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Regulatory compliance regarding Clean Water Act implementation varies on a state-by-state basis, but it doesn’t get much hotter than in the coastal states where much of the local economy depends on clean water resources. In the Sunshine State, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is tasked with implementing the requirements of total maximum daily loads and Basin Management Action Plans with the desired outcome of reducing nutrients to improve and protect surface waters. Jurisdictions are determining the right amount for healthy waters and developing plans and projects to reach those goals—which are costly. Stormwater utilities that can generate sufficient revenues to meet the challenges placed upon them today relative to resilient drainage and water quality are still a comparatively new phenomenon. This presentation will focus on emerging trends in funding stormwater programs that address compliance with nutrient regulations and resiliency to showcase more accurate and advanced fee structures to ensure equity in cost recovery.
Given the complexity of field conditions, some aspects of liquid performance may seem to be a “black box,” and at times it can be difficult to know how to best use them based upon field experience alone. This challenge is increased by the fact that we use liquids in a variety of ways, from anti-icing to pre-wetting to direct liquid application (DLA) deicing, and liquids perform differently depending on the application. This presentation will show how we can apply the basic science of liquid deicers to complement our field-based knowledge to better select the right liquid and rate for different conditions and application types. Topics will include how liquids perform differently in anti-icing, pre-wetting, and DLA; the important liquid properties for these different types of application; how we can utilize freezing point curves as powerful tools to predict liquid performance; and how we can apply the basic science to guide the use and expectations of brine additives and blends.
A panel discussion focused on a current hot topic, exploring workforce innovations in public works. Panelists will delve into what they have been doing to address current workforce challenges, including…
The U.S. Composting Council (USCC) is focused on municipalities as the prime actors who can implement/oversee successful food scrap (or adding food scrap to yard waste composting) programs to close…
Public works agencies across the U.S. have been impacted by the steps taken to control the spread of the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. This session shares how agencies have been impacted and the steps taken to address those impacts. Results of interviews before and after the 2020-21 winter will be presented, which determined the impact of budget changes, furlough programs, hiring freezes, social distancing, and quarantine guidelines. One of the major themes in the initial interviews was uncertainty as to what exactly the impacts would be. It was unknown, for example, whether plow operators would be among the first to receive vaccines when available. Many had taken steps to reduce the size of working teams, to limit impacts in case of infections, but all were considering how to handle operations if they lost a sizeable portion of their operations staff during winter due to the virus.
Accurate equipment calibration is a cornerstone best management practice for winter maintenance operations. Yet, many agencies do not recognize or understand its value. Building on the first session in this two-part series for a first-hand account to understanding the “What” and the “Why” of calibration, this session discusses the “How” to accurately calibrate offering both understanding and resources required to ensure success.
We all deal with conflict in our lives and work, and most of us struggle with dysfunctional conflict. Would it surprise you to learn that many successful negotiators find conflict functional and a tool for creating collaboration? Having a better understanding of conflict management styles and tips to managing conflict can have a profound effect on your interpersonal relationships. Public land acquisition agents deal with landowners regularly who only wish to be left alone and begin almost every negotiation in a state of conflict. Learn from their experience during this session, adapted from the International Right of Way Association’s (IRWA) highly popular Conflict Management course, to help you deal with conflict in a productive manner and improve interactions with others.
Our urban areas are growing, and our tree assets are competing for enough space and attention to thrive. This presentation will share information related to the intersection of trees, people, and technology. The speaker will share cutting-edge applications for technologies on machine learning, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), ground-penetrating radar, drones, and more related to the inventorying, maintenance, and planning for trees. He’ll also share ways to communicate and engage your community about your plans. As our cities deal with urban heat islands, flash floods, flash droughts, increased modernization, and other innovations, the urban forest becomes even more critical to the health and livelihood of residents. By embracing, understanding, and using technology, tree assets can be more efficiently managed and appreciated to provide increased benefits and services to the community.
The construction industry plays a major role in the nation’s efforts to protect streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and oceans. Municipal agencies must use their resources and authority to implement compliance programs to reduce non-stormwater discharges associated with construction projects. Stormwater pollution from construction sites is often underestimated yet can generate severe environmental impacts. According to the EPA, sediment pollution causes approximately $16 billion in environmental damage annually. The purpose of this educational session will be to guide attendees through the major steps municipal agencies need to take when responding to discharges from large-scale construction sites. When best management practices fail, stormwater theory and certification acronyms don’t impede the flow of hundreds of gallons of sediment-laden water into the storm drain system. A major construction site “blowout” is a stress test moment and can be a reality check for municipal agencies.
Throughout the last two years, many of us have faced new experiences shaping how we view our future work lives. We’re contemplating career paths, reflecting on what motivates us, experiencing epiphanies, and making changes as a result. We’ve faced a new set of obstacles that’s created an opportunity to reexamine our lives. This panel of APWA leaders will provide an engaging open discussion about their careers—how they overcame barriers, faced adaption and personal resiliency, and pivoted during uncontrollable circumstances, similar to what some of us may be experiencing today. They’ll also focus on opportunities they never thought possible through public works and how their career paths shifted and changed throughout the years, offering a fresh, broad perspective of optimism and new ideas.