LADCO 2025 Annual Business Meeting

September 3-4, 2025 Rosemont, IL

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago O’Hare Airport 5460 North River Rd.  Rosemont, IL 60018 

Schedule and Meeting Links

Meeting Details

Attendee List

Day 1: Wednesday September 3 – LADCO Air Directors

Meeting Objectives and Agenda

• Understand the financial health of LADCO and review the plan for our technical work over the next year, and discuss if LADCO is well-positioned to meet the needs of our members 
• Discuss current and emerging state air program planning requirements with US EPA OAQPS and Region 5 leadership 
• Identify opportunities to work across states to meet ozone, PM_2.5, and regional haze planning goals 
• Develop strategy/priorities for LADCO to support state planning efforts for 2026 

Day 1 Agenda

Day 1 Agenda Details

EPA Presentations on Policy and Technical Updates 

• Presenters: Scott Mathias and Karen Wesson (EPA OAQPS)  
• NAAQS status and planning updates 
• Regional Haze program updates, including highlights of any new positions taken by EPA through regulatory actions 
• Status of actions to rescind or reverse national rules 
• Air monitoring program status and network funding updates 
• EPA OAQPS status and reorganization: when is this happening, what is happening, and what to expect for the states and regions 
• Modernization of EPA’s data systems 
• EPA regional and dispersion modeling program updates, including any plans by EPA to do national modeling studies 
• Emissions modeling platform plans and continuing work with the national emissions collaborative 
• Discussion on how to best communicate between EPA and states/regions under the current administration 

EPA Region 5 Status and Updates 

• Presenters: John Mooney and EPA R5 staff 
• Staffing updates 
• Challenges with continuity of services: which programs are at risk (e.g., AirNow or AQS) and how will communication be impacted 
• Discussion about regional priorities for permitting, attainment, and cooperative federalism 
• Enforcement discussion: how will OECA changes impact states and enforcement  

Air Quality and Emissions Trends in 2024-25 

• Presenters: Angie Dickens and Zac Adelman (LADCO) 
• Trends in air quality through August 2025 
• Design values and visibility metrics 
• 2025 ozone season deep dive 
• 2022v1 emissions modeling platform, industrial/EGU emissions, and fires 

PM2.5 Exceptional Event Demonstration and NAAQS Designation Updates 

• Open discussion with state and EPA participants 
• Review the status of PM2.5 exceptional event demonstrations and 2024 PM2.5 NAAQS NAA recommendations 

O3 NAAQS Attainment Planning Discussion 

• Facilitator: Zac Adelman 
• LADCO O3 technical support modeling and 2026 design values 
• Insights from recent field studies or research programs 
• Ozone planning timelines review 
• Ozone planning requirements with serious NAA status 
• NOx and VOC emissions and reduction strategies 
• Plans for ozone work @ LADCO for the coming year 

LADCO Board Meeting 

• Participants: LADCO Board and Executive Director 
• LADCO Director’s Update, FY25 year in review; looking forward to FY26 
• LADCO funding status and operating plans during funding uncertainty 
• Training program summary and plans 
• Open discussion between LADCO member state staff 
• Debrief on meeting discussions 
• Identify follow-up or action items 
• Develop priorities for LADCO and the TOC over the next year 

Day 2: Thursday September 4 – Technical Oversight Committee

Meeting Objectives and Agenda

• Define ozone planning objectives for attainment by 2033
• Plan LADCO technical work during 2026
• Define LADCO’s role in upcoming ozone, PM_2.5, and regional haze planning

Day 2 Agenda

Day 2 Agenda Details

Messages and Charges from the Air Directors Meeting

• Presenter: Zac Adelman
• Summary of key takeaways from the previous day’s Air Directors meeting
• Communication of directives and charges to the TOC from the ADs

Ozone NAAQS Attainment Planning: Pathways to Attainment by 2033

• Participants:  TOC and LADCO
• Review ozone planning schedule through the severe area attainment date in August 2033
• Review LADCO source apportionment modeling and technical analyses on ozone
• LADCO work to support attainment efforts
• Emissions control discussion
  • What are states doing for emissions controls? Are you writing regs? Anything beyond the federal requirements
  • Are there regional control strategies that are needed
• Are there federal enforcement efforts or emissions strategies that LADCO and/or members could request from the US EPA?
• Recommendations to the Air Directors

NOx and VOC Emissions Summary, and Control Scenario Review

• Presenter:  Zac Adelman
• Review NOx and VOC emissions trends through the 2022v2 platform
• Review the largest sources of NOx and VOC in the region, and in the ozone nonattainment areas
• Review emissions control technologies and strategies available for the largest emissions sources
• Coordination among the states on emissions control strategy development

PM2.5 NAAQS Attainment Planning

• Participants:  TOC and LADCO
• Review LADCO 2022v1 PM2.5 modeling and technical analyses
• Discussion on planning requirements for iSIPs and attainment demonstrations
• LADCO work to support SIP efforts
• Recommendations to the Air Directors

LADCO Workgroup Review and Priorities

• Participants:  TOC and LADCO
• Review the current lineup of LADCO technical workgroups, including work/deliverables over the past year
• Set goals and expectations for the coming year
• Suggest changes to the workgroup lineup, if needed
• Identify deliverables and timing of technical work by LADCO to support air quality planning in the states over the next 6-12 months

Regional Planning Strategy Session

• Participants: TOC and LADCO
• State discussion on challenges they’re facing with attainment and other related planning issues
• Open discussion/brainstorm on emissions reduction strategies
• Identify state by state and regional priorities for air quality planning
• Review key points from the O3 and PM NAAQS planning sessions and identify synergies and work priorities
• Discussion of current challenges with technical gaps, staffing, or communications, and identify potential solutions