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ASTSWMO State Funds Workshop Participation
ASTSWMO is pleased to invite State and Territorial tanks directors and managers, EPA Headquarters and Regional staff, and other invited guests to the September 15-16, 2009, ASTSWMO State Funds Workshop in St. Louis, MO. Because of limitations on hotel meeting space capacity and accommodations availability, priority attendance will be accorded to our members, federal officials, and invited guests.
Meeting Agenda
The ASTSWMO State Funds Workshop will focus on guidance development and provide an opportunity for the States and EPA to continue their constructive and collaborative partnership on State Fund Soundness. The topics that will be covered at the Workshop include: financial responsibility, the Economic Stimulus Recovery Act impact on State Funds, cost control, private insurance, old versus new releases, and the results from the 2009 State Fund Survey.
Click here to view a PDF of the agenda.
Meeting Registration
ASTSWMO is NOT charging a registration fee for any State Funds Workshop attendee. However, all attendees must register for the meeting. The last day to register with ASTSWMO is August 28, 2009.
As you complete the registration form, we ask that you:
- please do not use all uppercase or all lowercase letters in typing your contact information; and
- please use dash marks when entering your phone and fax numbers (i.e., 202-624-5828).
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 at the ASTSWMO office (202-624-5823 or nmalloy@astswmo.org).
Reimbursement Opportunities
ASTSWMO has grant funding available to reimburse one State Fund program manager per State/Territory for their travel expenses, lodging and meals.
ASTSWMO’s current travel procedures and reimbursement policies are located on our website, 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 or Allison Goldberg at the ASTSWMO office (202-624-5973 or daniar@astswmo.org) or (202-6247883 or allisong@astswmo.org).
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. ASTSWMO does not reimburse travelers for hotel or meal expenses associated with additional stay-over days before or after the meeting. If you plan to travel earlier than September 14 or return home later than September 16, you must submit a completed Travel Exception Form to Dania Rodriguez in the ASTSWMO office (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: astswmo.org. Should you have any questions regarding reimbursement, please contact Dania Rodriguez in the ASTSWMO office (202-624-5973 or daniar@astswmo.org).
Also, please note that ASTSWMO reimbursement policy states all reimbursement forms must be submitted to ASTSWMO no later than 30 days after the meeting has occurred. Therefore, if your form is not submitted to ASTSWMO by October 15, 2009, ASTSWMO will not reimburse you for your travel. Reimbursable expenses include airfare (or, if you are driving, mileage per ASTSWMO’s travel policy), hotel at the government room rate of $111 per night plus taxes, actual costs of meals and incidentals up to the federal per diem of $59, ground transportation and airline baggage fees.
Hotel Accommodations and Rates
The 2009 ASTSWMO State Funds Workshop will be held at Marriott Union Station Hotel in St. Louis, MO. The hotel is located in downtown St. Louis and is within walking distance of many restaurants and other attractions. This hotel has a no-smoking policy.
A block of sleeping rooms has been reserved at the single occupancy rate of $111.00, plus 15.49% State and local taxes (inclusive rate is $128.19). Room reservations will be accepted through Monday, August 24, 2009; reservations made after that date will be subject to room and date availability.
Reservations for the State Funds Workshop can be made directly with Marriott Hotel reservations at (800) 410-9914. Please be sure to refer to the ASTSWMO State Funds Workshop to receive the group rate before the cut-off date of Monday, August 24, 2009. Guests may also reserve online by using following the link: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/stlus?groupCode=astasta&app=resvlink&fromDate=9/14/09&toDate=9/16/09
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. Hotel check-in is 4:00 PM and check-out is Noon. Hotel cancellation policy is 6:00 p.m. CST of the date of arrival.
The federal per diem rate in St. Louis for FY 2009 is $59/day for meals and incidental costs. However, note that ASTSWMO reimburses actual expenses not a flat per diem for these items, and expenses must be supported by original receipts.
Marriott Union Station
One St. Louis Union Station
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 631-5262 or 800-410-9914
For more information on Marriott's environmental initiatives, please visit their website dedicated to this information.
Transportation
The closest airport is the St. Louis Lambert (STL) which is located approximately 26 minutes west of downtown.
http://www.flystl.com/
Airport Shuttle
The Marriott Union Station hotel does not provide shuttle service. However, to and from the airport a shuttle company option is through Trans Express Transportation, Inc. Please note that a reservation is required. For reservations after July 1, 2009, please contact BEST Transportation at 877-STL-GOVAN or check out their website at www.gobestexpress.com/.
Alternate transportation:
- Bus service, fee: 6.00 USD (one way)
- Subway service, fee: 3.50 USD (one way)
Taxis
Estimated one way taxi fare: $45. To minimize taxi costs, we ask that if possible our members share taxis to and from the airport/hotel. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport works with the Metropolitan Taxicab Commission to provide first class service for all our passengers and airport travelers.
Passenger Pickup Locations:
Main Terminal: Exit Door MT 14 –to Main Garage Yellow Level
East Terminal: Exit Door ET 12
Subway/Light Rail
MetroLink is the St. Louis metropolitan region's light rail system and is operated by Metro as part of a fully integrated regional transportation system. MetroLink has 37 stations and stretches 46 miles. It serves several municipalities in St. Louis County, Missouri, St. Clair and Monroe Counties in Illinois, and the City of St. Louis.
Passenger pickup for Metrolink:
Main Terminal: Exit Door MT1, upper level east of the American Airlines Credit Union
East Terminal: South of terminal accessible through the parking garage on all levels.
Driving Directions to the Hotel
Please use the following link that contains driving directions from the St. Louis Lambert Airport to the Marriott Union Station hotel:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/maps/directions-results.mi?country=&marshaCode=stlus&originDriveQuery=&originAddress=&originCity=&originState=&originCountry=&originZip=&originAirport=STL&originAirportCode=STL&language=en
Travel By Car
Members seeking reimbursement who wish to drive to the UST Compliance and Prevention Workshop may do so provided that the total cost of driving does not exceed the cost of regular roundtrip airfare or if roundtrip mileage is more than 500 miles members must obtain approval from ASTSWMO (for those being reimbursed by ASTSWMO) by completing the Special Travel Exception Form and Work Sheet B prior to travel (download this form from the ASTSWMO website – http://astswmo.org – or call the ASTSWMO office to obtain these forms). Costs are calculated at the current federal mileage rate of $0.55 per mile, plus tolls. Please Note: ASTSWMO does not reimburse for on-road hotel and meal costs. If you travel by car, ASTSWMO will only reimburse for the on-site hotel self-parking fee, up to $25 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 by September 4, 2009, for posting on the ASTSWMO website, so that attendees can download and/or print their own copies in advance. We suggest that all attendees and speakers 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 hotel will provide on-site recycling of paper, plastic and glass at the meeting.
Special Accomodations
Please contact Julius Shapiro in the ASTSWMO office (jshapiro@astswmo.org or 202-624-7886) with any special accommodation needs.
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