Tennessee’s director of Homeland Security will be one of the speakers at a regional environmental conference here next week.

The conference, titled "Working Together To Preserve Our Region's Resources," is scheduled for the General Morgan Inn on Wednesday and Thursday, March 5 and 6.

The commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the president of the American Lung Association will be among other speakers.

The numerous sponsors include Keep Greene Beautiful and East Tennessee State University’s Office of Professional Development.

According to a Keep Greene Beautiful (KGB) news release, the conference is designed for:

• businesses and industries looking for ways to cut energy and waste costs;

• city and county officials anticipating changes to current environmental legislation; and

• anyone living or working in this region who is interested in preserving its beauty, and "keeping it a great place to live and work."

Topics will include environmental health and safety, waste reduction, recycling, economic and community development, solid waste solutions, watershed groups, common hazardous waste violations, industrial ergonomics, new environmental regulations, air quality, environmental laboratory tests and results, storm water and sedimentation runoff, homeland security and more.

Prominent Speakers

The luncheon keynote speaker on Wednesday will be Dr. Anthony DeLucia, a professor in the Department of Surgery in ETSU's James H. Quillen College of Medicine and an adjunct faculty member in the ETSU Department of Environmental Health.

DeLucia is president of the American Lung Association.

The luncheon keynote speaker on Thursday will be Besty Child, newly appointed commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

Another speaker will be Maj. Gen. Jerry D. Humble, director of the Tennessee Office of Homeland Security.

Humble’s talk on “Homeland Security: Present and Future” will come in a session at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 6.

A two-star general in the U.S. Marine Corps, Humble retired Jan. 1 after 33 years of active duty and was appointed to his new position by Gov. Phil Bredesen.

Program For Schools

On Thursday, a "Kids Day" program related to the conference will be held at First Presbyterian Church on Main Street.

The General Federation of Women's Clubs Eco Art, Ripley's Aquarium, 4-H Camp Explore, the Boys and Girls Club, "Ultimate Journey," and Walters State Community College Solar Car Presentation will provide activities emphasizing environmental issues.

Local city and county schools are being invited to attend the conference.

Many Sponsors

In addition to ETSU's Office of Professional Development and Keep Greene Beautiful, sponsors will include the state Department of Environment and Conservation; regional Keep America Beautiful Affiliates in Kingsport, Bristol, Washington County and Greeneville;

also, Eastman Chemical Co.; Nuclear Fuel Services; E. Roberts Alley and Associates; TVA; Southeast Recycling Technologies, Inc.; the city of Kingsport; Tennessee Institute for Economic Development/ETSU at Greeneville; HEPACO; Tysinger, Hampton & Partners; Johnson City Power Board;

also, MINCO, Inc.; Alltrista Zinc Products; Delfasco; Appalachian RC&D; Schreiber & Associates, BFI Waste Management; General Federation of Women's Clubs of Tennessee, District I; Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance; Kingsport Citizens for a Cleaner Environment;

also, Ozone Action Partnership; Holston River Watershed Alliance; Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee; Walters State Community College/Greene County Schools Gifted Project; and East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition.

Registration Fees

Registration fees are $75 for the complete two-day conference plus lunches.
The fee is $50 for one day only plus lunch, or $25 for luncheon with a keynote address on one day only.

College students with identification may attend at a fee of $25 per day.

For registration or more information, call the ETSU Office of Professional Development at (423) 439-8083 or 1-800-222-3878, or call Candy Adams, director of Keep Greene Beautiful, 638-4111.