2023 NCASI Conference

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Join us for the NCASI Annual Conference.

NCASI’s conferences have gained the reputation for being the premier platform to stay abreast of the latest research and developments in the forest products sector.

This year’s conference will feature an impressive lineup of expert presentations, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the industry. These presentations will delve into the most up-to-date research findings, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative practices that are shaping the industry’s future.

By attending you will have the opportunity to interact with industry experts, engage in stimulating discussions, and expand your professional network. The knowledge and insights you gain from this event will undoubtedly inspire you and equip you with practical strategies that can be implemented immediately in your work.

Download the agenda

Keynote Speaker Announced

Terry Baker, CEO, Society of American Foresters
Click here to read Terry Baker’s bio
Keynote Presentation: Role of Forests in the Bioeconomy and Emerging Technical Needs

Terry Baker, CEO SAF

Agenda

Download the agenda

Monday, September 25th

• Workshop: NCASI Audit Tool Workshop for US EPA Method 5 Test Reports – This workshop will guide participants in the use of an Excel-based tool for auditing test reports where US EPA Method 5 has been used to determine particulate matter emissions from a stationary source. Participants will be provided with a copy of the Excel spreadsheet and are encouraged to bring a laptop for an interactive experience.
• Workshop: Probabilistic Risk Assessment -This workshop will provide an overview of the underlying science and application of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) in Human Health Water Quality Criteria development and other potential environmental management scenarios.  Dr. Giffe Johnson (NCASI) will present an overview of PRA as applied to human health risk assessment and environmental criteria.  Dr. Brad Barnhart (NCASI) will present the NCASI PRA calculation tool and provide a comparison of water quality criteria development through deterministic and probabilistic methods.  Gillian Wason (GA Environmental Protection Division) will provide an overview of Georgia’s proposed implementation of PRA to develop human health water quality criteria in the current triennial review.
• Opening Session
  • Keynote: Role of Forests in the Bioeconomy and Emerging Technical Needs – Terry Baker, CEO, Society of American Foresters
• Reception

Tuesday, September 26th 

• Water Program: Eastern Regulatory Focus – This session will focus on regulatory and technical updates related to the Eastern US.  Topics to be covered include water-related regulatory updates in Georgia, ongoing fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) developments, and a review of strategies and opportunities when conducting mixing zone studies.
  Presenters: Liz Booth (Georgia Environmental Protection Division), Renee Ragsdale (NCASI), Andy Thurman (HDR)
• Air Program: Regulatory Drivers – This session will focus on new and emerging regulatory issues and industry research to address. Focus areas will include National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), permitting, and updates to the NESHAPs for pulping and chemical recovery.
  Presenters: Zach Emerson (NCASI), TBA (Georgia Environmental Protection Division), Tanvir Khan (NCASI)
• Sustainability & Climate Program: Responding to Marketplace Drivers – Heightened stakeholder interest in the environmental sustainability profile of products and supply chains has led to an array of non-governmental initiatives that are reshaping the marketplace. Forest products companies, in turn, have increased their efforts to develop strategies that drive towards a reduction in their environmental footprint, striving for more transparent reporting to meet financial investor needs and greater recognition of the sustainability and positive carbon profile of their products. This session will explore industry developments associated with environment, social and governance (ESG), the use of recycled fiber, and strategies for advanced reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
  Presenters: James McDonald (Sylvamo), Barry Malmberg (NCASI), Adam Costanza (NCASI)
• Water Program: Wastewater Treatment Management – This session focuses on topics, issues, and tools relevant to the permitting, maintenance, and optimization of industry wastewater treatment plants.  Included in this session are discussions of NPDES permitting, real-time sensors, TMDLs, and best practices for planning and conducting a dredging project.
  Presenters: Jihyan Giordano (Sylvamo), Kelly Simmons (International Paper), Cristhian Mancilla (HDR, Inc.), Shaelyn Thomas (Kennedy Jenks Consultants)
• Wood Products: Regulatory and Compliance – This session will start with an overview of EPA’s proposed amendments to PCWP MACT along with a summary of comments on the proposal submitted by AWC and NCASI. This will be followed by a review of other recently proposed and finalized regulations impacting the wood products industry. The session then shifts focus to compliance strategies for facilities on topics related to evaporation pond modeling, emission factor development for panel plants and lumber facilities, and fine particulate emission estimates using particle size analysis.
  Presenters: Tim Hunt (American Wood Council), Boris Lau (NCASI), Alejandra Borquez (NCASI), Robert Crawford (NCASI), Ric Law (NCASI)
• Water Program: Wastewater Treatment Characterization – This session will provide audience members a glimpse into several technologies currently in use that are generating information for wastewater managers to develop a new perspective on their treatment systems.  This new information which includes genetic analysis of wastewater biota, aerial drone imaging of wastewater flows, and adsorption of PFAS to common pulp and paper solids is increasingly being relied upon to answer common wastewater questions.
  Presenters: Heidi Gough (University of Washington), Amanda Mattingly (NCASI), Manyiel Mel (Baylor University), William Hockaday (Baylor University), Jason Diamond (Arcadis)
• Wood Products: Fugitive PM – This session will focus on approaches for estimating, reporting, and controlling fugitive particulate matter sources at wood products facilities. Topics include an overview of wood dust management practices for minimizing health and safety risks within a facility, emissions of fine particulate matter from material processing and handling sources, and estimates of dust emissions from facility roads.
  Presenters: Ilich Lama (NCASI), TBA (Georgia-Pacific), Zach Emerson (NCASI)
• Dinner and Reception

Wednesday, September 27th

• Air Program: Eastern Regulatory Panel – This session will consist of a panel of experts from state air permitting and regulatory agencies. Panelists will discuss recent focus areas and emerging issues in air permitting and answer questions. Attendees are encouraged to submit their questions in advance to the moderators for inclusion in the discussion.
  Presenters: Deanna Duram (Trinity Consultants), Sheryl Watkins (All4, Inc.), Zach Emerson (NCASI)
• Forest Sustainability: Eastern Regional Topics – Forest managers in the eastern U.S. must consider multiple issues associated with forest sustainability, some of which may have profound implications for forest management across large landscapes.  This session explores 3 of these topics in detail – alternatives to herbicide use, landscape management and harvest planning, and forest bats.
  Presenters: Kevin Solarik (NCASI), Max Jones (Virginia Tech), Mark Ford (U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit)
• Chemical Management: PFAS – This PFAS session will cover recent developments in the regulatory and technology space regarding this class of chemistry. Speakers will provide information related to regulatory activity, analytical method updates, alternatives to AFFF firefighting foams, air deposition as an environmental pathway, and remediation technologies.
  Presenters: Giffe Johnson (NCASI), Cecilia Silva Sanchez (NCASI), Lauren March (Arcadis), Kevin Eisen (Barr Engineering), Eric Edwalds (Barr Engineering), Charlie Liu (Kennedy Jenks Consultants)
• Forest Sustainability and Sustainability & Climate Joint Session: Carbon and Climate – The forest sector is addressing carbon and climate change throughout the fiber supply chain and within the manufacturing segment.  This session focuses on issues being faced by forest owners and managers, providing context in terms of growing expectations for public reporting, describing greenhouse gas and reporting program nuances of particular relevance to forest managers, and how NCASI is providing support for our Members.
  Presenters: Kirsten Vice (NCASI), Steve Prisley (NCASI), Adam Costanza (NCASI)
• Air Program: Monitoring and Control – This session will present industry experience addressing recent issues. Covered topics will include facility-level ambient monitoring, experience with odor investigations and technologies to achieve low NOx emission levels.
  Presenters: Chufan Zhou (TRC Environmental Consultants), Scott Adamson (Trinity Consultants)
• Forest Sustainability: Current and Potential Collaborations 1 – The NCASI Forestry Program works collaboratively across federal and state agencies, academia, non-governmental organizations, Member Companies, and others, to execute our technical support program.  This extensive collaboration is essential to leverage technical expertise and resources and disseminate NCASI research results.  These sessions provide overviews of current and potential partner organizations to facilitate further networking and encourage additional collaborative efforts.
  Presenters: John Tirpak (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Katherine Smith (U.S. Geological Survey), Aaron Weiskittel (University of Maine), Leo Miranda (Conservation Without Conflict)
• Air Program and Sustainability & Climate Joint Session: Carbon Regulations and Beyond – This joint session will present updates on the status of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission regulations in various jurisdictions. The session will also include discussions on the status of industry efforts to ensure that biomass is considered to be carbon neutral in GHG accounting and reporting programs.
  Presenters: Nancy Liang (Trinity Consultants), Anna Henolson (Trinity Consultants), Hui Cheng (Trinity Consultants), Barry Malmberg (NCASI), Jesse Levine (AF&PA)
• Forest Sustainability: Current and Potential Collaborations 2 – The NCASI Forestry Program works collaboratively across federal and state agencies, academia, non-governmental organizations, Member Companies, and others, to execute our technical support program.  This extensive collaboration is essential to leverage technical expertise and resources and disseminate NCASI research results.  These sessions provide overviews of current and potential partner organizations to facilitate further networking and to encourage additional collaborative efforts.
  Presenters: Christian Newman (Electric Power Research Institute), Chris Woodall (U.S. Forest Service), Kamal Gandi (University of Georgia)

Conference Pricing:

Conference Hotel:

Grand Hyatt Atlanta
3300 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30305
Reservations: (888) 591-1234
NCASI Registration Link: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/ATLGH/G-NSIC
Conference Code: NSIC (*this is not a typo of our name) or you can say ‘NCASI 2023 Annual Meeting’
Hotel Room Block Deadline: September 1, 2023

* Accommodations Update:
The Grand Hyatt Atlanta has sold out of guest rooms for Wednesday night, September 27th. Their sister property next door, the Hyatt Place Atlanta/Buckhead still has rooms available.
3242 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30305
Direct Phone Number: (404) 869-6161

More details coming soon.