AAPCA 2025 Spring Meeting
The Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies’ (AAPCA) 2025 Spring Meeting will be held on April 30, May 1, and May 2 in Phoenix, Arizona, at the Hilton Phoenix Airport (2435 South 47th Street). This webpage contains all materials for the meeting. Thank you for helping AAPCA go paperless!
Wi-fi Network Access Code:
Hilton25 (this is the coupon “code” to enter when prompted to sign in to the meeting room Wi-Fi)
Agenda
A final agenda as of 4/30/25 is available here. All times local/Mountain.
Electronic copies of presentations will also be provided via links below, as available throughout the meeting.
Wednesday, April 30
All sessions held in Grand Ballroom Sections 2 & 3, Ground Floor (unless otherwise noted)
10:00 AM – 3:30 PM | Registration (Grand Ballroom Foyer, Ground Floor)
1:30 – 3:30 PM | Permitting Reform, Cooperative Federalism, and Cross-Agency Partnership – Moderated by Brad Poiriez, Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District
[open to all attendees]
- Addressing The Shortage Of Emission Reduction Credits In Maricopa County – Will Adrian and Greg Verkamp, Maricopa County Air Quality
- Mobile Emission Reduction Credits (MERCs) – Matthew Lakin, U.S. EPA Region 9
- Permitting Reform, Cooperative Federalism, and Cross-Agency Partnership – Eric Massey, Arizona Public Service
- Arizona Case Study in Cooperative Federalism – Amanda Reeve, Snell & Wilmer
3:45 – 5:45 PM | AAPCA Spring 2025 Air Directors/Board Business Session
[Board members or their designees]
6:00 – 7:30 PM | Opening Reception (Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor)
[cash bar & hors d’oeuvres; open to all attendees]
Thursday, May 1
All sessions held in Grand Ballroom Sections 2 & 3, Ground Floor (unless otherwise noted), and open to all attendees
7:30 AM | Registration (Grand Ballroom Foyer, Ground Floor)
7:30 – 8:30 AM | Networking Breakfast (Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor)
8:30 – 9:00 AM | Welcome and Opening Remarks – Introduction by Hether Krause, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and AAPCA Secretary-Treasurer
- AAPCA Spring Meeting – Karen Peters, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
- Daniel Czecholinski, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
9:00 – 10:30 AM | Intermountain West Clean Air Act Priorities – Moderated by Samir Sheikh, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
- Intermountain West Clean Air Act Priorities – Matt Poppen, Maricopa Association of Governments
- Utah Air Quality Priorities: Ozone and 179B(b) – Ryan Bares, Utah Division of Air Quality
- Intermountain West Clean Air Act Priorities: Wyoming – Nancy Vehr, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
10:30 – 11:00 AM | Networking Break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Ground Level Ozone Research (GLOR) Project – Moderated by Keith Frost, South Carolina Department of Environmental Services
- Ground Level Ozone Research (GLOR) Field Campaign Summer 2025 – Armin Sorooshian, University of Arizona
- Ground Level Ozone Research (GLOR) – Crystal McClure, Sonoma Technology
- The Evolution of Community Air Quality Monitoring – Hilary Hafner, Sonoma Technology
12:00 – 1:00 PM | Particulate Matter NAAQS Updates – Moderated by Preston McLane, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- Preparing for PM2.5: Dealing with Uncertainties – Ted Lendis, Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability
- Georgia’s PM2.5 Designation Recommendations and Exceptional Events Demos – Jim Boylan, Georgia Environmental Protection Division
1:00 – 2:15 PM | Networking Lunch (Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor)
2:30 – 3:30 PM | North Carolina PFAS Updates – Moderated by Erika Droke, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
- NC Division of Air Quality’s PFAS Updates – Taylor Hartsfield, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
3:00 – 3:30 PM | Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring – Moderated by Jaricus Whitlock, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
- Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring in Pima County, AZ – Natalie Shepp, Pima County Department of Environmental Quality
3:30 – 4:00 PM | Networking Break
4:00 – 5:00 PM | Multi-Jurisdictional Organization Clean Air Act Technical Updates – Moderated by Wes Thornhill, Alabama Department of Environmental Management
- WESTAR and WRAP 2025 Priorities – Mary Uhl, Western States Air Resources Council
- Greg DeAngelo, Metro 4 / Southeastern States Air Resource Managers
- Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association Overview & Updates – Marc Cone, Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association
Dinner on your own.
Friday, May 2
All sessions held in Grand Ballroom Sections 2 & 3, Ground Floor (unless otherwise noted), and closed-session, limited to AAPCA members and governmental attendees
7:30 – 8:30 AM | Committee Breakout Breakfast (Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor)
Tables are labeled with each of AAPCA’s 12 committees – AAPCA members and governmental attendees are encouraged to sit with a committee of interest.
8:30 – 9:00 AM | Environmental and Economic Innovation in Phoenix– Introduction by Hether Krause, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and AAPCA Secretary-Treasurer
- Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix
9:00 – 9:30 AM | U.S. EPA Office of Air & Radiation Priorities – Introduction by Laura Crowder, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and AAPCA President
- Aaron Szabo, Senior Advisor to the Administrator, U.S. EPA
9:30 – 10:00 AM | Networking Break
10:00 – 10:45 AM | U.S. EPA NAAQS, SIP, and Permitting Updates – Moderated by Michael Kennedy, Kentucky Division for Air Quality
- State Planning & Permitting Program Updates – Scott Mathias, Air Quality Policy Division, Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards, U.S. EPA Office of Air & Radiation
10:45 – 11:30 AM | U.S. EPA Air Quality Monitoring, Modeling, and Other Technical Updates – Moderated by Brandy Brooks, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
- Air Quality Assessment Division: Technical Updates – Karen Wesson, Air Quality Assessment Division, Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards, U.S. EPA Office of Air & Radiation
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | State and Local Air Agency Discussion of Clean Air Act Issues
12:00 PM | Lunch (Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor)
Wednesday, April 30
All sessions held in Grand Ballroom Sections 2 & 3, Ground Floor (unless otherwise noted)
10:00 AM – 3:30 PM | Registration (Grand Ballroom Foyer, Ground Floor)
1:30 – 3:30 PM | Permitting Reform, Cooperative Federalism, and Cross-Agency Partnership – Moderated by Brad Poiriez, Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District
[open to all attendees]
- Addressing The Shortage Of Emission Reduction Credits In Maricopa County – Will Adrian and Greg Verkamp, Maricopa County Air Quality
- Mobile Emission Reduction Credits (MERCs) – Matthew Lakin, U.S. EPA Region 9
- Permitting Reform, Cooperative Federalism, and Cross-Agency Partnership – Eric Massey, Arizona Public Service
- Arizona Case Study in Cooperative Federalism – Amanda Reeve, Snell & Wilmer
3:45 – 5:45 PM | AAPCA Spring 2025 Air Directors/Board Business Session
[Board members or their designees]
6:00 – 7:30 PM | Opening Reception (Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor)
[cash bar & hors d’oeuvres; open to all attendees]
Thursday, May 1
All sessions held in Grand Ballroom Sections 2 & 3, Ground Floor (unless otherwise noted), and open to all attendees
7:30 AM | Registration (Grand Ballroom Foyer, Ground Floor)
7:30 – 8:30 AM | Networking Breakfast (Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor)
8:30 – 9:00 AM | Welcome and Opening Remarks – Introduction by Hether Krause, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and AAPCA Secretary-Treasurer
- AAPCA Spring Meeting – Karen Peters, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
- Daniel Czecholinski, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
9:00 – 10:30 AM | Intermountain West Clean Air Act Priorities – Moderated by Samir Sheikh, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
- Intermountain West Clean Air Act Priorities – Matt Poppen, Maricopa Association of Governments
- Utah Air Quality Priorities: Ozone and 179B(b) – Ryan Bares, Utah Division of Air Quality
- Intermountain West Clean Air Act Priorities: Wyoming – Nancy Vehr, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
10:30 – 11:00 AM | Networking Break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Ground Level Ozone Research (GLOR) Project – Moderated by Keith Frost, South Carolina Department of Environmental Services
- Ground Level Ozone Research (GLOR) Field Campaign Summer 2025 – Armin Sorooshian, University of Arizona
- Ground Level Ozone Research (GLOR) – Crystal McClure, Sonoma Technology
- The Evolution of Community Air Quality Monitoring – Hilary Hafner, Sonoma Technology
12:00 – 1:00 PM | Particulate Matter NAAQS Updates – Moderated by Preston McLane, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- Preparing for PM2.5: Dealing with Uncertainties – Ted Lendis, Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability
- Georgia’s PM2.5 Designation Recommendations and Exceptional Events Demos – Jim Boylan, Georgia Environmental Protection Division
1:00 – 2:15 PM | Networking Lunch (Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor)
2:30 – 3:30 PM | North Carolina PFAS Updates – Moderated by Erika Droke, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
- NC Division of Air Quality’s PFAS Updates – Taylor Hartsfield, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
3:00 – 3:30 PM | Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring – Moderated by Jaricus Whitlock, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
- Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring in Pima County, AZ – Natalie Shepp, Pima County Department of Environmental Quality
3:30 – 4:00 PM | Networking Break
4:00 – 5:00 PM | Multi-Jurisdictional Organization Clean Air Act Technical Updates – Moderated by Wes Thornhill, Alabama Department of Environmental Management
- WESTAR and WRAP 2025 Priorities – Mary Uhl, Western States Air Resources Council
- Greg DeAngelo, Metro 4 / Southeastern States Air Resource Managers
- Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association Overview & Updates – Marc Cone, Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association
Dinner on your own.
Friday, May 2
All sessions held in Grand Ballroom Sections 2 & 3, Ground Floor (unless otherwise noted), and closed-session, limited to AAPCA members and governmental attendees
7:30 – 8:30 AM | Committee Breakout Breakfast (Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor)
Tables are labeled with each of AAPCA’s 12 committees – AAPCA members and governmental attendees are encouraged to sit with a committee of interest.
8:30 – 9:00 AM | Environmental and Economic Innovation in Phoenix– Introduction by Hether Krause, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and AAPCA Secretary-Treasurer
- Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix
9:00 – 9:30 AM | U.S. EPA Office of Air & Radiation Priorities – Introduction by Laura Crowder, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and AAPCA President
- Aaron Szabo, Senior Advisor to the Administrator, U.S. EPA
9:30 – 10:00 AM | Networking Break
10:00 – 10:45 AM | U.S. EPA NAAQS, SIP, and Permitting Updates – Moderated by Michael Kennedy, Kentucky Division for Air Quality
- Scott Mathias, Air Quality Policy Division, Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards, U.S. EPA Office of Air & Radiation
10:45 – 11:30 AM | U.S. EPA Air Quality Monitoring, Modeling, and Other Technical Updates – Moderated by Brandy Brooks, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
- Karen Wesson, Air Quality Assessment Division, Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards, U.S. EPA Office of Air & Radiation
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | State and Local Air Agency Discussion of Clean Air Act Issues
12:00 PM | Lunch (Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor)
Meeting Materials & Information
Meeting Check-In
Online registration to attend AAPCA’s 2025 Spring Meeting is now closed.
On-site meeting registration will be open Wednesday, April 30, from 10:00 AM until 3:30 PM, and Thursday, May 1, beginning at 7:30 AM. The registration desk will be located in the Grand Ballroom Foyer, Ground Floor.
Please stop by so AAPCA can welcome you and provide your nametag and answer any meeting questions that you may have.
Dress & Weather
Business casual attire is acceptable for all events. Weather forecasts in Phoenix to start the meeting range from lows in the mid-60s to highs in the low-90s, and sunny!
Hotel Information
The AAPCA 2025 Spring Meeting will be held at the Hilton Phoenix Airport located at 2435 South 47th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85034.
The hotel block is now closed. Please directly email mdickie@csg.org to ask about availability.
Sessions will primarily be held in Grand Ballroom Sections 2 & 3, Ground Floor, with meals hosted in Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor. The opening reception will also be in Grand Ballroom 1, Ground Floor.
The hotel website includes hotel details such as maps, directions, on-site parking, and amenities. Hotel check-in is at 3:00 PM and check-out is 11:00 AM.
HoteL Shuttle Information
The Hilton Phoenix Airport hotel shuttle is complimentary and runs 24 hours per day. Guests will need to call the main number once they have their luggage in hand. The front desk will instruct them on where to go to catch the shuttle. Please note, the shuttle does not circle the airport automatically – you do need to call the hotel for the shuttle. Call (480) 894-1600.
For return to the airport from the hotel, the shuttle runs 24 hours per day and leaves every half hour at the top and bottom of the hour (i.e. 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, etc.).
Hotel Parking
The Hilton Phoenix Airport hotel has an open parking lot and signs posted asking people to sign in with a QR code. AAPCA attendees do not have to scan the QR code. The hotel is not policing the lot currently. Attendees may disregard the notes in the parking lot.
Public Transportation
The light rail and bus are accessible from the hotel: See Valley Metro Rail and Valley Metro Maps & Schedules
- Nearest bus stop: Route 30, University Dr & 48th St (about a 7-minute walk)
- Nearest light rail stop: University Dr/Rural Rd (about a 20-minute bus ride)
We encourage you to utilize public transportation or carpooling to get around town, go to dinner, etc. Below we have provided directions from the hotel to nearby areas with restaurants, shopping, and other attractions.
- Transit directions to South Mill Avenue and downtown Tempe – For restaurants in this area see Dining in Downtown Tempe.
The AAPCA 2025 Spring Meeting list of attendees with contact information is available here (as of 4/28/25).
Speaker biographies for the AAPCA 2025 Spring Meeting are forthcoming:
Several nearby restaurants and attractions are linked below:
- Restaurants near hotel (Trip Advisor recommendations)
- Restaurants near Mill Ave. (downtown Tempe, AZ)
- Restaurants near Tempe Marketplace
- Heard Museum
- Arizona Museum of Natural History
- Musical Instrument Museum
- Phoenix Zoo
- Desert Botanical Garden
- Phoenix Art Museum
- Arizona Science Center
- Arizona Boardwalk
- Phoenix Suns schedule
- Downtown Phoenix: dtphx.org
- Arizona Office of Tourism: visitarizona.com
If you have any questions, need assistance, or an emergency arises during the event, please contact AAPCA staff:
- Morgan Dickie, AAPCA Executive Director, 804-245-2245 (cell), mdickie@csg.org
- Lauren Hedge, AAPCA Policy & Membership Specialist, lhedge@csg.org