8:00 a.m.    
Registration and Continental Breakfast with Sponsors

8:30 a.m. 
Welcome    
Clay Larkin, Partner, Dentons

Opening Keynote: Update from Kentucky’s Energy and Environment Cabinet 
Rebecca Goodman, Secretary, Kentucky Energy and Environment

9:15 a.m. 
Air Quality Update            
Michael Kennedy, PE, Director, Division for Air Quality, Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection    
Bradley Strait, Associate Attorney, Dentons                
In the ever-changing regulatory world of air quality, it is important to keep up to date with the latest status at the federal and state level. Join us for the latest in regulatory and litigation changes that impact your business operations.

10:00 a.m.      
Break with Sponsors

10:15 a.m. 
Navigating Changes to Environmental Law in Trump’s Second Administration 
Christopher Guith, Senior Vice President, Global Energy Institute, US Chamber of Commerce    
As the new Administration is swiftly moving from Executive Orders to Administrative Procedures Act regulations, what are the opportunities and risks for the regulated business community now and in the future?

11:00 a.m.
Staying Ahead of the Curve: Navigating Changes to Environmental Law in Trump’s Second Administration 
Sarah Jarboe, Partner, English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP 
Joye Beth Spinks, Attorney, English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP 
Ric Federico, Associate Principal, EnSafe 
The first year of Donald Trump’s second administration has brought swift and significant changes to the federal environmental regulatory landscape. For industry professionals, these developments have immediate and practical implications for compliance, permitting, project design, and operational strategy. This session will provide an overview of key policy and regulatory changes affecting implementation of federal laws like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act. Attendees will also get a look ahead at the pending and proposed regulatory actions expected in 2026.

11:45 a.m.
Lunch with Sponsors

12:45 p.m. 
Resilient Air Permitting in an Uncertain Regulatory Landscape 
Heather Davis, Partner, Earth and Water Law LLC 
Maren Seibold, Managing Consultant, Trinity Consultants 
Industrial operations in Kentucky face a challenging air permitting environment shaped by shifting regulatory priorities. This session will translate recent federal and Kentucky regulatory developments, including changes to ambient air quality standards, air toxics modeling requirements, permit applicability assessments, emission fee applicability determinations, and climate-related programs, into practical implications for air permitting strategies at industrial sites. By examining the interplay between political priorities, legal frameworks, and environmental science, this presentation will offer insights into how these regulatory shifts could reshape the U.S. environmental landscape for the regulated community. The session will examine how previous regulatory reconsiderations and roll backs have impacted air quality permitting and related compliance strategies for industrial facilities and use these case studies to develop resilient strategies to navigate the high level of uncertainty in the current regulatory landscape. Using case studies and permitting lessons from the broader industry, we will show how flexible permits, compliance buffers, scenario planning, and long-term emissions data management can build adaptive and durable air permits and minimize business disruptions.

1:30 p.m.    
Break with Sponsors

1:45 p.m. 
Water Regulation Update 
Clay Larkin, Partner, Dentons 
This presentation will provide an update on major state and federal developments regarding water. It will include a discussion of the ongoing implementation issues surrounding the scope of “waters of the United States” following the Supreme Court’s Sackett decision, address other critical Clean Water Act judicial cases, and discuss changes to Kentucky’s general KPDES permits and other regulations.

2:30 p.m.
Don’t Let Compliance Go to Waste: Mastering RCRA Contingency Plans for SQGs and LQGs
Corinne Greenberg, EHS Manager, ECKART America 
William Nobles, Senior Consultant, Trinity Consultants 
This session will provide practical guidance for Small and Large Quantity Generators on developing and maintaining compliant RCRA Contingency Plans. Learn how to meet hazardous waste emergency preparedness requirements, reduce liability during inspections, and create effective Quick Reference Guides. The session includes real-world examples, tips for coordinating with local authorities, and strategies for using your plans as proactive compliance tools to protect your facility, staff, and the environment. Speakers will draw on years of combined industry experience to share effective plans that are not only compliant but built on effective best management practices.

3:15 p.m.
Large-Landscape Collaboration: Recreation and Restoration on the Ohio River
Forest Clevenger, Executive Director, Ohio River Way 
The Ohio River Way largely focuses on Large-Landscape Collaboration: Recreation and Restoration on the Ohio River in its work as a nonprofit and now a National Water Trail. This presentation will introduce the newly designated Ohio River Way as well as touch on the Kentucky Ohio River Regional Recreation Authority (KORRRA). The Ohio River Way was designated a National Water Trail on June 6, 2025, by the Department of the Interior; it is a 308-mile water trail through much of Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. This presentation aims to discuss the work that went into the application and the resources it created such as signage, maps, local recommendations, and safety essentials. The designation of the National Water Trail goes hand in hand with the Kentucky Ohio River Regional Recreation Authority legislation enacted in 2024. This legislation was established to build and enhance on-shore and on-water trails to increase economic development, tourism, and outdoor recreation for residents and visitors alike. Both KORRRA and the Ohio River Way exist at the intersection of recreation and restoration of the Ohio River and show how communities and relevant stakeholders can work together for large-landscape collaboration.

4:00 p.m. 
Day One Adjourns 

8:00 a.m.      
Registration and Continental Breakfast with Sponsor

8:30 a.m.     
Welcome 
Clay Larkin, Partner, Dentons

8:35 a.m.
Legislative Update 
Kate Shanks, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Kentucky Chamber

9:00 a.m. 
Opening Keynote: EPA: What’s the New Direction under Trump Administration
Representative, EPA Regional Office–TBD
This presentation will outline what environmental law practitioners expect to be talking about the most in 2026.

9:45 a.m.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished – Why Change Equals Trouble
Nicole Galavotti, Principal/Senior Engineer, Shield Environmental Associates, Inc.
Facility changes can rarely be implemented without some impact on an environmental permit or plan.  Whether it is as simple as a more efficient burner or replacement with a robot, change can create issues when the PTE or zinc wastewater limit is based on criteria that were already established.  Sometimes the change is communicated, and sometimes you react after it has already occurred. "Discovered efficiencies" can mean changes to an air permit, "consolidation" is a nightmare for RCRA, and a "change of storage location" can be a permit limit violation for stormwater.  We will walk through the regulatory and permit implications of changes that occur at sites and how to best avoid the false promise that nothing will be affected.

10:30 a.m.    
Break with Sponsor

10:45 a.m.
AI in Environmental Compliance – What Can Generative AI Really Do for You? 
Jennifer Cave, Esq., Attorney, Stites & Harbison, PLLC
The rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools, such as Chat GPT, is challenging environmental compliance teams, consultants, and government agencies to determine when and how these tools can be responsibly integrated into their work.  Generative AI can produce new content — including text, images, audio, video, and software code, analyze data sets, and run models — in response to user prompts and questions. But to maintain high work product standards, it is necessary to understand the nuances of this evolving technology. This presentation will discuss what generative AI is and explore the challenges and opportunities presented by generative AI products for achieving and maintaining environmental compliance at your facility. 

11:30 a.m.
Collaborative Pathways to PFAS Mitigation: Research Driven Solutions 
Lauren Weinrich, Ph.D., Director of Research and Development, American Water 
The battle against PFAS is ongoing as state and federal policymakers work with utilities and other stakeholders to safely remove these chemicals from our drinking water. It is expected that the costs to comply with the federal PFAS rules will be very high given the complexities involved even if the U.S. EPA were to follow through on its intention to revise the rule and only regulate PFOA and PFOS in drinking water. Utilities with scale are uniquely positioned to take a leadership role in solving these types of issues. This session will spotlight how American Water is carefully investigating the need for treatment before investing in treatment in communities across our footprint. This session will also provide an overview of American Water’s PFAS efforts to date, including ongoing R&D, and how the company is planning for the future.

12:15 p.m.    
Lunch with Sponsors  

1:15 p.m.
Meet with the Regulators 
John Lyons, Deputy Secretary, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet 
Tony Hatton, Commissioner, Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection 
Jarrod Bell, Director, Division of Enforcement, Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection 
Michael Kennedy, PE, Director, Division for Air Quality, Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection 
Sarah Marshall, Director, Division of Water, Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection    
Brian Osterman, Director, Division of Waste Management, Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection 
Moderated by: Clay Larkin, Partner, Dentons 
This panel session will consist of the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (DEP) Deputy Secretary, Commissioner and the Division Directors for Air, Water, Waste, and Enforcement and Compliance Assistance. Among the topics to be discussed include updates on the 2026 legislative session, state regulatory Initiatives, and environmental priorities of Governor Beshear and potential impacts of the Trump Administration.

2:30 p.m. 
Break with Sponsor

2:45 p.m. 
Building Up Your Chemical Storage Compliance Practices 
Austin Angeline, Senior Consultant, Trinity Consultants 
No matter the size and scope of your facility’s operations, effective management of new and existing bulk chemical storage is critical to ensuring compliance with the myriad of potentially applicable environmental regulations. This presentation will discuss, at a high level, various environmental programs that must be considered when adding new bulk chemical storage capacity to a facility or when updating existing bulk chemical storage capabilities. Key regulatory requirements – which will be discussed as they relate to the storage of bulk chemicals –include KY state air permitting, NSPS and NESHAP, EPCRA Sections 302/311/312/3113, SWPPP/GPP, SPCC, RMP/PSM, and the new CWA FRP rule.

3:30 p.m. 
Mining and the Environment in Kentucky – Past, Present and Future
Steve Gardner, Senior Consultant, Pitman Green, LLC 
At one time Coal and Kentucky were almost synonymous as the state led the nation in production in 1990. Kentucky is now 6th in production, but coal provides 70% of electric generation. Kentucky is a leader in limestone mining and has more underground quarries than any other state. Aggregates, cement and lime are crucial components in construction and chemicals. Kentucky having tremendous reserves, is situated at the crossroads of America with river, rail and interstate transportation. Kentucky was once the leader in Fluorspar mining. Fluorspar is a critical mineral for many reasons but is now largely imported. With significant resources remaining Fluorspar mining is again being proposed.

But what about the future? Coal is a finite resource, yet the US still has more coal left than any other country. With the change in administrations coal is back in the picture. What does that hold for Kentucky and the environment? SB 89 was hotly debated, but what does that change?

This presentation includes reflections on the last century of mining with a bit of historical context and a look at what the future may hold.  What are the environmental challenges that remain with mining coal, aggregates, and other resources in Kentucky?

4:15 p.m.    
24th Annual Kentucky Environmental Conference Adjourns