r/EPA
FISCAL YEAR 2015 CONFERENCE SPENDING REPORT
January 31, 2016
EPA-190-R-16-001
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EPA Fiscal Year 2015 Conference Spending Report
Table of Contents
A. Background 3
B. Activities and Internal Controls Undertaken by the EPA 3
C. Overall size and scope of conference spending throughout the year 4
D. "Conferences" above $100,000 4
ENERGY STAR Products Meeting 4
National Nonpoint Source Water Quality Index Workshop 4
Joint Water Quality Standards Meeting 5
11th National Sustainable Design Expo and P3 Awards Ceremony 5
International Emissions Inventory Conference 5
ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Awards Ceremony
2015 Budget Technical Training Workshop
Office of Administration Training Workshop 7
Community Involvement Training Conference 7
Tribal Lands and Environment Forum 7
12th Annual EPA Small Drinking Water Systems Workshop 8
National Brownfields Training Conference 8
25th National Tanks Conference and Expo 9
1985 Guidelines Revision: Invited Expert Public Meeting
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EPA Fiscal Year 2015 Conference Spending Report
A. Background
Building on the Administration's efforts to eliminate wasteful and inefficient spending, the Office of
Management and Budget issued Memorandum-12-12, "Promoting Efficient Spending to Support Agency
Operations," in May 2012, which established additional controls over conference spending.1 This
memorandum included a requirement for reporting of conference expenses on each agency's website
starting January 31,2013.
This report provides information on conference expenses in excess of $100,000 during the fiscal year.2 In
this report, the agency provides a description of all conferences where the net expenses for the agency, in
excess of $100,000 includes:
• the total conference expenses incurred by the agency for the conference;
• the location of the conference;
• the date of the conference;
• a brief explanation how the conference advanced the mission of the agency; and
• the total number of individuals whose travel expenses or other conference expenses were
paid by the agency.
In addition, this report provides information on the EPA's overall conference activities throughout the
year, efforts taken to reduce conference spending, and the controls the agency has enacted to ensure
conference spending is reviewed and approved at an appropriate management level.
Section 3003 of the FY 2013 Continuing Resolution, P.L. 113-6, lowered the reporting threshold on
conference spending to $20,000 and included language with new requirements for conference spending.
For conferences occurring April 15, 2013 and after, agencies are required to notify their Inspector General
of any conference exceeding $20,000 within 15 days from the conclusion date of the conference for any
conference taking place in FY 2013 and beyond.
B. Activities and Internal Controls Undertaken by the EPA
1. The EPA requires Assistant Administrator or Regional Administrator approval of all conference-
related activities above $20,000. The approval must be completed prior to obligating any funds
for a conference-related activity requiring resources above $20,000.
2. The EPA's Office of Inspector General conducted an audit of conference related events and did
not find any significant issues with non-compliance with either OMB or EPA guidance.
1 "Conference expenses" are defined in OMB M-12-12 as "all direct and indirect conference costs paid by the
Government, whether paid directly by agencies or reimbursed by agencies to travelers or others associated with the
conference, but do not include funds paid under Federal grants to grantees. Conference expenses include any
associated authorized travel and per diem expenses, hire of rooms for official business, audiovisual use, light
refreshments, registration fees, ground transportation, and other expenses as defined by the [Federal Travel
Regulations]. All outlays for conference preparation and planning should be included, but the Federal employee time
for conference preparation should not be included. Conference expenses should be net of any fees or revenue
received by the agency through the conference and should not include costs to ensure the safety of attending
governmental officials."
2 The EPA uses the same definition provided in OMB M-12-12: a "conference" is defined as " [a] meeting, retreat,
seminar, symposium or event that involves attendee travel. The term 'conference' also applies to training activities
that are considered to be conferences under 5 CFR 410.404."
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EPA Fiscal Year 2015 Conference Spending Report
3. The EPA requires Senior Resource Officials or their designee to report conferences for their
organization with net expenses greater than $20,000 to the OIG within 15 calendar days of the
conference conclusion date. This information will include the: name of the conference,
conference location, conference date(s), and number of agency employees that attended.
4. For conferences with net expenses greater than $100,000, EPA organizations must track and
report the methodology to determine which costs relate to a conference and provide a description
of the contracting procedures used.
5. The EPA is utilizing video conferencing in lieu of in person meetings to conserve resources. If in
person meetings are required, all EPA organizations are required to attest that no adequate federal
space was available prior to obligating federal funds for meeting space.
C. Overall size and scope of conference spending throughout the year
During FY 2015, the EPA spent $2,881,782 for 14 "conferences" above $100,000. Below is a complete
listing of conference-related activities above $100,000 for events either hosted/co-hosted or sponsored/co-
sponsored by EPA.
D. "Conferences" above $100.000
1. ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting
• Date: 10/27/2014-10/29/2014
• Location: Scottsdale, AZ
• Cost: $156,843
• Total Attendees: 523
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 22 (15 EPA travelers, 7 Non-EPA travelers)
• How the conference advances the agency mission: The ENERGY STAR Products Partner
Meeting directly supports the network of partners who leverage ENERGY STAR to improve the
energy efficiency of homes and industrial facilities, benefitting the public through enhanced
education the value of energy efficiency to all of us, as well as delivering energy and utility bill
savings, and related greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The meeting also provides an
opportunity to showcase the EPA's environmental stewardship in meeting management, through
informing meeting participants about environmental efforts associated with the meeting, and
providing opportunities for partners to contribute to these efforts. Additionally, the event is
focused on creating an opportunity for partners to take action and deliver results, directly
advancing the EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment through increased
energy efficiency that reduces energy production and the associated greenhouse gas emissions.
2. National Nonpoint Source Water Quality Index (NWQI) Workshop
• Date: 11/17/2014-11/20/2014
• Location: Dallas, TX
• Cost: $115,344
• Total Atten dees: 216
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 38 (33 EPA travelers, 5 Non-EPA travelers)
• How the conference advances the agency mission: The workshop was sponsored by the EPA's
Nonpoint Source (NPS) Control Branch and EPA Region 6 in Dallas, TX. The purpose of the
workshop was to bring together state, tribal, EPA Regional and Headquarters staff and others to
help improve implementation of the Clean Water Act section 319 NPS Program and other
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EPA Fiscal Year 2015 Conference Spending Report
programs addressing NFS pollution. NFS pollution is the leading cause of remaining water
quality problems in the U.S.; states and tribes have the lead to develop programs to address these
problems. The meeting helped attendees to build stronger working relationships which allow the
EPA and states/tribes to deliver stronger programs to control NFS pollution. In addition, the last
day and a half of the workshop focused on agricultural NFS issues and staff from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service joined the workshop to work
toward strengthened collaboration among EPA, state/tribal water quality agencies and USDA on
the NWQI and other implementation programs. The 319 NFS Program and the NWQI supports
the agency's mission to protect and restore the nation's water quality.
3. Joint Water Quality Standards Meeting
• Date: 03/11/2015-03/13/2015
• Location: Washington, DC
• Cost: $101,584
• Total Attendees: 96
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 31 (20 EPA travelers, 11 Non-EPA travelers)
• How the conference advances the agency mission: The Joint Water Quality Standards Meeting
is an annual 3-day meeting of state, regional and EPA headquarters water quality standards staff.
The meeting is an opportunity to discuss significant water quality issues and work toward
addressing mutual policy concerns. The meeting advances the agency's mission because all
meeting participants work to develop and/or implement water quality standards that protect and
enhance the nation's waters.
4. 11th National Sustainable Design Expo & P3 Awards Ceremony
• Date: 04/11/2015-04/13/2015
• Location: Alexandria, VA
• Cost: $357,385
• Total Attendees: Approximately 1,000 (public expo)
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 14 Non-EPA travelers
• How the conference advances the agency mission: The EPA's P3 Program is designed to
develop the next generation of environmental scientists and engineers. The National Sustainable
Design Expo is a public showcase of the designs of the P3 teams which have competitively
received a P3 Phase 1 grant coupled with a public expo highlighting sustainable technologies and
initiatives from the non-profit, public, and private sectors. The annual National Sustainable
Design Expo promotes the agency's mission of developing a world-class science base in the U.S.
for environmental and public health issues and is sponsored by the agency's Office of Research
and Development and the National Center for Environmental Research.
5. International Emissions Inventory Conference
• Date: 04/13/2015-04/16/2015
• Location: San Diego, CA
• Cost: $160,068
• Total Attendees: 320
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 48 (47 EPA travelers, 1 Non-EPA traveler)
• How the conference advances the agency mission: This conference advances and supports the
EPA's mission by facilitating dialogue between the agency and its stakeholders regarding the
latest developments in emissions inventory development, reporting requirements, and associated
inventory implementation approaches. It also provides training not otherwise available. The
conference also directly supports the electronic reporting, data transparency, and scientific
integrity goals and mission of the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards and the agency.
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EPA Fiscal Year 2015 Conference Spending Report
A key objective of this conference is to facilitate dialogue between the EPA, other federal
agencies, state, local, and tribal agencies, and other stakeholders regarding the latest
developments in emissions reporting requirements and associated implementation approaches. It
also provides a major, comprehensive and in-person forum for interactions among and between
emission inventory professionals across regulatory agencies and affected entities, industry, and
academia. Emission inventory issues are of vital importance for any organization that relies on air
quality models and State Implementation Plan development in support of National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS). Without emission inventories, air quality forecasts, NAAQS
implementation and other air quality assessments could not be done.
6. ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year (POY) Awards Meeting
• Date: 04/20/2015
• Location: Washington, DC
• Cost: $145,510
• Total Attendees: 900
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 1 Non-EPA traveler
• How the conference advances the agency mission: ENERGY STAR POY winners help to
transform the market for energy efficiency services and products across the residential,
commercial and industrial sectors. The POY Awards are also a positive, affirming experience for
partners, demonstrating the EPA's appreciation of all of their hard work in improving energy
efficiency and protecting the environment. We receive very positive, enthusiastic partner
feedback after each year's ceremony. Organizations leave with renewed enthusiasm for their
partnership with the EPA and with more knowledge about the ENERGY STAR brand and our
combined benefits for the environment. They also take home key best practices in corporate
leadership, individual commitment, problem-solving innovation, cost-effective investments and
teamwork that contribute to even greater energy efficiency efforts.
Due to the recognition ceremony, partners are further encouraged to increase their support of
ENERGY STAR and their protection of the environment and public health. Partners work harder
to meet energy efficiency goals within their own organizations and increase the outreach they do
to educate the public about ENERGY STAR. Also, the positive press from the event increases
interest in the brand, resulting in new, active partners that further advance the EPA's mission.
7. 2015 Budget Technical Training Workshop
• Date: 04/21/2015 - 04/23/2015
• Location: Research Triangle Park, NC
• Cost: $114,609
• Total Attendees: 176 + 50 virtual participants
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 141 EPA travelers
• How the conference advances the agency mission: The purpose of this training event is to give
the budget community a chance to come together to obtain information and hands-on training,
discuss current and future budget issues. It allows for those in the budget community to be trained
on the latest software through demonstrations and hands-on training. Lastly, this training event
will enhance the effectiveness of the EPA's budget community and improve operations.
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EPA Fiscal Year 2015 Conference Spending Report
8. Office of Administration Training Workshop
• Date: 06/23/2015-06/25/2015
• Location: Research Triangle Park, NC
• Cost: $161,096
• Total Attendees: 102
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 97 EPA travelers
• How the conference advances the agency mission: With the announcement of Executive Order
13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, and OMB M-12-12 Section 3:
Reduce the Footprint, it was necessary that a forum be provided to address these new federal
mandates. Additionally, this training workshop allowed the Office of Administration to discuss
and disseminate information to the regions that will affect all aspects of Facilities Management,
Security Management, and Safety Health and Environmental Management programs.
9. Community Involvement Training Conference (CITC)
• Date: 08/03/2015-08/06/2015
• Location: Atlanta, GA
• Cost: $436,920
• Total Attendees: 881
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 164 (137 EPA travelers, 27 Non-EPA travelers)
• How the conference advances the agency mission: This conference advances and supports the
Administrator's public mission theme: "Making a Visible Difference in Communities across the
Country: EPA must work each and every day - hand-in-hand with other federal agencies, states,
tribes, and local communities - to improve the health of American families and protect the
environment one community at a time, all across the country."
A key objective of this conference was to train the EPA staff to work effectively with community
representatives. The CITC provided a major comprehensive and in-person forum for interactions
among and between the EPA and state, local, and tribal community representatives.
10. Tribal Lands and Environment Forum (TLEF)
• Date: 08/17/2015-08/20/2015
• Location: Minneapolis, MN
• Cost: $113,836
• Total Attendees: 530
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 105 EPA travelers
• How the conference advances the agency mission: The Tribal Lands and Environment Forum is
mission critical to the EPA by providing direct interaction and collaboration with tribal co-
regulators including tribal environmental professionals and tribal leaders. The TLEF is the only
national training and meeting dedicated to bringing tribal co-regulators and the federal, state,
local and non-profit organizations together to address the most pressing land-related
environmental issues in tribal communities and now is even stronger with the addition of water-
related issues. This event brings tribes and EPA together to discuss and learn about protecting and
restoring water resources and providing access to safe drinking water.
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EPA Fiscal Year 2015 Conference Spending Report
11. 12th Annual EPA Small Drinking Water Systems Workshop
• Date: 08/25/2015-08/27/2015
• Location: Cincinnati, OH
• Cost: $110,020
• Total Attendees: 259
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 68 (55 EPA travelers, 13 Non-EPA travelers)
• How the conference advances the agency mission: In 2001, the EPA announced an initiative for
additional research and development for cost-effective technologies to help small systems meet
the new arsenic standard set at 0.010 mg/L and to provide technical assistance to operators of
small systems to reduce compliance costs. As a result of this initiative, the EPA's Office of
Research and Development began a series of yearly workshops to assist operators of small
community water systems and states to comply with the new standard. As a result, this
conference has become invaluable in disseminating the EPA's research to state primacy agency
personnel responsible for drinking water regulations compliance and treatment. Attendees are
able to build strong working relationships which allow the EPA and stakeholders from across the
Nation to deliver safer drinking water. Through this workshop, the EPA gains a better
understanding of regulatory and compliance challenges that states face, and the states benefit
from the in-depth training and updated information the EPA provides.
12. National Brownfields Training Conference
• Date: 09/01/2015-09/03/2015
• Location: Chicago, IL
• Cost: $683,671
• Total Attendees: 2,668
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 104 (92 EPA travelers, 12 Non-EPA travelers)
• How the conference advances the agency mission: The National Brownfields Training
Conference ties directly to three of the agency's themes established by Administrator McCarthy:
(1) making a visible difference in communities across the country; (2) launching a new era of
State, Tribal and local partnerships; and (3) working towards a sustainable future. The National
Brownfields Training Conference provides opportunities for attendees to learn about enhancing
the livability and economic vitality of neighborhoods around brownfields sites, using green
infrastructure to manage urban waters, and considering the impacts of decisions on environmental
justice communities. The National Brownfields Training Conference provides a multitude of
opportunities for the EPA to work with the states, tribes, local governments, and sister federal
agencies that constitute our country's environmental protection enterprise, to ensure the
efficiency, efficacy, and coordination of our overlapping and complementary efforts.
Additionally, the National Brownfields Training Conference is a training event and offers over
100 educational sessions designed to provide communities, non-profits, and environmental justice
stakeholders the opportunity to learn from the experiences of their peers and from experts in the
fields of financing, leveraging public outreach, and brownfields assessment and cleanup. Our
educational programming is tailored around several tracks, or general subject areas, that reflect
Administrator McCarthy's priorities and the overall needs of our major stakeholders. The
biannual National Brownfields Training Conference is the EPA's largest national event focusing
on environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment. The Brownfields Program is
designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to
work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse
brownfields properties. The conference historically serves over 5,000 stakeholders, including
community leaders, non-profits, state and Tribal officials, environmental justice leaders, private
sector developers and environmental engineering firms.
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EPA Fiscal Year 2015 Conference Spending Report
The Brownfields Conference is one of the only national events that collectively serves
government, non-profit, and private sector Brownfields stakeholders and provides stakeholders
the opportunity to share success stories and challenges. The conference also provides a unique
opportunity for environmental justice stakeholders to caucus and expand their conversations on
community revitalization goals. There are no other national conference opportunities that achieve
this same purpose.
13. 25th National Tanks Conference and Expo
• Date: 09/14/2015-09/16/2015
• Location: Phoenix, AZ
• Cost: $116,968
• Total Attendees: 767
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 84 (83 EPA travelers, 1 Non-EPA traveler)
• How the conference advances the agency mission: The purpose of the national tanks conference
and expo is to educate attendees on the best management practices and upcoming issues about
protecting the environment and human health from the dangers of release from underground
storage tanks. The audience for the conference consists of technical, scientific, and managerial
personnel from state, federal, and tribal regulatory agencies and industry in the U.S. The topics
presented are of specific interest to this distinct audience.
This is the only underground storage tanks national forum where states, tribes, EPA, tank owners,
equipment and service companies, and other stakeholders can meet to learn about, discuss, and
share information on the best management practices, efficient implementation approaches,
emerging technologies, and partnership opportunities. The expo also offers an excellent
opportunity to build relationships and encourage peer matching for the tank program, where states
can shadow other states to directly learn way to improve their tank programs, thereby providing
valuable and timely tank education.
14. 1985 Guidelines Revision: Invited Expert Public Meeting
• Date: 09/14/2015-09/16/2015
• Location: Crystal City, VA
• Cost: $122,346
• Total Attendees: 76 + 163 virtual participants
• Individuals traveling on agency funds: 24 (8 EPA travelers, 16 Non-EPA travelers)
• How the conference advances the agency mission: The EPA's Office of Science and
Technology, Health and Ecological Criteria Division (HECD) provides a scientific foundation to
support the Office of Water and the agency's mission of protecting human health and the
environment by supporting the protection and restoration of the nation's waters (EPA's theme
number 4). HECD develops Clean Water Act 304(a) Ambient Water Quality Criteria (AWQC),
which are recommendations of levels of a pollutant or other measurable parameter that allows for
protection of human health and the environment. Over 30 years ago in 1985, the guidelines for
developing Aquatic Life AWQC were published which describe the overarching scientific
approach. Since that time, there have been many advances in aquatic toxicology. OST/HECD has
committed to updating the 1985 guidelines to better reflect the use of the best available science in
development of criteria recommendations. The 1985 guidelines revision meeting was an invited
expert public meeting to solicit information and external scientific expert advice on advances in
science that can be used to inform revision the 1985 guidelines to continue to support the
agency's mission.
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