Highlights from the Conference: Keynote Speaker - Curt Spalding, EPA Region 1 Administrator: National and regional focuses of the EPA. 

EPA Nationally: (1) Enforcement and Compliance, (2) Clear Air Act (Climate Change), (3) Clean Water Act - stormwater!, (4) CERCLA, (5) Environmental Justice and (5) Smart Growth.

EPA Region 1 (New England): much broader 'agenda' including: Wet Weather Pollution, Green Jobs, Lead Poisoning, Enforcement.

MA DEP indicated their Priorities are: (1) Compliance Assessment (i.e. UST compliance), (2) Verification of Compliance (i.e. audits of 'closed sites'), (3) Maintaining Healthy Environment (i.e. diesel emission from idling buses), (4) "Blitz" - High Intensive Inspection/Enforcement: Chapter 91 Enforcement - with the reduction in staff either you work with the DEP or they leverage outside sources - e.g. the Attorney General's office for enforce regulations, (5) Leveraging Outside Agencies for assistance with Enforcement.

• MA DEP about inspections (7,400 in 2009) and enforcements (3,500 in 2009).  Total penalties in MA = $6.9M vs $5.4M in 2008.  Focus on really cracking down on asbestos abatement contractors!  Criminal violators were prosecuted and likely to see jail time;

• DEP referenced M.G.L. c 148 section 38J - residential ASTs and encouragement of insurance coverage;

• Some interesting case law referenced about arranger liability under CERCLA and other case law like Commonwealth v. Pan Am Railways - minor spill ($100,000 cleanup) of oil but a failure to report it lead to the highest fines possible under the law ($500,000 total fines $125,000 per violation);

• Case law on environmental contractors (LSP case) - to follow.