Here is a brief summary of what you can expect at StormCon in Denver—less than a month away. For all of you who plan to attend the conference, we are looking for moderators for a number of the technical sessions. As a moderator you’ll have a chance to meet with attendees and introduce the speakers for a 60- or 90-minute session. There are still openings on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, August 21 – 23—see the details below.
How Will New Regs Affect You?
At the opening general session, six panelists will discuss how new regulations will potentially affect your local stormwater program. The panelists are Greg Davis, regional stormwater program coordinator for EPA Region 8; John Burke, P.E., CFM, chairman of the Colorado Stormwater Council and senior engineer with the city of Westminister, Colorado; Jon Sorensen, manager of the stormwater utility services group with AMEC in Denver; Rik Gay, deputy hydrologic resources program manager with the Colorado Department of Transportation; L. Scott Tucker, retired executive director of the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District in Denver; and Glenn R. Rink, founder, president, and CEO of Abtech Industries. The opening session will take place Tuesday, August 21, at 9:45 a.m. in the Plaza Ballroom at the conference hotel, the Sheraton Downtown Denver.
Expanding Permeable Pavement’s Reach
On Wednesday, August 22, five panelists will discuss potential new applications for permeable pavement. Although it’s now used mainly for low-speed and lightly trafficked areas like parking lots and access roads, studies are underway to show how it might be feasible for heavier loads as well, such as on highway shoulders, potentially revolutionizing the way we deal with highway runoff. You can find details and the list of panelists here. This panel will take place on Wednesday from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. in Governor’s Square 12 at the conference hotel.
EPA Q&A
Also of interest to almost everyone attending StormCon will be EPA’s update on the stormwater program. Once again this year, Jeremy Bauer, an environmental scientist with EPA’s Office of Wastewater Management, will be on hand to discuss the current state of the program and to answer questions from the audience. EPA recently announced that it intends to propose a rule to strengthen the national stormwater program by June 2013 and to finalize the rule by December 2014. The EPA session at StormCon will take place on Wednesday, August 22, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in Governor’s Square 14.
Exhibits and Education
The conference will also feature educational sessions—more than 40 sessions in five different tracks—and full-day preconference classes. A special full-day course on emergency mitigation measures following wildfires has just been added. And, as always, the exhibit hall will feature nearly 200 vendors of stormwater-related products, equipment, and services, the world’s largest tradeshow of its kind.
Session Moderators Needed
If you’ll be attending the conference and would like to be a moderator for one of the 60- or 90-minute sessions, please let us know. These sessions will take place Tuesday, August 21, through Thursday, August 23. You can see the full conference program here (and updates to the program on our mobile site right through the conference). Openings for moderators are still available in most time slots on all three days. Contact me at janice@forester.net if you’re interested in moderating a particular track or session, or if you would like to see what’s available.
You can find full details of the conference and an online registration form at www.StormCon.com. I hope to see you in Denver!