The Michigan Environmental Compliance Conference (MECC) is the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ’s) premier compliance assistance event designed to help businesses, institutions, municipalities, and environmental professionals understand and comply with their environmental requirements. The MECC, which is hosted by the DEQ bi-annually, has educated thousands of manufacturers and environmental professionals throughout the state on basic and technical environmental topics since 2000.
The DEQ has received numerous suggestions and requests to expand the conference, making it more comprehensive and to address the needs of businesses with varying levels of environmental regulatory knowledge. In response, some big changes are being made to this year’s event.
The biggest change is that the 2016 MECC will span two days (June 21-22) and be centralized in Lansing. This allows the DEQ to significantly increase the number of educational sessions offered and provide a more comprehensive educational experience for attendees. While this change means that some attendees will have to drive a little further than in the past; the expanded format and session offerings will make up for it. The event will include six tracks and over 70 concurrent sessions on topics related to waste, air quality and water regulations, as well as remediation, emergency planning, and policy updates. There will also be an entire track devoted to basic environmental training. This track is designed specifically for attendees that have little to no knowledge of environmental regulations and need to get up to speed quickly with the essentials.
Another significant change to this year’s MECC is the addition of an exhibitor area where attendees can meet up with environmental service professionals and learn about new technologies. DEQ staff experts will be on hand in the designated DEQ resource area to answer questions one-on-one throughout the two-day event. The exhibitor and resource area is designed to promote and enhance networking opportunities, which is a hallmark of all DEQ events.
While we are excited to implement these changes, one valuable conference resource will still remain. All conference attendees will be the first to receive the newly updated 9th edition of the Michigan Guide to Environmental, Health, and Safety Regulations. This comprehensive guidebook is a must-have reference tool for environmental professionals.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn about the federal and state environmental regulations you may be subject to and network with DEQ staff and other environmental professionals from around the state. We look forward to seeing you June 21 and 22 in Lansing!
For more information about the 2016 MECC, including the agenda, registration, and exhibitor opportunities, go to www.michigan.gov/deqevents.
