Agenda - Oregon Brownfields Conference

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Agenda at a Glance

May 4

11:30 – 12:00

Check-In and Registration

12:00 – 3:00

Workshop

Brownfields Fundamentals

Details:

This foundational workshop provides a practical introduction to the brownfield redevelopment process, equipping participants with the tools needed to move projects from uncertainty to opportunity. Attendees will gain a working understanding of risk and liability management, explore key regulatory pathways, and learn how to assemble effective funding strategies to support assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment. The session also emphasizes reuse planning, highlighting how early visioning and community goals can shape successful outcomes. A panel of experienced brownfields practitioners will share real-world insights and lessons learned. Interactive exercises will be woven throughout the session that allows participants to apply concepts and build confidence navigating brownfields projects in Oregon and beyond. Participants are invited to bring project issues and questions for review with the panel as part of the interactive exercises.

Speakers:

Caitlin Bryan, Principal Environmental Scientist, Maul Foster & Alongi
Dana Domenighini, Project Environmental Scientist, Maul Foster & Alongi
Mary Camarata, Regional Solutions Coordinator, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Allen Clements, Project Manager and Brownfields Coordinator, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Seth Lenaerts, Project Manager, City of Lincoln City
David Rabbino, Shareholder, Jordan Ramis
Jerry Sorte, Brownfields Program Policy Coordinator, Business Oregon
Sarah Fingerhood, Senior Program Associate, Center for Creative Land Recycling

Workshop

Tribal Brownfields

Tribal Brownfields Workshop

Details:

Explore the unique challenges and opportunities of tribal brownfields, focusing on how tribes use federal funding to address them. The session will include case studies of successful brownfield projects, an overview of available state and federal funding opportunities, and discussions on the potential impacts of shifting federal priorities on brownfield redevelopment efforts.

Moderator:

John Hildenbrand, Principal Environmental Scientist, Terraphase Engineering
Stuart Fricke, Eastern Washington Regional Manager, Akana

Speakers:

Margaret Olson, Oregon Brownfields State Coordinator, US Environmental Protection Agency
Rebecca Wells Albers, DEQ Cleanup Program Brownfields Coordinator, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Braulio Ramos, Environmental Planner, Tulalip Tribe
Glen Connelly, Natural Resources Director, Chehalis Tribe

Workshop

Doing More with Less: Building Capacity and Funding Pathways for Rural Brownfields

Details:

Tackling brownfield challenges in rural communities takes creativity, persistence, and the ability to do a lot with a little. Join brownfields practitioners from public, private, and nonprofit organizations for an interactive workshop designed to offer practical, scalable strategies that help communities maximize the resources they already have. The session focuses on two core elements: creative capacity building and innovative funding approaches. Case studies from Oregon communities and agencies will highlight models such as building local ambassadors, leveraging partners like Business Oregon, and assembling stackable “funding quilts.” The session also features mentor matchmaking, giving attendees the opportunity to schedule targeted follow-up conversations with state agencies, technical assistance providers, and peer communities.

Speakers:

Jennifer Casler, Senior Client Leader, Haley & Aldrich
Allison Marshall, Environmental Scientist, Alta Science & Engineering
Jon Munkers, Principal/Chief Financial Officer, Alta Science & Engineering
Sarah Sieloff, Technical Expert, Haley & Aldrich
Kara Master, Brownfields Coordinator / Project Manager, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Melyssa Graeper, North Coast Regional Solutions Coordinator, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Travis Shappell, Founder & Managing Principal, Resilient Communities
Seth Lenaerts, Economic Development Project Manager, Lincoln City
Jason Waters, City Engineer, City of Sherwood

3:30 – 5:00

Brownfields Tours

This tour highlights three Lincoln City sites that demonstrate different stages of brownfield redevelopment. The first stop is the Lincoln City Glass Studio, formerly an auto repair shop and now a thriving glassblowing studio and gallery created through a public-private partnership. The second stop is Schooner Creek Discovery Park, Lincoln City’s newest community park scheduled to be completed this summer, part of the redevelopment is addressing petroleum contamination from a former fueling station. The final stop is the SW 51st Street and Highway 101 intersection, where the EPA Community-Wide Brownfields Assessment funding supported multiple properties, including a recently redeveloped vacant retail building now operating as a multi-use commercial space.

5:30 – 7:00

Welcome Reception Sponsored By Yellow Jacket Drilling Services & Alliance Technical Group

Welcome Reception Sponsored By: Yellow Jacket Drilling Services & Alliance Technical Group

Join us for the Welcome Reception at Salishan Coastal Lodge. Enjoy great food, your choice of wine, beer, or other beverages, and a relaxed coastal setting while connecting with new faces and catching up with familiar colleagues. It’s the perfect way to kick off the conference and bring the community together. Special thanks to Yellow Jacket Drilling Services, LLC, and Alliance Technical Group for sponsoring the evening.

May 5

7:30 – 8:00

Morning Networking & Continental Breakfast with Exhibitors

8:00 – 8:45

Keynote: Agencies & Funding Opportunities — Where Are We Now?

Details:

Brownfield redevelopment plays an important role in supporting communities, but understanding the current landscape of funding and agency support can be challenging. This session brings together representatives from federal and state agencies to provide an overview of available resources, grant/loan programs, and technical assistance. Learn how the Environmental Protection Agency, Business Oregon, and the Department of Environmental Quality are working together to help communities address brownfield concerns that remove barriers for site reuse to provide community benefits.

Speakers:

Margaret Olson, Oregon Brownfields State Coordinator, US Environmental Protection Agency
Rebecca Wells Albers, DEQ Cleanup Program Brownfields Coordinator, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Jerry Sorte, Brownfields Program Policy Coordinator, Business Oregon

Parrott Creek Case Study

Video

8:45 – 9:45

Keynote — Driving Oregon’s Future: Emerging Policy and Funding Innovations for Brownfield Transformation

Details:

With Oregon facing increasing demand for affordable housing and sustainable economic growth, transforming underutilized brownfields has never been more critical. This keynote panel features leading experts advancing policy and investment to turn underused sites into engines of opportunity and resilience. The discussion, grounded in Portland’s industrial corridor analysis and Metro’s targeted housing investment, will cover strategies for aligning land supply, structuring incentives, and building partnerships to meet regional employment and housing needs. A legislator’s perspective will highlight state policy and funding challenges, including the Oregon Environmental Restoration Fund. Attendees will gain insight into emerging policy and funding strategies that balance competitiveness, affordability, and environmental restoration statewide.

Moderator:

Seth Otto, Principal Planner, Maul Foster & Alongi

Speakers:

Sam Brookham, Economic City Planner, City of Portland
Brian Harper, Principal Regional Planner, Oregon Metro
David Brock Smith, Oregon State Senator, Oregon Legislature

9:45 – 10:00

Networking Break & Exhibitor Visits

10:00 – 11:00

Keynote — Strategies for Minimizing Liability at Complex Brownfield Sites

Details:

Join us to discuss legal and technical strategies for minimizing liability when developing complex brownfield sites. The tools used at these sites can apply to all brownfield sites.

Speakers:

Laura Kerr, Partner, Stoel Rives LLC
Rob Marinai, General Counsel, Restorcap
Caitlin Bryan, Principal Environmental Scientist, Maul Foster & Alongi

11:00 – 11:15

Networking Break & Exhibitor Visits

11:15 – 12:15

Keynote — Oregon Coast Brownfield Redevelopment Success Stories

Details:

Using several successful real world case studies from Oregon Coastal Communities, this session will highlight the unique aspects of brownfield revitalization in a coastal setting.

Speakers:

Len Farr, Principal, Environmental Services, Stantec
Graeme Taylor, Principal, Stantec
Alison Nelson-Robertson, Director, Urban Renewal & Economic Development, City of Lincoln City

12:15 – 12:30

Networking Break & Exhibitor Visits

12:30 – 2:00

Luncheon & Keynote — From Legacy to Leverage: Brownfields as Engines of Economic and Community Renewal

Details:

This session will explore how the Port of Portland and Prosper Portland, the City of Portland’s economic and urban development agency, are approaching the redevelopment of two significant, catalytic and complex brownfield sites: Terminal 2 at the Port and the Broadway Corridor in the City. Both projects seek to transform underutilized land while supporting larger urban and economic development objectives, including housing and jobs.

Speakers:

Sarah Sieloff, Urban Planner and Senior Client Account Manager, Haley & Aldrich
Lisa Abuaf, Director of Development & Investment, Port of Portland

2:00 – 2:15

Networking Break & Exhibitor Visits

2:15 – 3:15

Track A

A Release Has Been Identified — Now What?

Details:

This advanced session builds on concepts introduced in the Brownfields Fundamentals Workshop through real-world case studies and focuses on site assessment approaches, with emphasis on the vapor intrusion exposure pathway and former agricultural properties; practical methods for evaluating data to determine the significance of a release; and cost-effective strategies to mitigate risks to human health during redevelopment, including the use of engineering and institutional controls.

Speakers:

Len Farr, Principal, Environmental Services, Stantec
Franziska Landes, Senior Environmental Scientist and Hydrogeologist, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Matt Wheaton, LG, PE, Department Manager, Terracon

Track B

Let's Create a Park! Creative Funding Strategies for Park & Open Space Development

Details:

Parks transform communities — but funding them is often the greatest challenge. Join the us for a presentation that builds off the Let’s Create a Park! funding guide to provide tailored park funding opportunities and strategy for Oregonians. This practical panel and resource will help communities understand the park development process, identify and stack funding sources, and create sustainable strategies to make parks a reality.

In this session, you’ll learn our step-by-step methodology, take a closer look at inspiring case studies from local communities that successfully leveraged multiple funding streams, and walk away with actionable strategies to bring new parks and green spaces to your community.

Speakers:

Sarah Fingerhood, Senior Program Associate, Center for Creative Land Recycling
Jennifer D’Avanzo, Senior Regional Planner, Metro Regional Government
Jeanne Sprague, Parks and Recreation Director, City of Lincoln City

Track C

Rethinking ROI in Brownfields Redevelopment

Details:

If that which gets measured matters, then how should we think about return on investment (ROI) in the context of brownfield redevelopment? What can ROI do to support funding acquisition, public support, and overall project progress, and what are best practices for measuring it? This session will explore how projects and agencies have approached this issue, and will challenge listeners to identify potential metrics to help communicate ROI in their own projects.

Speakers:

Sarah Sieloff, Urban Planner and Senior Client Account Manager, Haley & Aldrich
Cathy Stuhr, Senior Project Scientist, CHA Solutions
James Kim, Project Manager, ECONorthwest
Lehi Dowell, Deputy Director, Coos Curry Douglas Business Development Corporation

3:15 – 3:20

Quick Stretch Break

3:20 – 4:20

Track A

Historical Insurance Funding: Debunking Myths and Providing Insight

Details:

Debunking the Myth Insurance Carriers are Difficult to Work With – environmental consutants and experts in insurance archaeology and cost recovery will share the opportunities that come with coverage under 40+ year old policies and insurance carriers as both a funding resource and partner in the cleanup process.

Moderator:

Benjamin Pariser, Principal, Restorical Research, LLC

Speakers:

Jeff Berebitsky, Chief Insurance Archaeologist, Restorical Research, LLC
Paul Ecker, RG, LHG, President, EES Environmental Consulting, Inc.
Bob McAlister, RG, Senior Lead, Stantec

Track B

Scrap, Stack, and Stretch: Creative Funding for Brownfields Projects

Details:

The money is out there, but it’s never enough. With less EPA Brownfields funding to go around in out-years, now is the time to get creative about stringing together and stretching dollars to accomplish more. From project stacking to unorthodox (but acceptable) matching, this panel will look at creative ways to bring funding together to advance projects.

Speakers:

Sarah Sieloff, Urban Planner and Senior Client Account Manager, Haley & Aldrich
Graeme Taylor, Project Manager, Stantec
Lehi Dowell, Deputy Director, Coos Curry Douglas Business Development Corporation

Track C

From Outreach to Partnership: Elevating Community Engagement and Government-to-Government Consultation

Details:

Effective engagement requires more than outreach—it requires intention, respect, and a willingness to listen across different types of relationships. This session explores how community engagement with the public and Government-to-Government consultation with Tribes can be approached with equal authenticity, while honoring the distinct responsibilities each requires. Through practical strategies and real-world examples, we’ll highlight how storytelling—grounded in community values, culture, and lived experience—can build trust, inform decisions, and strengthen partnerships, ultimately leading to more resilient and inclusive outcomes.

Moderator:

Jennifer Casler, Senior Client Leader, Haley & Aldrich, Inc.

Speakers:

Travis Shappell, Founder & Managing Principal, Resilient Communities
Suzanne Donaldson, Chief Executive Officer, Donaldson Consulting, LLC

4:20

Adjourn