Wednesday, May 13 – Welcome + Lunch Plenary
Regional Administrator McOmber will share “Priorities and Perspectives” with experiences from his first year leading Region 4, and a look ahead as EPA implements the vision of Administrator Lee Zeldin and the Trump Administration. Commissioner Salyers will present “Finish Strong: Run Through the Tape” by sharing environment and conservation achievements of the Lee Administration in Tennessee, and what the department plans to accomplish in 2026 through coordinated efforts with local and federal partners.
David Salyers, P.E., P.G.
Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
David Salyers, P.E., P.G., was appointed Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation in January 2019 after serving more than 20 years as Executive Director with the West Tennessee River Basin Authority and previous work as an engineer in the private sector.
As TDEC Commissioner, he has led deployment of historic capital investment in the Tennessee State Park system and the establishment of 13 new state parks – the largest expansion in more than 50 years.
He has also orchestrated more than $1.3 billion in investments in drinking and wastewater infrastructure in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties on behalf of Gov. Bill Lee and the General Assembly.
Salyers has been focused on implementation of State Superfund site cleanups and accelerated reclamation through new programs for brownfield site cleanup and redevelopment resulting from the historic TN Rural Brownfield Reinvestment Act of 2023. He also served as chairperson for the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council established by Executive Order 101 that helped facilitate Tennessee’s place as the hub of an advanced nuclear revival for our nation.
Last November, Gov. Lee named Salyers the chairperson for the Duck River Watershed Planning Partnership established by Executive Order 108. This group is directed to develop and propose collaborative strategies that will ensure the long-term sustainability of the Duck River Watershed—balancing the needs of public water supply, economic development, and ecological conservation through coordinated planning, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive resource management.
A Kentucky native, Salyers earned a bachelor’s degree from Murray State and a master’s degrees in engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Kevin J. McOmber, P.E.
Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4
President Donald J. Trump appointed Kevin J. McOmber, P.E., to serve as Regional Administrator for the EPA’s Southeast Region (Region 4) in February 2025. Kevin leads the implementation of President Trump’s environmental agenda in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and with six federally recognized Tribes.
Prior to joining the EPA, Kevin served as Executive Vice President and National Community Practice Leader at CPL where he led transformative municipal and public infrastructure projects. Kevin’s distinguished career spans over 37 years in civil engineering, construction management and community development, and he has expertise in environmental planning, water resources, stormwater management and sustainable urban development. Kevin also has a long history of collaborating with state and local agencies to ensure the successful execution of complex, multi-disciplinary projects.
Kevin’s leadership roles include being elected twice as a City of Suwanee Councilmember, an appointment to the Gwinnett County Water & Sewerage Authority and several state and national roles with the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). These positions all reflect his dedication to public service. Kevin has been married for 36+ years to his loving and supportive wife, MaLisa and they have two adult children, Marissa and Andrew, who live in North Carolina.
Thursday, May 14 – Breakfast Plenary
The Foundries District: Forging a New Day for Development while Honoring Chattanooga’s Manufacturing Foundation
Key partners and contributors review the multi-decade brownfield redevelopment success of the South Broad District in Chattanooga, including the Foundries District, that is reflected in opening of Erlanger Park as new home to the Chattanooga Lookouts on the former U.S. Pipe and Wheland Foundries sites along I-24.
Panelists will include: Johanna Heywood, P.E., P.G., Program Manager, LaBella; Jim Irwin, CEO, New City Properties (Atlanta/Master Developer); Steve Sanders, P.G., Director, TDEC Division of Land Protection; Andy Stone, P.E., President, Black Creek Chattanooga (local lead for Perimeter Propperities for Foundries District development); Meghan Ploch, TDEC External Affairs – Chattanooga Region – Moderator.
Panelists will also discuss other recent brownfield redevelopment projects in Chattanooga and Hamilton County that showcase a variety of public-private partnerships, advanced remediation techniques, forward-thinking conservation strategies, and clear-eyed financial analyses.