AAPCA 2023 Spring Meeting Held in Oklahoma City
State and local air agencies, U.S. EPA discuss Clean Air Act priorities, Inflation Reduction Act implementation
April 10, 2023
Lexington, KY
Last week, the Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA) hosted its 2023 Spring Meeting, welcoming more than 100 governmental and nongovernmental attendees to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Participating in the meeting, held April 4, 5, and 6, were 23 state and local air pollution control agencies, leadership from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offices and regions, national and state environmental, energy, and industry organizations, and other federal agencies.
“We were excited to be in Oklahoma City to discuss the important policy, technical, and resource needs that are central to improving air quality,” said AAPCA President Mike Abraczinskas, Director for the North Carolina Division of Air Quality. “We appreciate Oklahoma hosting AAPCA’s meeting and thank all of the speakers and attendees.”
Ken McQueen, Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment, formally opened the 2023 Spring Meeting, speaking to the state’s environmental and energy priorities. The agenda featured an in-depth session on “Implementing the Inflation Reduction Act,” with presentations from the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), the Environmental Defense Fund, and U.S. EPA. Presenting from U.S. EPA on the panel were the Offices of Air & Radiation (OAR), Transportation & Air Quality (OTAQ), and Environmental Justice & External Civil Rights (OEJECR).
AAPCA was honored to have as keynote Ken Wagner, Executive Director for the Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University. Mr. Wagner spoke to his extensive experience in environmental policy and collaborating at all levels of government.
“As a state regulator, being able to directly engage EPA leadership is critical as the Agency continues to propose and finalize a number of significant Clean Air Act rules that will impact our communities and work,” noted AAPCA Vice President Jason Meyers, Air Planning and Assessment Division Administrator for the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
Programming for AAPCA’s 2023 Spring Meeting additionally included presentations from state, local, and federal agencies, and other energy/environmental leaders. Policy and technical topics included: air planning priorities; air quality standards reviews and implementation; permitting; transportation updates; energy sector updates; air toxics; meaningful engagement and environmental justice tools; new tools in air quality analysis and planning; and technical updates associated with modeling, monitoring, and emissions inventories.
Presentations that are available from AAPCA’s 2023 Spring Meeting are posted here. The Association’s 2023 Fall Business Meeting is scheduled to be held September 26, 27, and 28 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
AAPCA Background
The Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA) is a national, non-profit, consensus-driven organization focused on assisting state and local air quality agencies and personnel with implementation and technical issues associated with the federal Clean Air Act. AAPCA represents 48 state and local air pollution control agencies, and senior officials from 21 state environmental agencies currently sit on the AAPCA Board of Directors. AAPCA is housed in Lexington, Kentucky as an affiliate of The Council of State Governments. You can find more information about AAPCA at: www.cleanairact.org.
Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies | 1776 Avenue of the States | Lexington, Kentucky 40511
www.cleanairact.org | @AAPCA_States | LinkedIn
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