Spencer Fane was honored to return to the annual Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference (MECC) on September 15-16 in Overland Park, Kansas, with attorneys Jessica Merrigan, Paul Jacobson, Jim Price, and Andrew Brought speaking at seven different sessions across the event.
Hosted by state business, environmental, and manufacturing associations and attended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state agencies, MECC offers extensive thought leadership in areas such as environmental compliance, permitting, and enforcement. Its programming highlights key challenges and regulations that impact Midwestern facilities and institutions. Spencer Fane supported the 2025 event as a Gold Sponsor.
On Day 1, Jessie was a panelist for the event’s opening session, The Year in Review, a fast-paced overview of the latest policies, legal decisions, executive orders, administrative changes, reconsiderations, and more. She later co-led the Status of Coal Combustion Residuals in Region 7 session. Paul moderated the Emergency Response: New Trends and Trusted Techniques for Facility Emergency Preparations panel, and Jim moderated two sessions centered on PFAS – one on stack testing and one on destruction technology.
On the second day of the conference, Jessie introduced the day’s agenda and keynote speaker, Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Jim Macy. Later, Drew served on the Ace Your OSHA Inspection Like a Pro panel. The session equipped environmental professionals with strategies to confidently handle OSHA inspections while protecting their organizations. Drew also participated on the closing panel, providing the Compliance and Enforcement Update with key regional regulators.
At Spencer Fane, Jessie, Paul, Jim, and Drew provide in-demand legal services as members of the Environment and Energy Law Practice Group. The team harnesses deep experience to help clients identify and resolve acute environmental challenges such regulatory enforcement actions and litigation while also providing guidance that helps reduce business risks.