WELCOME TO THE A&WMA TAMPA BAY CHAPTER 

International A&WMA Overview, Mission & Purpose

The Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan professional organization that enhances knowledge and expertise by providing a neutral forum for technology exchange, professional development, networking opportunities, public education, and outreach to more than 9000 environmental professionals in 65 countries. A&WMA also promotes global environmental responsibility and increases the effectiveness of organizations to make critical decisions that benefit society.  

The Mission of A&WMA is to assist in the professional development and critical environmental decision-making of our members to benefit society.  

The core Purpose of A&WMA is to improve environmental knowledge and decisions by providing a neutral forum for exchanging information.

Tampa Bay Chapter A&WMA Purpose & Territory

The Purpose of the Chapter is to encourage and facilitate the interchange of information among members, other professional and technical groups, and the public; promote the advancement and application of science and technology relevant to air pollution control and waste management; foster programs in education and training to improve the knowledge and skills of members and the public; and to further the mission and objectives of the Association, Section, and Chapter.

The Tampa Bay Chapter spans the geographic area consisting of Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and Sumter Counties in West Central Florida.

Upcoming Events

 

The Tampa Bay Chapter will host the Florida Section of the A&WMA 42^nd Annual Conference & Exhibition October 23-25, 2005 , located at the TradeWinds Sandpiper Hotel, 6000 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach.

 

Monthly Meetings

April 21, 2005   Speaker: Mr. Armando Rodriguez, Director of Environmental Affairs, Walt Disney World Co.  Topic: "Environmental Programs and Waste Management Systems for the Walt Disney World Complex" - Walt Disney World is a complex with four theme parks, 17 resorts, 55,000 employees, a wastewater treatment plant, and a landfill.  Mr. Rodriguez will discuss waste management and environmental programs implemented throughout the Disney complex.

May 19, 2005  Speaker:  Dr. C. David Cooper, Ph.D., P.E., QEP, Professor of Engineering, and Graduate Coordinator in the Civil & Environmental Engineering Dept. at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, and an International A&WMA Director.  Topic:  Dr. Cooper will give a short presentation on A&WMA - an update as to our current membership and financial status, and our plans for A&WMA’s Centennial Celebration in 2007.

Environmental Tip

The Tampa Bay Chapter includes an “Environmental Tip” in its bimonthly Newsletter.  The May 2005 tip was on the Clean Air Mercury Rule which was issued by the EPA on March 15, 2005.  The United States is the first country in the world to regulate (cap and reduce) mercury emissions from coal fired power plants.  An Associated Press report (April 28, 2005) indicated that the benefits from cutting mercury pollution just in the Southeast alone could be 40 times the value of the projected by the EPA.  Critics said that the report is evidence that the Bush administrative wanted to play down the benefits and reducing mercury in order to justify "not requiring owners of power plants to buy the best available technology for lowering mercury emissions."  Whatever the reasoning, calculations and timing behind the "Rule", we know that mercury is harmful to humans (neurotoxicant).  Therefore, let's work to reduce it's emissions.

Past Events

February 2005:  Renee Weaver from Golder Associates Inc, along with other Tampa Bay Chapter A&WMA volunteers, spoke about environmental issues and requirements affecting industry and utilities with students ranging from kindergarten through college at the 2005 Engineering EXPO at the College of Engineering at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa.

Other Endeavors

College Scholarship:  The Tampa Bay Chapter offers a $200 Book Scholarship to our student members.  We would like to recognize our student members as well as show some of the benefits of joining the organization.  Applicants for the 2005 scholarship must be a member of the Tampa Bay A&WMA Chapter, must be enrolled in the Spring 2006 semester (copy of the Spring schedule will suffice), and must write a 500 word-maximum essay.  The topic for the 2005 scholarship will be chosen in Fall 2005.  

K-12 Teacher Environmental Workshop:  The Tampa Bay Chapter has set a 2005 goal to develop a workshop for Hillsborough County teachers using A&WMA’s Air Quality “Environmental Resource Guide (ERG)”.  These books will be used to train teachers in grades K-12 about air quality and air pollution control, and will provide a resource for them to use in their classrooms.

Bimonthly Newsletters

January 2005

March 2005  

May 2005