2011 Conference for the U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern Program Celebrating Progress; Confronting Challenges; Moving Forward! Complete conference agenda now available: <http://www.glc.org/rap/aocconference11.html> http://www.glc.org/rap/aocconference11.html October 13-14, 2011 Westin Book Cadillac Hotel Detroit, Michigan . The complete agenda, listing breakout sessions and speakers, is now available for next month's Areas of Concern conference, being held Oct. 13-14 in Detroit, Mich. View the agenda and register now at http://www.glc.org/rap/aocconference11.html. . Don't forget to register for the Detroit River dinner cruise and restoration tour, being held Thursday evening, Oct. 13. The dinner cruise is open to everyone attending Great Lakes Weeks events; attending the AOC conference is not required. However, registration for the dinner cruise is being handled through the AOC conference registration site at https://www.glc.org/AOC/register.html. Program Highlights Keynote speakers include U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson (invited) and Dr. John Hartig, author of the new book Burning Rivers: Revival of Four Urban-Industrial Rivers that Caught on Fire. The conference will feature breakout sessions on the following topics: . Confronting challenges, overcoming obstacles and making mid-course corrections when implementing your habitat restoration project . Partnering with industry and local governments to implement Great Lakes Legacy Act projects and other restoration actions in the AOCs . Life after delisting: Issues to consider when planning for the future of your AOC and your local RAP committee . Tips for complying with federal grant requirements and administering your GLRI project efficiently . Resources, tools and innovative approaches for tracking progress in restoring your AOC . Telling your story: Tips for communicating with the press, the public and elected officials about restoration work in your AOC and its economic benefits Who Should Attend The conference is intended for all parties involved in efforts to restore the U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern, including members of local AOC groups, state and federal agency staff, LaMP participants, academic partners, consultants, and others interested in the AOC program. Come Early and Be Part of Great Lakes Week 2011 The Areas of Concern conference is being held as part of the first-ever Great Lakes Week, which includes a variety of meetings and forums being held Oct. 11-14 in Detroit. In addition to the AOC conference, the Great Lakes Commission, International Joint Commission, and Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition will hold their annual meetings during Great Lakes Week 2011. Conference attendees are especially encouraged to arrive early and participate in a binational accountability report and public forum, and a Great Lakes week panel and town hall that will be held Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 12 at the Community Arts Auditorium at Wayne State University. Transportation will be provided from the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel to these events. Information on Great Lakes Week 2011 activities is available at http://www.greatlakesrestoration.us/glweek.html. Questions about Great Lakes Week 2011 can be directed to the U.S. EPA spokesperson Peter Cassell at 312-886-6234, cassell.peter at epa.gov. Travel Funding Travel funding will be available for one representative from each AOC group. The chair of each group will be responsible for designating in advance who will be eligible for travel funding. Lodging Lodging is available at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel where the conference is being held. A block of sleeping rooms has been reserved under "Areas of Concern" for Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 12-13 at a rate of $134 per night plus tax. The reserved block will be released Sept. 21, after which rooms will be provided on a space-available basis. To make reservations, call 888-627-7150 and request a room from the block reserved for "Areas of Concern." Dinner Cruise and Restoration Tour on the Detroit River Join us Thursday evening for dinner and a boat cruise on the Detroit River. Dinner will be provided and a cash bar will be available. Leaders from the Detroit River AOC will discuss restoration work along the river. There is a $35 fee for this event and advance registration is required. The dinner cruise is open to all participants in Great Lakes Week activities and their guests; participation in the AOC conference is not required. Registration for this event will be managed through the AOC conference website at http://www.glc.org/rap/aocconference11.html. Exhibitor Tables Exhibitor tables will be available for a charge of $25. Use the registration page to request a table. Sponsors The meeting is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Great Lakes Habitat Restoration Program; the Great Lakes Commission; and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Contact Matt Doss Great Lakes Commission 734-971-9135 mdoss at glc.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.great-lakes.net/lists/glin-announce/attachments/20110912/500c553e/attachment.html