About the author: Rebecca Wilhelm is assistant editor for Storm Water Solutions. Wilhelm can be reached at 847.954.7958 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Don’t miss StormCon’s seventh annual event— the nation’s largest exhibition of storm water-related products, services and technologies—Sunday, Aug. 3, to Thursday, Aug. 7, at Orlando’s World Center Marriott.
StormCon 2008, the North American Surface Water Quality Conference & Exposition, kicks off with the Opening General Session at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, featuring a keynote address by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and president of the Waterkeeper Alliance.
Learning
Educational opportunities await attendees even before Tuesday morning, however. Storm water professionals can take advantage of a variety of pre-conference workshops on Sunday and Monday. New workshops will focus on integrating storm water programs with total maximum daily loads and watershed management plans; advanced best management practice (BMP) design; and advanced post-construction storm water inspection, maintenance and repair.
Stay on top of regulatory issues with informative, up-to-date discussions and presentations. Nikos Singelis, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) senior program analyst, will update professionals on how to achieve National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Phase II compliance in Monday’s “EPA Storm Water Regulations 101” seminar. Singelis will also host the “EPA News Update and Q&A Session” on Thursday.
“BMPs and the Bigger Picture Panel Discussion,” a popular event discussing trends shaping BMPs, returns on Wednesday. Panelists include: Andrew Reese, P.E., vice president of AMEC Earth & Environmental; William F. Hunt, Ph.D., P.E., assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering at North Carolina State University, Raleigh; Robert Roseen, Ph.D., P.E., director and assistant research professor for the University of New Hampshire, Durham, Stormwater Center; Nikos Singelis, senior program analyst for the EPA; and Tom Schueler, coordinator of the Chesapeake Stormwater Network and founder of the Center for Watershed Protection.
StormCon offers six tracks of conference workshops, which include more than 140 individual presentations. The tracks are: BMP Case Studies, The Construction Site and Storm Water, Low-Impact Development, Research and Testing of BMPs/Technical Issues, Storm Water Program Management and Water Quality Monitoring.
Enjoying
Thanks to StormCon’s complementary luncheons and refreshment breaks on Tuesday and Wednesday, attendees will have more than information to digest.
Luncheons in the Crystal Ballroom will provide a sit-down meal and allow attendees to connect and reconnect with other professionals. There are no workshop sessions scheduled during the luncheon time slot, so attendees can fully focus on enjoying the food and networking opportunities.
While perusing the exhibit hall with more than 150 vendors showcasing storm water products and technologies, attendees can stop for refreshment breaks from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m., providing a pick-me-up snack and a great opportunity to meet up with colleagues.
StormCon’s Cyber Cafés, open in the Palms Ballroom all day during exhibit hours, provide an additional break opportunity in the busy show schedule to relax with a cup of coffee and catch up with e-mail and industry news.
Whether you are a seasoned expert or new to the storm water industry, you will benefit from the knowledge, expertise and solutions available from the thousands of professionals convening at StormCon this August.
Download: Here
