MAGNY

Zoom Webinar

Friday, February 26, 2021

Date: Friday, February 26, 2021

Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm

Location: Zoom Webinar

Details:

Water-related utilities are critical components of the nation's health and economic stability. However, utilities are wrestling with maintaining service quality while ensuring accessibility and affordability. What are the risks to the sector from coronavirus and how can the sector overcome them to achieve its mission? Is the regulatory process adequately addressing the concerns in protecting America's waters? What policies at the federal level are being discussed and how might these policies impact the industry? How is the federal government supporting the industry financially to ensure its success?

Our panelists will provide their perspectives on these questions facing the industry.

Our Speakers:

Kareem Adeem, Director, City of Newark, New Jersey Department of Water & Sewer Utilities.

Director Adeem is a Newark native who began working for the City of Newark in 1991 in the Department of Engineering and has moved up the ladder in his field. In 2013, Director Adeem was promoted to Superintendent of Public Works, where he oversaw daily maintenance operations of the Department of Water & Sewer Utilities. He was promoted Assist Director in 2016, and Acting Director position in 2018.

Director Adeem will receive his Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management from Thomas Edison University in 2021. In 2018 he received his certification as a Public Works Manager and in 2015 he received his certification as a Public Manager from Rutgers University. Adeem is also a National Certified Storm Sewer Inspector, National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO), Certified Pipeline Assessment & Certification Program (PACP), and Manhole Assessment & Certification Program (MACP) Sewer Inspector, and holds a NJ DEP Water & Waste Water Operators license.

He was a key player in various municipal projects, including the Queen Ditch Restoration Project, which helped address chronic flooding along Frelinghuysen Avenue that has plagued the area for more than 30 years.

Currently, Director Adeem is credited with helping to rebrand the Department of Water & Sewer Utilities and upgrading the City’s infrastructure as the City works to replace every lead service line, upgrade to its water treatment plant. He is a dedicated public servant who has, and continues to, give back to his native community.

G. Tracy Mehan, III, Executive Director, Government Affairs, American Water Works Association.

G. Tracy Mehan, III  was an independent consultant and served as Interim President of the U.S. Water Alliance and national Source Water Protection Coordinator for the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University and Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College. He was Principal with The Cadmus Group, Inc., an environmental consulting firm, from 2004 to 2014. Mehan served as Assistant Administrator for Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 2001-2003. He served as Environmental Stewardship Counselor to the 2004 G-8 Summit Planning Organization (2004). Mehan also served as director of the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes (1993-2001) and as Associate Deputy Administrator of EPA in 1992. He was director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources from 1989 to 1992. Mehan is a graduate of Saint Louis University and its School of Law. Mehan served on the Water Science and Technology Board and now the Committee on the Mississippi River and the Clean Water Act for the National Research Council of the National Academies. He was also an independent expert judge for the City Water Conservation Achievement Award program (2006 & 2011) sponsored by The U.S. Conference of Mayors and its Urban Water Council.

Mehan is a member of the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and a regular book reviewer for ELI's flagship publication, The Environmental Forum.

Mehan served on EPA's Environmental Financial Advisory Board (2014-2018) as well as the boards of the U.S. Water Alliance and the Great Lakes Observing System. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Environmental Policy, School of Public Affairs, American University and a past member of the board of the Potomac Conservancy (2006-2014).

Matthew Hobby, Senior Risk Manager, U.S. EPA WIFIA program

Matthew Hobby is a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WIFIA program, a multi-billion dollar federal loan program for water and wastewater infrastructure projects.  Prior to joining EPA, Matt worked for Ernst & Young as financial advisor to public sector clients on major State infrastructure projects, the Georgia Department of Transportation’s office of Budget, and Standard & Poor’s as a senior bond rating analyst covering public finance, corporate and project finance and P3 infrastructure debt issuers in the transportation and power sectors. 

Matt has an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Wesleyan University.

The discussion will be moderated by Doug Scott, Managing Director, Fitch Ratings US Public Finance, Water & Sewer Group.

Cost: Free for members of MAGNY and NFMA, $45 for non-NFMA members

Questions? Contact Email: [email protected]

To register for the Water: Navigating the Waves of Policy, Regulation and Coronavirus webinar on February 26, 2021 at 12:00 PM EDT, go to: 

https://magny-feb-2021.paperform.co