

· EPA Water Finance Mailing List

· EPA Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center

· Environmental Finance Center at University of North Carolina

· EPA Ombudsman for Water

· EPA Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations

· Clean Water State Revolving Fund

· Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

· EPA Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP)

· USDA Rural Development Programs

· AWWA’s 2020 State of the Water Industry Survey

A transcript of this episode is available at https://lgean.net/podcasts.php. 

Transcript

Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule 101 for Local and Tribal Governments

While oil discharges often elicit memories of the Deepwater Horizon oilrig explosion and oil tankers like the Exxon Valdez running aground, many oil discharges in fact originate with non-transportation, onshore facilities. These onshore non-transportation related facilities include but are not limited to, oil storage terminals, bulk plants, refineries oil production/exploration operations and facilities that are end users of oil. This includes facilities owned and operated by local and tribal governments. Oil discharges can originate with any facility where oil is stored, such as tribal or local government fueling areas for motor pools, police and fire stations, water treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, road maintenance facilities, sewer pump stations, and emergency generators. The Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule, promulgated under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act or Clean Water Act (CWA), aims to prevent oil discharges from reaching navigable waters or adjoining shorelines. The SPCC Rule requires facilities that reach certain threshold storage requirements to develop and implement SPCC plans, among meeting other obligations. By complying with the SPCC Rule, local and tribal governments can help avoid oil discharges that can ultimately harm inland and coastal waters. Local and tribal environmental agencies are also key to monitoring private facilities for SPCC noncompliance in order to prevent the devastating consequences an oil discharge can have for both natural resources and affected communities.

Additional Resources:
https://www.epa.gov/oil-spills-prevention-and-preparedness-regulations

Panelists:

Cynthia R. Harris, Deputy Director, Center for State, Tribal, and Local Environmental Programs, Environmental Law Institute, Moderator

Mark Howard, Oil Spill Prevention Program Manager and Senior SPCC Advisor, U.S. EPA

Kelly Brantner, Attorney, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, U.S. EPA

John Kosco, Environmental Engineer, Office of Compliance, Water Branch, U.S. EPA

Clean Air Act Regulations for Natural Disaster Management

Natural disasters can have catastrophic impacts on community air quality, even after the initial event has passed. Destruction from hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires can release massive quantities of air pollutants, including particulate matter. Recent major blazes in California spurred serious concerns about asbestos and other toxins released by the wildfires. 2017’s Hurricane Harvey triggered the release of an estimated 5.7 million pounds of hazardous chemicals, including benzene and volatile organic compounds. Critically, local and tribal governments themselves may be the source of contaminants, such as through the use of incinerators to clean up debris.

Join our panel of experts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as they guide local and tribal governments on federal requirements that may be triggered during post-disaster recovery. Panelists will discuss compliance obligations focused on managing asbestos, use of emergency engines, and destruction of disaster debris through incineration, and share other resources to guide post-disaster recovery.

Additional Resources:
https://www.eli.org/sites/default/files/files-pdf/LGEAN_Disaster%20Debris_01_12_2021.pdf

Panelists:

Cynthia R. Harris, Director, Tribal Programs; Deputy Director, Center for State, Tribal, and Local Environmental Programming; and Staff Attorney, Environmental Law Institute, Moderator

Sara Ayres, Mechanical Engineer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Office of Compliance

John Cox, Physical Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Office of Compliance

Marcia Mia, Chemical Engineer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Office of Compliance