CEHA 2024: Full Schedule

The CEHA 2024 AEC schedule can be found below.

NOTICE: The pre-conference CFPM class has been cancelled.

As of 9/11/2024, the schedule is complete and current. Door signs can be found within the pre-function space. If there are any questions, please come to the registration desk to ask a committee member.

HAVE A GREAT CONFERENCE!!

2:40pm MDT

SEPs and EJ Grants

Wednesday September 11, 2024 2:40pm - 3:20pm MDT

Northwest Territory A

A presentation detailing Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEP) and a limited description of the EJ Grants Program. SEPs are projects that benefit the environment or public health & safety, funded through environmental enforcement actions. These are distributed to local governments and nonprofits. The presentation's SEP portion will include funding details, qualifying criteria, data, and examples. The EJ Grants Program redistributes penalty revenue from enforcement actions to disproportionately impacted communities harmed by air quality violations. These are funded by the Community Impact Cash Fund (via penalties collected from entities that violate air pollution control laws, rules, and permits). Details will include funding, criteria, and rhythm of grant cycles.

Speakers

Alexander (Alex) Scherer

Supplemental Environmental Coordinator, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Alexander (Alex) Scherer is the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s (CDPHE) Supplemental Environmental Projects Coordinator. Alex has over thirteen (13) years of regulatory experience working with the Indoor Environment Program, Oil and Gas Program, and Health... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2024 2:40pm - 3:20pm MDT
Northwest Territory A

Air & Waste

3:25pm MDT

Love My Air Denver

Wednesday September 11, 2024 3:25pm - 4:05pm MDT

Northwest Territory A

Love My Air Denver's mission is to provide Denver’s diverse communities with visible, accessible, and actionable air quality information. Initiated in 2018, the program has historically partnered with schools and community organizations to accomplish this mission. Now, Love My Air Denver is expanding to work with three community health clinics to open a new door to engage with their communities and promote awareness of air quality in the healthcare setting.
Each clinic will host an AQSync air monitor measuring O3, NOx, PM1, PM2.5, PM10, CO2, CO, and tVOCs. In addition to streaming the real-time data to our app and website, we are designing an interactive educational kiosk to display current air quality conditions, communicate health impacts of poor air quality, and describe local sources of air pollution. Positioned in clinic waiting rooms, these kiosks will enhance outreach and education efforts of clinic staff, helping patients understand and manage air quality challenge. By engaging clinic staff and patients in the design of the kiosk and outreach plans, we hope to develop innovative ways to connect with community members using messaging that resonates with their experiences living in Denver.

Speakers

Nancy Fitzgerald

Love My Air Program Analyst, Denver Department of Public Health

Nancy Fitzgerald serves as a Program Specialist with the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment, working within the Love My Air program. In her role, Nancy collaborates with healthcare partners to improve outreach and raise awareness about air quality in Denver’s communities... Read More →

Wednesday September 11, 2024 3:25pm - 4:05pm MDT
Northwest Territory A

Air & Waste

10:05am MDT

Safety First: Protecting Public Health Employees in the Field

Thursday September 12, 2024 10:05am - 10:45am MDT

Northwest Territory A

Whether conducting a death investigation, inspecting a restaurant, trying to catch a stray dog, following up on a chemical spill, or taking stream samples, working in the field is essential to maintaining public health—but it also presents unique risks to the employees carrying out these tasks. This presentation focuses on practical strategies for keeping public health workers safe during their daily operations. Attendees will learn about job hazard analyses, different types of hazards, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), situational awareness, and best practices for working in diverse environments. Whether you're navigating hazardous sites, interacting with the public, or conducting investigations in high-risk areas, this session will equip you with the knowledge and tools to stay safe and secure while fulfilling your vital role.

Speakers

Devin Clark

Workplace Safety Administrator, City and County of Denver: Risk Management

I worked as a Public Health Investigator in the Residential Housing division for 4.5 years. I went out to many cases by myself to a variety of locations including people's homes and apartments. Situational awareness and de-escalation tools were critical to my personal safety when... Read More →

Thursday September 12, 2024 10:05am - 10:45am MDT
Northwest Territory A

Air & Waste

10:50am MDT

Spatial, Temporal, and Speciation Patterns of Volatile Organic Compounds in Colorado Workplaces: Insights from Field Measurements

Thursday September 12, 2024 10:50am - 11:30am MDT

Northwest Territory A

In collaboration with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Colorado State University (CSU) conducted a comprehensive set of on-site assessments to evaluate indoor air quality and ventilation in Colorado workplaces. This program aimed to understand the distribution and concentration of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) across different non-residential environments, with the ultimate goal of improving indoor air quality. Our team deployed summa canisters to collect week-long air samples at eighteen of the fifty workplace sites selected for the program from October 2022 to May 2024. These air samples were analyzed at CSU to identify and quantify >50 unique VOC species. Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) sensors were co-located with summa canisters. These dual measurements provided a robust dataset, enabling us to identify prevalent compounds and evaluate their potential associations with specific workplace activities. Our initial findings reveal significant variability in VOC profiles and concentrations across different facility types, regions, and seasons. Specific VOCs will be presented based on their abundance and potential health hazard. Our presentation will summarize all analytes and their concentrations, alongside comparative analyses of indoor to outdoor VOC ratios. Additionally, we will discuss sites with unique VOC types and levels, as well as those with uniform profiles, presenting possible hypotheses for these observations. By integrating our data with existing literature, we aim to highlight normal VOC ranges, potential sources, and associated health risks in non-residential settings. This work improves understanding VOC dynamics in diverse work environments and provides insights into improving indoor air quality. Our findings contribute to filling knowledge gaps and inform regulatory strategies for VOC management in workplaces, emphasizing the relevance of hazard ratios for health risk assessment. The presentation will conclude with recommendations for future research directions and practical applications of our findings to enhance workplace health and safety standards.

Speakers

Will Clagett, MPH

Research Associate, Colorado State University

Will Clagett is a Research Associate III at Colorado State University in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He has a master’s in public health from Indiana University with a concentration in environmental and occupational health. Prior to joining CSU, Will was... Read More →

Thursday September 12, 2024 10:50am - 11:30am MDT
Northwest Territory A

Air & Waste

1:30pm MDT

Air Toxics, Ozone, and Precursor Trends in Colorado over 30 years

Thursday September 12, 2024 1:30pm - 2:10pm MDT

Northwest Territory A

Gregg started his career focused on air toxics monitoring and modeling in the Denver Metro region. Over that time, Gregg has explored and analyzed numerous air toxics and ozone precursor datasets. Trends for most air toxics and ozone precursors that have been monitored are down significantly over that time. For ozone, we have seen maximum measured 1-hr concentrations decrease over time but the 8-hour average metric for ozone compliance has been uneven and stubborn. Wildfire smoke, especially during hot and dry summers in western North America appears to have some impact on ozone during bad fire years, but the relationship is still very unclear.

With new air toxics monitoring in place or on the way across Colorado, Gregg will offer insights to be on the lookout for as monitoring programs expand.

Speakers

Gregg Thomas

Environmental Quality Division Director, Denver Department of Public Health and Environment

Since 2015, Gregg Thomas has been the Environmental Quality Division Director in the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE). This division of 43 scientists and engineers is responsible for ensuring clean air, land, and water, minimizing the city’s environmental... Read More →

Thursday September 12, 2024 1:30pm - 2:10pm MDT
Northwest Territory A

Air & Waste

2:15pm MDT

Love My Air – Colorado Local Entity Air Network Program Overview

Thursday September 12, 2024 2:15pm - 2:55pm MDT

Northwest Territory A

Love My Air – Colorado Local Entity Air Network (LMA – CLEAN) is a proven regional approach to local community air monitoring, community engagement, and policy systems and environmental change to reduce air pollution and promote air quality awareness. This presentation provides a high-level overview of the project, current progress, and future directions. LMA – CLEAN presentation opens an opportunity for further discussion on community air monitoring work as part of public health purpose on improving and protecting the health of people and communities.

Speakers

Renata Trisilawati

Community Air Network Coordinator, Adams County Health Department

Renata Trisilawati serves as a Community Air Network Coordinator at Adams County, organizing the Colorado Local Entity Air Network cohort partners to improve air quality and empower the community. She is an active member of her community, volunteering on the Commerce City Environmental... Read More →

Brian Hlavacek

Environmental Health Division Director, Adams County Health Department

Brian Hlavacek serves as the Environmental Health Division Director for the Adams County Health Department. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Health from Colorado State University and a Master of Applied Science degree in Environmental Policy and Management from... Read More →

Thursday September 12, 2024 2:15pm - 2:55pm MDT
Northwest Territory A

Air & Waste

11:05am MDT

Update on HB22-1244: Air Toxics in Colorado

Friday September 13, 2024 11:05am - 11:45am MDT

Northwest Territory A

On June 2, 2022, House Bill (HB) 22-1244, Public Protections from Toxic Air Contaminants, was signed into law. The law directs the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to develop policies and regulations to reduce public exposure to air toxics. Initially, up to five priority toxic air contaminants (PTACs) will be identified and health based standards created for the PTACs. The bill also outlines requirements for additional air monitoring and requires certain sources of air pollution to submit annual emission reports. The Toxicology and Environmental Epidemiology Office at CPDHE has been working closely with the Air Pollution Control Division to develop processes for the risk-based prioritization of toxic air contaminants and creation of health based standards.

Speakers

Rachel Burmeister, MS

Air Quality and Health Toxicologist, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Rachel Burmeister is an Air Quality and Health Toxicologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Rachel has worked in several areas of public health including environmental health, emergency response, and communicable disease. Rachel has a Bachelor’s Degree... Read More →

Friday September 13, 2024 11:05am - 11:45am MDT
Northwest Territory A

Air & Waste