The Minnesota/North Dakota Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) and the Air and Waste Management Association’s (AWMA) Upper Midwest Section are excited to announce the Arrowhead Region Environmental Conference on September 30, 2025. Register now!
This all-day conference will bring together environmental professionals representing industry, consultants, government, and academia, in the areas of air quality, water quality, and waste management. Through technical sessions, attendees will learn about emerging issues, relevant industry topics and have the opportunity to network with other professionals.
This year's event includes discussions on relevant regulatory updates, addressing PFAS, waste management case studies, and case studies related to remediation and risk mitigation.
Conference Agenda (Draft)
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM: Check-in and Breakfast
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM: Welcome and Introduction of Sponsors
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM: Air Quality Updates
Clearing the Air? An Update on EPA’s Air Regulation Reset – Erik Boleman (Barr Engineering)
How temporary Air Monitors can Help your Facility – John Ke (Trinity Consultants)
9:45 AM - 10:00 AM: Break
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Emerging Contaminants
Microplastic abundance and characteristics in Lake Superior and adjacent harbor – Melissa Maurer-Jones (UMD)
PFAS and Industrial Stormwater - Aisha Balogh (Barr Engineering)
Assessment of Operating Conditions and Analytical Methods for Evaluating PFAS Destruction using Supercritical Water Oxidation – Emily Widstrand (Bay West LLC)
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Lunch Break
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Land Use
Importing the Forestry Reclamation Approach to Northern Minnesota – Meghan Blair (Barr Engineering) & Jordan Erickson (Cliffs)
Twin Ports Interchange Project formerly known as the “Can of Worms” – Keri Aufdencamp (Short Elliott Hendrickson) and Pete Marthaler (MnDOT)
MPCA’s Proposed C& D Landfill Rules, What you should know – Fred Doran (Burns & McDonnell)
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Break
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Water Quality
Hacky-Sackett: How Courts and Regulatory Agencies Have Juggled the Landmark Wetland Decision – Jeremy Greenhouse (Fredrikson & Byron PA)
Municipal and Industrial Wastewater Treatment Efficiency – Jon Vanyo (Minnesota Technical Assistance Program)
Treatment of Mining-Impacted Waters Using Biological Sulfate Reduction and Direct - Reduced Iron Pellets – Jeff Hanson (Clearwater Biologic)