2013 EMEP Conference Presentations

Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation, and Protection in New York: Linking Science and Policy

Wednesday, November 6

Below you will find links to recordings of the presentations, as well as PDFs of the slides.

9:00 - 9:30 am  — Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Janet Joseph (Vice President for Technology and Strategic Planning, NYSERDA)
• Jared Snyder (Assistant Commissioner, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation)

9:30 - 10:30 am — Keynote

• Congressman Paul D. Tonko (U.S. House of Representatives, NY 20th District)

10:45 - 12:00 pm — Energy-Related Environmental Science and Policy: Challenges and Strategies
Moderator: Mark Watson (NYSERDA)

• Richard Haeuber (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Air Markets) [DOWNLOAD PDF ]
• Ward Freeman (U.S. Geological Survey, NY Water Science Center)
• William Schlesinger (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies) [DOWNLOAD PDF]

1:15 - 2:45 pm — Concurrent Session A: Air Quality and Health Effects
Moderator: Praveen Amar (Clean Air Task Force)

• The association between PM components and human health with focus on organic components - Ron Wyzga (Electric Power Research Institute) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Source-oriented toxicity to inform toxicity-oriented emissions regulations - Anthony Wexler (University of California, Davis) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• The air quality impact of Superstorm Sandy and the mitigation strategies that could have helped - Dirk Felton (NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation) [DOWNLOAD PDF]

1:15 - 2:45 pm — Concurrent Session B: Ecosystem Effects of Acid and Mercury Deposition and Climate Change
Moderator: Doug Burns (U.S. Geological Survey)

• The latest on Adirondack soils and streams as acidic deposition continues to decrease - Gregory Lawrence (U.S. Geological Survey) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Influence of winter climate change on forest biogeochemistry - Pam Templer (Boston University) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Catskills fish community changes and recovery: A study pre- and post-Hurricane Irene - Scott George (University at Albany) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Causes, consequences, costs and policy ramifications of nitrogen pollution on Long Island, NY - Carl LoBue (The Nature Conservancy) [DOWNLOAD PDF]

3:15 - 4:45 pm — Concurrent Session C: Energy Efficiency and Production Improvements For Agriculture
Moderator: Dr. John C. Sager (NASA-Kennedy Space Center [retired], Independent Controlled-Environment Consultant)

• Capturing the light: The new wave in food production - Tessa Pocock (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Capturing waste heat from biogas-powered generators for conductive cooling on New York State dairy farms - Joseph Usack and Kristy Perano (Cornell University) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Counting and accounting for changes in agricultural practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions: Capturing the potential of organic farming practices - Sarah Johnston (NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from dairy facilities using anaerobic digestion technology - Jennifer Lynne Pronto (Cornell University) [DOWNLOAD PDF]

3:15 - 4:45 pm — Concurrent Session D: Alternative Tools and Approaches for Environmental Research, Monitoring, and Data
Moderator: Stuart Findlay (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies)

• Determining sources of mercury exposure in terrestrial songbirds - Evan Adams (Biodiversity Research Institute) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Smart forests for the 21st Century: How cyber technology and big data are changing environmental science - Lindsey Rustad (U.S. Forest Service)
• Assessing the societal benefits of healthy forest ecosystems with the Forest Ecosystem Services Toolkit - Colin Beier (SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Using our over-sampled environments to design efficient monitoring programs - Mark Green (Plymouth State University and U.S. Forest Service) [DOWNLOAD PDF]

Thursday, November 7

9:00 - 10:30 am — Effective Science Communication
Moderator: Peter Groffman (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies)

• Putting yourself into your science: The importance of communication and connection - Christine O’Connell (Alan Alda Center for Communication at Stony Brook University) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• “I do not like green eggs and ham!” Tips for communicating your message - Jenny Helmick (Eastern Research Group) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Speaking science to power - Jessica Ottney Mahar (The Nature Conservancy) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Pathways for science communication - Clarisse Hart (Harvard Forest, Harvard University) [DOWNLOAD PDF]

10:50 - 12:30 pm — Biomass
Moderator: Dr. Richard Gibbs (NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [retired], Biomass Consultant)

• Biomass: Current and future trends - Lisa Rector (NESCAUM) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• New test methods for energy and emissions evaluation of advanced biomass heating technologies - Tom Butcher (Brookhaven National Laboratory) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Carbon monoxide off-gassing from stored wood pellets manufactured in the Northeastern U.S. - Al Rossner (Clarkson University, Institute for a Sustainable Environment) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Advancing clean and efficient biomass utilization - Dan Wilson (Biomass Thermal Energy Council) [DOWNLOAD PDF]

1:45 - 3:15 pm — Climate Change: Moving Forward in New York State
Moderator: Alan Belensz (NYS Office of the Attorney General)

• Preliminary findings from the New York energy efficiency and renewable energy resources potential study - Steve Bower (Optimal Energy) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Updated climate projections for New York State - Daniel Bader (Columbia University) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• New York Climate Change Clearinghouse - Lisa Rector (NESCAUM) [DOWNLOAD PDF]
• Bridging climate science and utility systems: Resiliency planning in New York City - Candice Tsay (NYC Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability) [DOWNLOAD PDF]