How New York State businesses can comply with current and pending environmental regulations will be the focus of The Business Council's 1998 Industry-Environment Conference Nov. 4-6 at the Sheraton Saratoga Springs.
The Business Council has sponsored the conference for 23 years.
The conference is intended for executives and environmental managers at any business that must comply with environmental regulations or that helps other firms comply, said Ken Pokalsky, director of environmental and regulatory affairs for The Business Council.
Participants typically include managers from manufacturing firms, businesses that handle or produce hazardous materials, and environmental management consultants, he noted.
John Cahill, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), is scheduled to give the keynote address Wednesday, Nov. 4, during the dinner program.
The program will include workshop sessions on a number of topics. All workshop sessions will be repeated at least once during the three-day conference.
"This event is the foremost conference of its kind in New York," said Daniel B. Walsh, president of The Business Council. "By learning about compliance, environmental managers can make a big difference on their companies' bottom lines.
"This conference lets these managers network with key state environmental officials and with their counterparts at other businesses and, in the process, learn how best to comply with key regulations," Walsh added.
Workshop sessions will be led by experts from DEC and other state agencies, the federal Environmental Protection Agency, The Business Council, environmental consultants, and environmentalist groups. Topics include:
- Air pollution programs.
- "Environmental justice" issues.
- A remediation program update.
- An update on the implementation of the 1996 Environmental Bond Act.
- Chemical bulk storage and the underground storage tank program.
- State assistance programs for financing environmental projects.
- Hazardous waste management.
- Accident prevention planning and compliance with Section 112(r) of the 1990 federal Clean Air Act amendments.
- Environmental health programs.
- Environmental remediation/refinancing and reform.
- Federal and state wetlands regulation.
- Water pollution programs.
The Business Council will also award the "Building a Better New York Award." The Council gives this honor to individuals employed by Council members who have made outstanding contributions to The Council's advocacy efforts