Introduction

The National Stormwater Policy Forum, a half-day event co-led by the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the National Municipal Stormwater Alliance (NMSA), will take place on Monday, April 8, 2024, during Water Week. Co-hosted by the National League of Cities (NLC) and the National Association of Counties (NACo), the event provides an opportunity for members of WEF, NMSA, NLC, as well as others who are interested, to learn about current policy issues driving the stormwater sector today. 

Who should attend? The National Stormwater Policy Forum is geared toward municipal stormwater program managers, local elected officials, stormwater-oriented private consultants, academia, and technology manufacturers.  

Event Overview

The National Stormwater Policy Forum will open with a keynote speaker to provide remarks on critical national policy matters that affect stormwater management. Panels of speakers from Capitol Hill as well as federal agencies will share insights on priority legislative and regulatory actions impacting the stormwater sector. The Forum will also include an interactive “hot topics” panel discussion that provides a platform for thought leaders in the stormwater sector to present cutting-edge information related to the most dynamic and pressing issues of the day, including flood resilience planning, emerging contaminants, and federal funding for stormwater from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Finally, attendees will learn about legislative priorities to share with Congressional members and staff during the Water Week Fly-in activities. 

Forum participants interested in making visits to Capitol Hill to advocate for stormwater will be well prepared on the national stormwater issues of the day to be active change agents for our sector!

In-person attendees will wrap up the day by gathering at a networking event sponsored by AtkinsRealis.  

We hope you will join us for the 8th National Stormwater Policy Forum!

Event Logistics

The 2024 National Stormwater Policy Forum will be a hybrid event with limited in-person attendance available. The event will take place at the co-located offices of NLC and NACo, located just blocks from Capitol Hill. The event is free to attend in-person as well as virtually.

In-Person Option

Please complete the form below to officially register for this event as an in-person participant. 

Virtual Option

If you intend to register for virtual engagement, please go to https://nlc-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMudOytpzMvG9OVxpqAKbQmJfmcj9_CGEGa#/registration.   

Questions about the Forum

Questions about the forum should be directed to Steve Dye, WEF Senior Director, Government Affairs (sdye@wef.org), Seth Brown, NMSA Executive Director (seth.brown@nationalstormwateralliance.org), Carolyn Berndt, NLC Legislative Director for Sustainability (berndt@nlc.org), or Sarah Gimont, NACo Associate Legislative Director for Environment, Energy and Land Use policy (SGimont@naco.org).    

Event Details

Date:  April 8, 2024

Time:  12:00-5:00 PM (Eastern)

Location:  660 North Capitol St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Event Agenda

12:00 – 12:30 PM Check-In and Lunch 

12:30 – 12:45 PM Welcome

- Scott Taylor, PE, NMSA Chair | Project Specialist, AtkinsRealis

- Steve Dye, Senior Director, Government Affairs, WEF  

- Carolyn Berndt, Legislative Director, National League of Cities (NLC)

- Sarah Gimont, Associate Legislative Director of Environment, Energy & Land Use, National Association of Counties (NACo)

12:45 – 1:15 PM  Keynote Speaker

- Dr. Gretchen Goldman, Climate Change Research and Technology Director, U.S. Department of Transportation 

1:15 – 1:40 PM Congressional Update - Moderated by Steve Dye, WEF

- Ryan Hambleton, House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee 

- Brian Eiler, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (invited)

1:40 – 2:50 PM Hot Topics Panel - Moderated by Seth Brown, NMSA

- Susan Bodine, Partner, Earth and Water Law, LLP 

- Barbara Hopkins, Executive Director, Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange 

- Nancy Stoner, President, Potomac River Riverkeeper 

- Julia Anastasio, Executive Director, Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA) 

2:50 – 3:20 PM - Break 

3:20 – 4:20 PM  Federal and State Officials (Moderated by Pat Bradley, Michael Baker International)

- Kelly Tucker, Water Infrastructure Division, Clean Water State Revolving Fund Branch, U.S. EPA 

- Chris Kloss, Director, Water Permits Division, U.S. EPA 

- Matt Gallagher, Branch Chief, Planning and Reporting, Water Quality Division, Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) (INVITED)

4:20 – 4:40 PM Ask Document Overview

- Steve Dye, Senior Director, Government Affairs, WEF  

- Scott Taylor, PE, NMSA Chair | Project Specialist, AtkinsRealis

- Andy Sauer, WEF Stormwater Community Policy, Governance, and Regulation Focus Group, Chair | Green Infrastructure & Stormwater Leader, Burns & McDonnell 

4:40 – 4:55 PM WEF/NMSA Update

- Steve Dye, Senior Director, Government Affairs, WEF  

- Seth Brown, PhD, PE, Executive Director, NMSA

4:55 – 5:00 PM Closing Remarks

- Scott Taylor, NMSA Chair | Project Specialist, AtkinsRealis

5:30 – 7:30 PM Reception and Networking Event (In-person Only)