September 20-21 The Westin Hotel 6631 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23230
VEHS is dedicated to industrial environmental, health and safety excellence. Participants also explore the affordability and
sustainability of regulations on the Virginia economy. It is the premier event of the year where Virginia industry, regulators,
legislators and allies join together for information, best practices, and technology.
Program
Virginia Department of Environmental (DEQ) Regulatory Briefing
Description: This annual briefing by the DEQ is a favorite for conference attendees as a “one-stop shop” for updates on pending and proposed regulations of air, water, waste, recycling, climate change, land use and permit practices.
Panel:
- Kathryn Persyzk – Director, Land Protection and Revitalization Division
- Jutta Schneider, Water Planning Division Director
- Melanie Davenport, Director, Water Permitting Division
- Michael Dowd, Director, Air and Renewable Energy Division
- Lee Crowell – Director, Enforcement Division
- Sharon Baxter, Director, Division of Environmental Enhancement
Solar Photovoltaic Panel End of Performance Considerations: U.S. Policies and Initiatives
Description: Responsible and cost-effective dissolution of photovoltaic (PV) system hardware at the end of the performance period has emerged as an important business and environmental consideration. Speakers will discuss installation and decommissioning trends, demand projections, impacts to the circular economy, as well as other key research and analysis findings.
Speakers: Liz Williamson, Esq., Williams Mullen, Taylor Curtis, Esq., National Renewable Energy Laboratory (video recorded)
Industrial BMPs for Nutrient Credit Trading and Regulatory Compliance
Description: Mr. Pollard will address legal and regulatory opportunities for using innovative approaches to and methods for best management practices for industrial wastewater and stormwater discharges, such as natural systems including wetlands, forestry and other vegetated buffers, in-stream or estuary oyster filtration, and switchgrass buffers, as well as other water quality treatment technologies. The discussion will also address how the law allows (or should allow) methods that serve multiple policy objectives ranging from water quality protection to building resilience to on-site flooding that can interrupt operations or cause damage to structures and erosion of property. Finally, the presentation will describe current legal limitations and practical hurdles to optimizing the uses of such practices for industrial discharges and potential opportunities to encourage the use of such practices through legislative and regulatory changes or administrative guidance.
Speaker: Speaker Pollard, Williams Mullen LLP
Virginia Occupational Safety & Health (VOSH) Regulatory Workshop: Best Management Practices, Case Studies & Technology
Panel:
- Willis Morris, Deputy Commissioner
- Ron Graham, VOSH Health Program Director
- Jay Withrow, Director of Legal Support, ORA, OPPPI, and OWP
- Marta Fernandes, VOSH Safety Program Manager
- Erika Thornton, Compliance Safety & Health Officer
MOVA Technologies: Emerging Air Filtration Technologies are Enabling Sustainable Pollution Reduction Opportunities
Description: High-efficiency, selective air capture technologies (SACTs) are changing the economic equation for air pollution control and indoor air filtration. SACTs apply circular principles to harvest captured contaminants as marketable byproducts, demonstrating significant cost advantages relative to legacy air pollution controls. SACTs have broad industry appeal with applications in manufacturing, agriculture, energy, and carbon capture, and open the door for new revenue streams from what had previously been considered an environmental hazard. John Schott is the CEO of MOVA Technologies, a Virginia company specializing in sustainable selective air capture systems. John will discuss these topics and provide an overview/update on the state of carbon capture and direct air capture technologies.
Speaker: John Schott, Chief Operations Officer, MOVA Technologies
Recycling & Circular Economy Solutions: Recycling Automation Technology
Description: Improvements in mechanical recycling are critical to circular economy goals. The application of artificial intelligence and cutting-edge sensor technology promises major efficiency gains in the metal scraping industry. For over 130 years, Stratton Metals LLC has been recycling scrap ferrous and non-ferrous metals in Richmond, Virginia. TFC Recycling is a leader in the collection, processing and marketing of recyclable materials and managing of solid waste in Virginia and North Carolina through innovative material recovery. Michael Benedetto is President and Owner for TFC Recycling. Michael is responsible for leading the company’s overall business development, operations, sales, and risk management. He is also a past Chairman of the Virginia Recycling Markets Development Council (VRMDC).
Speakers: Bill Stratton, President – Stratton Metals, LLC; Michael Benedetto, President – TFC Recycling
Energy & the Environment: Necessity of Natural Gas, Infrastructure, & the Cost of Renewable Energy
Description: Environmental regulation and energy costs are inextricably linked together. Speakers will discuss new low-emission natural gas and infrastructure, opportunities for new battery powered innovative technologies, Energy Security and Reliability, and the real costs of Virginia’s “Green New Deal”.
Speakers: Robert Duvall, President, Virginia Natural Gas; Cliona Robb, Thompson McMullan LLC); Paul Beblowski, Product Manager, STIHL; Aaron Thompson, State Government and Community Relations Manager, TC Energy