The Department of Environmental Protection, in partnership with the Engineers Society of Western PA, invites community leaders, industry professionals and other interested stakeholders to a statewide brownfields conference from December 10 to 12 at the Doubletree Hotel in Monroeville, Allegheny County.

The conference was originally scheduled for October 29 to 31, but was postponed because of the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

DEP’s Deputy Secretary for Waste, Air, Radiation and Remediation, Vince Brisini, will serve as master of ceremonies. Alisa Harris, DEP’s Special Deputy Secretary for External Affairs, will moderate a brownfields best practices panel.

“Pennsylvania is committed to being a leader in brownfield reclamation,” Brisini said. “This conference will offer a valuable forum for industry leaders and regulators to share ideas and discuss strategies to ensure that we remain a leader.”

Previously, DEP and the Engineers Society of Western PA held separate statewide conferences that appealed to the same audience. This is the first year the organizations have worked together on the conference, which uses an advisory panel of industry experts to develop conference content. They plan to hold the event in a different region of the state each year.

The theme of this year’s conference, “Marketplace Meets Brownfields,” will highlight current redevelopment topics, including the popular Extreme Makeover competition; mobile workshops; a video showcase of success stories; and technical updates on market trends and treatment options.

There will be a tiered track of courses available to provide continuing education credits for economic development agency personnel, local government organizations, planners, real estate professionals and engineering professionals.

Brownfields are properties where expansion, redevelopment or re-use are jeopardized because of the presence of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants. Pennsylvania’s approach to brownfields redevelopment has proven to be a national model for transforming abandoned, idled properties into places of economic opportunity.

For more information, visit the Brownfields Conference webpage and to register or display an exhibit, contact the conference manager at 412-261-0710, ext. 11, or send email to: c.stellfox@eswp.com.

11/26/2012