Conference Agenda & Scheduling

View	All Sessions My Itinerary Lunches
Filter by	03/24/2025 Monday 03/25/2025 Tuesday 03/26/2025 Wednesday 03/27/2025 Thursday 0800AM 0900AM 1000AM 1100AM 0100PM 0200PM 0300PM 0400PM A: CalARP B: HazWaste C: UST D: Admin/Mgt/Leadership E: Enforcement F: Clean up G: APSA H: Industry I: Emergency Response J: Potpourri K: HAZWOPER L: Technology M: HMBP N: Demonstrations O: Meetings T: Tours Z: Lunch	Print Itinerary PDF Agenda Presentations

OPENING CEREMONY & LEADERSHIP AWARDS M-D2

Monday 10am to 12pm

Room	PLATINUM BALLROOM
Seating	887 of 1000 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Dennis Karidis, Gary Cantwell, Jason Boetzer, Keirsten Tallion
Objective	OPENING CEREMONY: State address, Secretary and Cal CUPA Forum Leadership Awards.
Description	OPENING CEREMONY: State address, Secretary and Cal CUPA Forum Leadership Awards. Keynote Speaker Keirsten Tallion, Max Potentials.

SYSTEM BASED CALARP INSPECTION TU-A2

Tuesday 10am to 12pm

Room	MARQUIS BALLROOM NORTHWEST
Seating	140 of 150 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Alvin Lal
Objective	Develop a good understanding and best practices for conducting system-based CalARP inspections for a closed-loop ammonia refrigeration system.
Description	Explore the unique hazards associated with ammonia refrigeration systems. Apply RAGAGEP principles to assess the risks associated with ammonia refrigeration systems. Learn effective inspection techniques for ammonia systems, such as visual inspections, leak detection testing, and documentation of system components. By addressing these key areas, participants will gain the expertise necessary to conduct thorough and effective CalARP inspections.

GENERATOR IMPROVEMENTS RULE TU-B2

Tuesday 10am to 12pm

Room	MARQUIS BALLROOM NORTHEAST
Seating	250 of 268 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Elizabeth Chung, Chosu Khin, Amineh Aghabali
Objective	Outline the modifications in state regulation and describe current changes as the result of Generator Improvements Rule (GIR)
Description	DTSC adopted the US EPA's Generator Improvements Rule (GIR) mandatory provisions which became effective in California starting July 1, 2024. The GIR added new requirements for hazardous waste generators, reorganized and consolidated hazardous waste generator regulations, addressed regulatory gaps, and clarified the overall generator program. The presentation will provide details of the GIR mandatory provisions, resources and compliance.

ADDRESSING PROBLEMATIC VOCS IN VI EVALUATIONS AND MITIGATION TU-F2

Tuesday 10am to 11:30am

Room	GOLD KEY I/II
Seating	104 of 108 seats available
Credits	REHS: 1.5
Speakers	Gina Plantz, Bart Eklund, Catherine Regan
Objective	This session summarizes lessons learned over the last 20 years in evaluating potential VI of problematic VOCs.
Description	The primary risk drivers in vapor intrusion (VI) studies almost always are tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, or some fraction of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH). Nonetheless, decisions about further testing or mitigation may be driven by exceedances of screening levels of numerous other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VI guidance in California includes screening levels for over 150 compounds. These extended lists of screening levels include various compounds that have proven to be problematic in past VI investigations due to their detection in shallow soil vapor and/or indoor air at sites where they are not undergoing vapor intrusion. Some compounds of particular interest are: 1,3-butadiene, acrolein, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, and vinyl chloride. This session summarizes lessons learned over the last 20 years in evaluating potential VI of these problematic compounds. The fate & transport of these compounds has been investigated and they (almost) always have been found to not pose a VI risk at a given site. The lessons learned vary from compound to compound. Some compounds (e.g., 1,3-butadiene) have a very short half-life and therefore would not be expected to survive in soil gas long enough to pose a VI risk. Some compounds (e.g., acrolein) have been demonstrated to be false positives in evacuated, stainless-steel canisters. Carbon tetrachloride is found in outdoor air at or above screening levels, and infiltration of outdoor air into buildings results in potential exceedances indoors. Chloroform is a trihalomethane and typically is introduced into buildings via chlorinated municipal water supplies. 1,4-dichlorobenzene is a carcinogen found at concentrations above conservative screening levels in industrial and public buildings due to its use in cleaning products such as urinal cakes. Vinyl chloride is readily biodegraded in the presence of oxygen, so while it may be present at depth at a given site, it generally is absent in shallow soil gas. . Additionally, this session will present considerations for developing VI mitigation system operation, maintenance and monitoring programs. The same problematic VOCs summarized above can be challenges in evaluating the effectiveness of VI mitigation systems. The VI mitigation system should be operated with your site conceptual model in mind, not only when it is chosen, designed and installed but also when it is operated over the short and long term. For example, soil vapor probes may be kept in place and sampled if decreased concentrations of the vapor plume may trigger an evaluation to shut down the system. This session will also discuss other data to evaluate system performance like vacuum, flow and differential pressure may be collected on a quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis depending on site specific objectives.

ROBOTS AND DRONES IN TANK INSPECTION: AN OWNER'S PERSPECTIVE TU-G2

Tuesday 10am to 11am

Room	GRAND BALLROOM G/H
Seating	117 of 120 seats available
Credits	REHS: 1.0
Speakers	Earl Crochet
Objective	This session explains how tanks are inspected today using drones and robots and then speculates on what inspections will be performed in the future.
Description	This course will discuss how drones and robots are being used today to perform the various inspections needed on aboveground storage tanks. It will list the advantages and disadvantages of the existing technologies. Then it will cover how the industry might be using robots and drones within the next 5 to 10 years, based on current trends in the industry and advances in technologies.

NEW CA/FED ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS: TRENDS, DIRECTIONS & DEVELOPMENTS TU-H2

Tuesday 10am to 12pm

Room	GRAND BALLROOM F
Seating	241 of 250 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Gary Lucks, Andrea Sumits
Objective	To apprise regulators & industry of salient environmental legislative, regulatory, judicial developments impacting environmental compliance.
Description	This session will describe recent legislative and regulatory developments at the federal, California, and regional levels including key court opinions. These new requirements will include an analysis and implications with respect to California businesses and government that are regulated by the Unified Program.

ENHANCING COMPLIANCE, SUSTAINABILITY & YOUR BOTTOM LINE WITH AI TU-L2

Tuesday 10am to 11am

Room	GRANDBALLROOM K
Seating	48 of 50 seats available
Credits	REHS: 1.0
Speakers	Jamie McDonald
Objective	Convert messy, unintelligible product data into compliant back-of-store decisions or accurate website marketing claims with only a UPC or item name.
Description	Take an in-depth look into how AI-powered technology brings clarity and scale to your product catalog. Simplify adherence to complex federal & state regulations, verify marketing claims, and speed up time to shelf for new products. Paired with a leading environmental solutions provider, this powerful tool streamlines back-of-store operations while saving retailers time and money across multiple departments.

IMPLEMENTING AB 2059: STRATEGIES AND AGENCY APPLICATIONS TU-M2

Tuesday 10am to 12pm

Room	GRAND BALLROOM A-D
Seating	154 of 160 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Steven Hamilton, Darwin Cheng
Objective	To discuss the implementation and impact of Assembly Bill 2059.
Description	This session will provide an overview and discuss the impact of Assembly Bill 2059 on the new retail requirements and the disclosure requirements for the sale or provision of hazardous materials from suppliers. Los Angeles City Fire CUPA will discuss the impact of how their agency has utilized the information of sales of hazardous materials from suppliers. Orange County CUPA will share their experience from an emergency response incident with und

CERS SLEUTHS & CALARP CLUES: SEARCHING FOR HIDDEN CALARP SITES W-A2

Wednesday 10am to 12pm

Room	MARQUIS BALLROOM NORTHWEST
Seating	141 of 150 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Alvin Dong, Minh Le
Objective	This session will focus on how to extract CalARP chemicals from your CERS HMBP inventory to filter out possible CalARP regulated facilities.
Description	This course will provide the participants with general instruction on how to extract data of CalARP regulated chemicals from the HMBP inventory via CERS and filter out possible CalARP regulated facilities. The course will aim to provide the participant with a general knowledge of HMBP data structure and the ability to identify and analyze the relevant data. Two small sets of CUPAs inventory data will be utilized as case studies.

AA, BB & CC RCRA AIR REGULATIONS TRAINING W-B2

Wednesday 10am to 12pm

Room	MARQUIS BALLROOM NORTHEAST
Seating	263 of 268 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Daniel Fernandez
Objective	This presentation is to provide an overview of the Volatile Organic Hazardous Waste Air Emission regulations, under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Description	We will explore the critical issues surrounding VO waste management, including waste characterization, identification of regulated equipment, proper handling of the waste and regulatory compliance. Emphasizing the importance of implementing a robust waste management and compliance program. Ultimately promoting responsible chemical waste management to safeguard human health and the environment.

PREPARING FOR 2026 - THE UST LEAK PREVENTION PROGRAM UPDATE W-C2

Wednesday 10am to 12pm

Room	MARQUIS BALLROOM SOUTH
Seating	334 of 380 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0 ICC: 2.0
Speakers	Thomas Henderson
Objective	Cover details on the closure single-walled UST removal and prepare for the intricacies of the Chapter 16 rewrite.
Description	A casual, open question and answer format with Tom on the current state of the UST program. Tom will discuss the current UST statistics, the expectations regarding the single-walled UST permanent closure, and what the proposed Chapter 16 rewrite really means to CUPAs, UST owners and operators, installers and service technicians. Coffee and slippers required. Cardigan and pipe optional.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES W-D2

Wednesday 10am to 11am

Room	ORANGE COUNTY BALLROOM 1/2
Seating	144 of 155 seats available
Credits	REHS: 1.0
Speakers	Rachel Mireles
Objective	This session will provide participants with effective communication strategies related to environmental compliance, regulations, and site visits.
Description	Effective communication strategies include: -Understanding the site -Active listening -Compliance obligations -Collaborative actions Effective communication leads to effective action. Facilities, regulators, and consultant all aim to achieve environmental compliance in an efficient manner; effective communication is part of that process.

HOW MIGHT A CLEANUP PAY FOR ITSELF & WHAT IS A BACKSTOP LIKE? W-F2

Wednesday 10am to 11:30am

Room	GOLD KEY I/II
Seating	101 of 108 seats available
Credits	REHS: 1.5
Speakers	David Von Aspern
Objective	ENCOURAGEMENT OF REGULATORS IN A POST-LTCP ENVIRONMENT IN ASSISTING REDEVELOPMENT PROPONENTS; AND DESCRIBE COLLEGIAL EFFORTS AMONG COMPETING PARTIES
Description	1 of 2: A 32-acre redevelopment project within an otherwise built-out area minutes from Sacramentos downtown core had a 90-year continuous industrial use as a lumber sawmill, storage, and drying facility, and wooden box and interior moldings plant. All these historical uses remained in the same family ownership the whole time! In-depth site history interviews were crucial to developing a sound conceptual site model (CSM). The large overall land area was divided into five Option Parcels. Over the approximate 90 years the facility operated, its footprint expanded southward from prominent downtown Sacramento thoroughfare, Broadway. The oldest portions of the former facility had frontage along Broadway; the newest and least utilized portion of the original property was at its southern end. Thus, redevelopment commenced at the southernmost property extent, where the least potential existed for hazardous materials impairment. The CSM included an overall soil and groundwater assessment and human health-based risk assessment under an unrestricted future land use. Then, each Option Parcel was further studied and mitigated as warranted. As each Option Parcel was deemed suitable for redevelopment, it was sold and the proceeds of the first sale helped pay for the remediation of the next Option Parcel. The resulting overall project was built-out as The Mill at Broadway. In an era of on-going housing demand, every residential product sold like hot cakes. 2 of 2: David will share some insights into what a post-LTCP redevelopment "backstop" looks like by presenting color photos collected in recent years from actual projects. As shared during quarterly Roundtable meetings hosted by SWRCB, David observed a number of regulatory agencies perhaps feeling a little anxiety over cost recovery, clear line of authority in a post-closure setting and potentially working with a new entity which was not party to escrow when the redevelopment site was previously studied and its case-closed.

APSA EXCLUSIONS VS EXEMPTIONS W-G2

Wednesday 10am to 12pm

Room	GRAND BALLROOM G/H
Seating	107 of 120 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Jeremy Gates
Objective	This session will provide participants with information regarding the various APSA and SPCC exclusions and exemptions.
Description	This course will provide an overview of the various APSA and SPCC exclusions and exemptions, information regarding the differences between the two categories, reporting requirements, and inspection obligations.

COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION - WORKING TOWARD A COMMON GOAL W-H2

Wednesday 10am to 11:30am

Room	GRAND BALLROOM F
Seating	247 of 250 seats available
Credits	REHS: 1.5
Speakers	George Gigounas, Mike McCann
Objective	This session will provide insights from opposing counsel on how to obtain a mutually beneficial resolution to litigation or administrative violations.
Description	This course will consist of a presentation and dialogue between a Deputy District Attorney and a defense lawyer from a multinational law firm representing Fortune 500 companies on how to work together toward a resolution which prosecutors, regulators, and corporations find acceptable.

LIB FIRES & THE "STATIC" CLEANUP PHASE W-I2

Wednesday 10am to 12pm

Room	GRAND BALLROOM E
Seating	281 of 290 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Ernie Hernandez
Objective	This course will provide participants with the information needed to safely manage the cleanup phase associated with lithium-ion battery fires.
Description	This course will recap several high-energy lithium-ion battery incidents in Los Angeles County and describe the corresponding efforts with de-energization, DOT packaging, and disposal. This course will also provide an overview of air monitoring techniques, safety procedures and fire response agency coordination.

CUPA PROGRAMS AND INSPECTIONS AT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS W-J4

Wednesday 10am to 11:30am

Room	GOLD KEY III
Seating	46 of 50 seats available
Credits	REHS: 1.5
Speakers	Sean Anderson
Objective	Identify various CUPA programs and issues at international airports; learn safety & security protocols; and understand airport operations and trends.
Description	Inspecting international airports are challenging. They have complex operations. There are numerous establishments requiring permits and inspections. This presentation will discuss the various CUPA programs and inspection methods. In addition, this presentation will discuss the benefits of coordinating with the airport's administrative organization while conducting inspections.

CERS ASSISTANCE BRING YOUR OWN LAPTOP W-L2

Wednesday 10am to 12pm

Room	GRANDBALLROOM K
Seating	160 of 160 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Erika Michelotti, Nicholas Antilla, Jessie Perez
Objective	CERS users will receive system and other assistance from CalEPA CERS staff in navigating the current reporting system.
Description	The California Environmental Reporting System is required to be used by facilities regulated under the Unified Program. This session will provide 1 on 1 support to users who need assistance with the completion of required submittals. Note that staff will not be providing legal advice or opinions but rather provide technical assistance with the completion of required submittal elements. Please bring your own laptop and your credentials to login.

SPILL RELEASE REPORTING & NOTIFICATIONS W-M2

Wednesday 10am to 11:30am

Room	GRAND BALLROOM A-D
Seating	151 of 160 seats available
Credits	REHS: 1.5
Speakers	Brian Mancebo, Mark Bare
Objective	Understanding the California Office of Emergency Services spill reporting regulations and how to utilize the Hazardous Materials Spill Report.
Description	The class will provide an overview of the spill reporting requirements. We will walk students through the spill reporting notification process to understand how reports are received and then disseminated. Review the hazardous materials spill reports and provide ways you can apply the information to make the data applicable to your organization.

NAVIGATING COMPLIANCE: BEST PRACTICES AND AUDITING TECHNIQUES TH-A2

Thursday 10am to 12pm

Room	MARQUIS BALLROOM NORTHWEST
Seating	147 of 150 seats available
Credits	REHS: 2.0
Speakers	Jeanna Emmons, Jennifer Hall
Objective	Identify Key Components of an Effective Audit: Learn the essential elements that contribute to a thorough and effective compliance audit process.
Description	A compliance audit is a detailed review that ensures an organization adheres to regulatory standards and internal policies. Audits help identify gaps in compliance, assess the effectiveness of current controls, and recommend improvements. They typically involve reviewing of policies and procedures, interviews and observations, evaluation, and reporting findings. Think of it as a health check-up for your organizations practices.