FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AAPCA Announces Leadership Transitions and 2020 Best Practices in Air Pollution Control
Continues 2020 Virtual Fall Meeting Series with videoconference discussions and webinars
September 24, 2020
Lexington, KY
Today, the Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA) is announcing the transition to the Association’s 2021 slate of officers. The transition formally occurred on September 17 during AAPCA’s 2020 Fall Board Session, held as part of the 2020 Virtual Fall Meeting Series. AAPCA’s 2020 Virtual Fall Meeting Series is being held in place of the Association’s annual fall meeting.
AAPCA’s 2021 Officers were elected by AAPCA’s Board of Directors, comprised of senior air officials from 23 state environmental agencies. The Association is pleased to announce the following 2021 Officers:
- President | Robert Hodanbosi, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
- Vice President | Bryce Bird, Utah Department of Environmental Quality
- Secretary/Treasurer | Rhonda Thompson, South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control
- Past President | Karen Hays, Georgia Environmental Protection Division
“Despite the ongoing pandemic, AAPCA continues to provide critical opportunities to engage state, local, and federal partners on critical air quality issues,” stated 2021 President Bob Hodanbosi. “I look forward to working with AAPCA’s state and local members on their priorities as we evaluate how this year may fundamentally impact our work.”
AAPCA’s 2020 Virtual Fall Meeting Series is a three-month series of videoconference discussions, online sessions, and webinars featuring panels and presentations with speakers from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offices and regions, state and local air programs, and other Clean Air Act professionals and stakeholders. In addition to AAPCA’s 2020 Fall Board Session, AAPCA’s 2020 Virtual Fall Meeting Series has included a virtual discussion for directors on Budgets and Resource Planning on September 3 as well as webinar on September 8, entitled “Air Quality Policy & Technical Updates from U.S. EPA OAQPS.” Events will occur regularly through November.
Remarking on the 2020 Virtual Fall Meeting Series, incoming Vice President Bryce Bird said, “As with AAPCA’s in-person meeting, these virtual events are serving as a primary forum for agencies dedicated to protecting air quality. Sharing information on complex planning and regulatory efforts is a key way to ensure we are at the forefront of this ongoing work.”
Featured on the September 8 webinar was a presentation from Dr. James Boylan with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, which was awarded an AAPCA 2020 Best Practice for the Georgia PSD Emissions Inventory. AAPCA’s Best Practices program recognizes groundbreaking technology, innovative practices, or exemplary operations in the field of air pollution control. Nominations are reviewed by AAPCA’s Best Practices Committee and Board of Directors. Presentations from the September 8 webinar also included:
- NAAQS and Regional Haze Implementation Updates– Scott Mathias, Director, Air Quality Policy Division, U.S. EPA Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards
- Permitting Policy, Program Oversight, & Other Implementation Updates – Juan Santiago, Associate Director, Air Quality Policy Division, U.S. EPA Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards
- OAQPS Technical Updates: Monitoring, Modeling & Emissions – Richard A. (Chet) Wayland, Director, Air Quality Assessment Division, U.S. EPA Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards
AAPCA Secretary/Treasurer Rhonda Thompson noted that, “AAPCA’s 48 state and local agency members appreciate U.S. EPA’s willingness to present and stay in communication during this time.”
“As co-regulators under the federal Clean Air Act, state and local agencies are proud of the significant progress that has been achieved in air quality,” stated Past President Karen Hays. “And as 2020 shows, efforts must continue as we look to new and innovative ways to further this progress.”
All presentations to-date from AAPCA’s 2020 Virtual Fall Meeting Series can be found on the Events Page of AAPCA’s website, which will be updated with future presentations as available.
AAPCA Background
The Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA) is a 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 members work collaboratively on behalf of states and the communities they protect to act as a conduit for and provide feedback to federal regulators on air quality rules that have significant impacts across the entire nation. AAPCA represents nearly 50 state and local air agencies, and senior officials from 23 state environmental agencies currently sit on AAPCA’s Board of Directors. AAPCA is housed in Lexington, Kentucky as an affiliated association of The Council of State Governments (CSG).
Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies | 1776 Avenue of the States | Lexington, Kentucky 40511