ALLARM to Host EPA Volunteer Monitoring Conference

October 14, 2009

The Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM) at Dickinson College will host the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Mid-Atlantic volunteer monitoring conference Oct. 19-20.
The conference will provide a forum for volunteer monitors, environmental organizations and agencies to meet, present and promote volunteer monitoring efforts. The conference includes plenary session, workshops, and breakout sessions on topics such as sustaining volunteer organizations, data use, watershed issues and monitoring techniques.

About 150 attendees representing federal, state and local agencies, grassroots organizations and service providers are expected to attend. The conference will feature sessions on emerging-water issues, the use of data for environmental change and training workshops for participants on a variety of water quality topics. ALLARM is responsible for coordinating conference speakers, conference advertising, agenda and registration.

The EPA’s Mid-Atlantic region includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

ALLARM received a $15,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to coordinate the conference.