Clean Water Contractor Expo is at fairgrounds

Entering its sixth year, the Clean Water Contractor Expo is providing a chance for site contractors to learn more about the year’s regulations and construction compliance.

The Expo will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Feb. 13, at the Erie County Fairgrounds, 3110 Columbus Ave. in Sandusky.

It will include vendors, guest speakers, networking opportunities and a breakfast and lunch.

The Erie Conservation District and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve are sponsors of the event, with attendance as a requirement for contractors that are members of the district’s Clean Water Contractor Program.

Melissa Feliciano, storm water program coordinator with the district, said she realized at the time of the Expo’s development, that contractors need a bit of help in regulation education.

“I realized very quickly that they (contractors) want to do the right thing,” Feliciano said. “They don’t want regulators on their backs, and there wasn’t really any good guidance out there besides the boots on the ground.”

Now, the Expo brings in about 150 individual attendees representing between 45 and 60 companies that are a part of the clean water program.

“This (Expo) is specifically more for the site contractors, so anybody that’s doing site work,” Feliciano said.

This year, the Clean Water Contractor Expo will focus on the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s general construction permit compliance requirements and updates, Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan inspections and documentation and how to remain profitable while managing storm water runoff.

Contractors involved in the Clean Water Contract Program are those that help prevent soil erosion and preventing and managing hazardous material from entering waterways on construction sites.

Since many of these contractors’ work expands several counties, Feliciano said the Expo works to educate contractors along the Great Lakes coast.

With this long range of contractors in attendance, Feliciano said the additional communication and education pays off.

“That open line of communication between contractors with us is much better,” she said. “I have seen a lot of improvements on sites. We are seeing more compliant construction sites.”

Jim Herchler, co-owner of Herk Excavating Inc. in Vermilion, said he has attended the conference for the past four years.

Herchler said the Expo allows new modes of practices to be brought to the region to help improve efficiency.

“The new technology, the presentations, a lot of that is really helpful,” he said. “There’s a lot to take away and use for everyday business.”