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Mid-Year Meeting Participation
Meeting Agenda
Meeting Registration
Reimbursement Opportunities
Special Note: Luncheon Reservation
Hotel Accommodations and Rates
Airport/Transportation
Travel by Personal Car
Green Meeting
Special Accommodations
Deadlines to Remember
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Mid-Year Meeting Participation
ASTSWMO is pleased to invite State and Territorial Solid Waste, Hazardous Waste, Superfund, State Response Program, Tanks, and Federal Facilities Directors and Managers, EPA Headquarters and Regional staff, DOD officials, and other invited guests to the April 23-24, 2008 ASTSWMO Mid-Year Meeting in Mobile, AL. Because of limitations on hotel meeting space capacity and accommodations availability, priority attendance will be accorded to ASTSWMO members, federal officials, invited guests and other interested persons.
Meeting Agenda
Click here to view the current draft agenda. Please continue to check this link for periodic updates to the agenda.
This year’s Mid-Year Meeting will feature the theme, “Waste Management to Material Management: Creating a Vision,” which will focus on how State regulators can improve their processes to implement more effective materials management into their programs. Sessions will focus on EPA’s Vision 2020 and how States are addressing new contaminants. The anticipated results of these programs are keyed to, and ultimately support the vision of, State waste program sustainability into the future.
Program-specific sessions will examine relevant topics of interest to State waste managers, and State/EPA roundtable sessions will also be held to discuss current activities within specific program areas. Hazardous Waste and Tanks managers are planning to discuss financial assurance; Federal Facilities and Solid Waste managers are planning to hold a joint session; CERCLA & State Response and Sustainability program managers will conduct a joint greener cleanups symposium.
Meeting Registration
Click here for the online registration form.
ASTSWMO
will be charging a $100 registration fee for State and federal officials and a non-member registration fee of $135 to cover meeting expenses for the entire day and half mid-year meeting. However, ASTSWMO does offer one-day and ½ day registration fees (listed on the registration form). The last day to register with ASTSWMO is April 4, 2008.
As you complete the registration form, we ask that you:
Please click here for the online registration form. A confirmation e-mail will be forwarded to you upon receipt of your completed registration form.If you need additional assistance, please contact Nicole Malloy, ASTSWMO, at (202) 624-5823 or nmalloy@astswmo.org.
For State attendees: The registration fee is not a reimbursable cost. Formal registration confirmation will be forwarded to you upon receipt of the completed registration form. Reimbursement forms will be emailed approximately 2 weeks prior to the meeting.
Reimbursement Opportunities
ASTSWMO has grant funding available to reimburse one Hazardous Waste Manger per State/Territory, as well as a limited number of State Solid Waste, Superfund, State Response , Federal Facilities, Tanks and Sustainability program managers for their travel expenses, lodging and meals on a first-come, first-served basis. If you will require any grant-funded assistance, you must submit a written request to ASTSWMO no later than March 24, 2008.
ASTSWMO’s current travel procedures and reimbursement policies are located on our website at: www.astswmo.org. Please review these policies, as they have changed recently and may be different from others you are used to using. For example, ASTSWMO does not pay for rental cars or phone/internet charges. For more information regarding ASTSWMO travel procedures and allowable expenses please contact Dania Rodriguez at 202-624-5973 or daniar@astswmo.org.
Note that in order to receive funding, the State or Territorial representative must be pre-registered with ASTSWMO and funding must be approved by ASTSWMO prior to travel. Additional State/Territorial staff are welcome to register and attend using alternate funding sources as long as space is available.
ASTSWMO strongly suggests that State/Territorial attendees make their hotel reservations in advance of receiving out-of-State travel approval and/or funding confirmation from ASTSWMO, in order to ensure room availability at the contracted rate. You can cancel your hotel reservations later, if necessary.
Note that additional night stay-overs at the hotel must be pre-approved by ASTSWMO prior to travel. If you plan to travel earlier than April 22 or return home later than April 24, you must submit a completed Multi-Purpose Travel Exception Form to Dania Rodriguez in the ASTSWMO office at 202-624-7875 or daniar@astswmo.org prior to finalizing your travel plans. The current travel procedures and reimbursement policies and forms are located on our website at: www.astswmo.org. Should you have any questions regarding reimbursement, please contact Dania Rodriguez in the ASTSWMO office at 202-624-5973 or daniar@astswmo.org.
Also, please note: Effective January 1, 2008, any reimbursement form not received within 90 days of the meeting will not be processed. Therefore, for members who will be reimbursed by ASTSWMO, please submit your reimbursement claim as soon as you return from the meeting. Reimbursements must be received no later than July 23, 2008 or we will not be able to reimburse you for your travel expenses.
If you have any questions regarding reimbursable expenses, please contact Dania Rodriguez at 202-624-5973 or daniar@astswmo.org
Note: ASTSWMO does not reimburse travelers for hotel or meal expenses associated with additional stay over days before or after the meeting.
Special Note: Luncheon Reservation
Please indicate on the registration form if you plan to attend the ASTSWMO-provided luncheon meal on Wednesday, April 23, 2008. If you do not inform us of your plans, you will not receive a luncheon ticket or be included in the luncheon count. If you plan to attend the luncheon and must cancel, please contact Nicole Malloy, ASTSWMO, at (202) 624-5823 or nmalloy@astswmo.org to cancel your meal slot by Monday, April 14, 2008.
Hotel Accommodations and Rates
The 2008 ASTSWMO Mid-Year Meeting will be held at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel. The hotel is located in the heart of the downtown business and entertainment district of Mobile. The hotel offers a wonderful view of Mobile bay and is within walking distance of restaurants and other activities. This entire hotel is non-smoking.
A block of sleeping rooms has been reserved at the rate of $117, plus 14% State and local taxes (inclusive rate is $85.50). Room reservations will be accepted through Monday, March 17, 2008; reservations made after that date will be subject to room and date availability. Attendees should contact the hotel at 1-800-922-3298 or register online.
Please note: the hotel block rate for Mobile has increased from $75 to $117 due to a GSA rate adjustment.
Attendees must specify the “Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials/ASTSWMO Mid-Year Meeting room block” when making reservations with the hotel over the phone and use AOSAOSA for online registrations. For on-line, just note the desired arrival and departure date in the box located in the lower right portion of the screen and insert code AOSAOSA.
Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel
64 South Water Street
Mobile, Alabama
PH: 251-438-4000 or 866-749-6071
FAX: 251-415-0123
All reservations must be accompanied by a first night’s room deposit or guaranteed with a major credit card. Failure to cancel a guaranteed reservation or occupy the room will result in a charge of one night’s room and tax applied to the credit card or forfeiture of the deposit. The deposit will be forfeited for all no-shows and for all reservations canceled within 72 hours prior to arrival. Hotel check-in is 3:00 PM and check-out is Noon.
The federal per diem rate in Mobile for FY 2008 is $49/day for meals and incidental costs. However, note that ASTSWMO reimburses actual expenses, not a flat per diem, for these items, which must be supported by original receipts for expenses over $25.
Airport/Transportation
The closest airport is Mobile Regional Airport located 25 minutes to the hotel. www.mobairport.com
Airport Shuttle
The Shuttle booth is located in the baggage claim area. One-way fare from the Mobile airport to the Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel is $18, and roundtrip is $33. For transportation information, call the Airport Shuttle (251) 633-0313 or (800) 357-5373 or Mobile Bay Transportation (251) 633-5693. It is best to reserve in advance, and the shuttle companies do check flights for delays or early arrivals.
Taxis
Estimated one-way taxi fare: $26 – 40. Taxis are normally waiting at the baggage claim curb (abnormal waiting is prohibited). If one isn’t visible, ask for assistance from one of the Customer Service Agents.
To minimize taxi costs, we ask that if possible our members share taxis to and from the airport/hotel.
Driving Directions from the Mobile Regional Airport to the Hotel
Start out going on Southeast on Joseph Drawns Drive toward Airport Blvd/CR-56 West which is approximately 0.3 miles,then turn left on Airport Blvd which is approximately 6.8 miles,then merge onto I-65 South which is approximately 3.0 miles, then merge onto I-10 East via exit 0 on the left which is approximately 6.4 miles, then take the Water Street Exit which is exit 26-B toward downtown Mobile, then turn slight left onto South Water Street, then make a left turn onto Government Street and right on Royal Street. The hotel is on the right side of the street.
Travel by Personal Car
Members seeking reimbursement who wish to drive to the Mid-Year Meeting may do so provided that the total cost of driving does not exceed the cost of regular round trip airfare. Members must obtain approval from ASTSWMO by completing the Multi-Purpose Travel Exception Form and Work Sheet B prior to travel (download this form from the ASTSWMO website – www.astswmo.org – or call the ASTSWMO office to obtain these forms). Costs are calculated at the current federal mileage rate of 48.5 cents per mile, plus tolls. Please Note: ASTSWMO does not reimburse for on-road hotel and meal costs. If you travel by car, the on-site hotel parking fee is $12 a day.
Green Meeting
ASTSWMO is committed to minimizing the environmental impact of this meeting through decreasing the amount of solid waste produced by the event, and disposing of solid and liquid wastes generated at the event in an environmentally responsible manner. As such, ASTSWMO has evaluated how best to distribute information on the meeting previous to and following the event. Please note that paper copies of presentations will not be provided at the meeting. Instead, we encourage all speakers to provide their presentations in electronic format for posting on the ASTSWMO website by April18, 2008, so that attendees can download and/or print their own copies in advance. We suggest to all attendees and speakers that they print any materials on recycled paper stock using both sides of the paper. Should you wish to distribute informational materials at the meeting, please bring only what is needed and take back with you everything that you don’t hand out. The Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel will provide on-site recycling of paper, plastic and glass at the meeting.
Special Accommodations
Please contact Dania Rodriguez in the ASTSWMO office (daniar@astswmo.org or 202-624-5973) with any special accommodation needs.
DEADLINES TO REMEMBER
Make your Hotel Reservation by March 17, 2008
Register On-Line with ASTSWMO by April 4, 2008
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