[CPEO-BIF] National Brownfields Conference Feedback

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Submitted by Steven Santos" <Steven.Santos@state.or.us>

Hello, I am currently an Economic Development Planning Specialist for
Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development.  Prior to this
position I was the Brownfields Redevelopment Coordinator for the Oregon
Economic and Community Development Department.  In that position I was a
major partner in helping put on the 2003 National Brownfields Conference
in Portland in 2003.  I also have previous experience conducting a state
brownfields conference in Oregon for many years.

I suggest EPA hold the national conference every other year.  In the off
years, EPA should encourage regional workshops or state training events.
 ICMA or EPA's contractor could use the off years to identify and
monitor emerging trends in the field and what issues are being raised at
the state and regional level.  Breaking the cycle of constantly putting
on or planning the current and next conference would enable a fresh
agenda rather than the same old tried and true topics and speakers.  Yes
EPA should maintain a core curriculum (liability, cleanup tech,
financing,etc.), but at least half the agenda should be to smaller
interest groups or new topics.  For example, back in 2003, the Oregon
delegation was discouraged from designing sessions relating to rural
brownfields issues and were told there would not be much interest. These
sessions turned out to be better attended than most others.  EPA needs
to be more open minded as to what attendees need/want to learn about. 
EPA also needs to do a better job of breaking the cycle of political
nepotism that comes with major organizations or funders.  I know some of
that is unavoidable.  EPA could just be up front about this and allocate
a certain portion of the agenda for these organizations and funders and
leave the rest to an organizing committee that is not made up of the
usual cast of characters.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback.



Steven Santos
Economic Development Planning Specialist
Department of Land Conservation & Development
635 Capitol St. NE, Suite 150
Salem, OR 97301-2540
(503) 373-0050 x284
(503) 378-5518 (fax)
steven.santos@state.or.us 




-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org
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