Business & The Environment is a collaborative initiative presented by the Northwest Environmental Business Council (NEBC), the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology)—bringing together public and private sector leadership.
2026 Keynote Speakers
Policy Update: A Business Perspective
As Oregon and Washington prepare for the 2027 legislative sessions, what policy issues are most important to Northwest businesses—and what changes could affect employers, investment, and economic growth?
Join leaders from Oregon Business & Industry and the Association of Washington Business for a timely conversation about the policy and regulatory landscape in both states. The discussion will explore emerging legislative priorities, environmental and regulatory policy, economic competitiveness, and the issues the business community will be watching in the year ahead.
Accelerating Cleanup at Complex Sites: Environmental Response Trusts, Financial Stewardship, and Asset Management
Complex environmental cleanup projects often face challenges that extend beyond remediation, including funding constraints, fragmented responsibilities, property management issues, and long-term stewardship obligations. Environmental Response Trusts (ERTs) offer one approach to address these challenges by establishing dedicated structures to manage cleanup implementation, financial resources, and property disposition. When appropriately structured, ERTs can provide continuity, accountability, and the flexibility needed to advance remediation and support productive reuse.
Drawing on experience from major PFC-led ERTs across the U.S., PFC will examine how these structures operate in practice, with particular emphasis on financial stewardship and asset management. Case studies will highlight the Coeur d’Alene Trust’s investment strategy for managing funds with different purposes and time horizons at the Bunker Hill Superfund Site, the identification and marketing of nonfinancial assets by the Texas Custodial Trust at the former ASARCO El Paso smelter site, the use of real estate value in conjunction with environmental liability transfer at the former Mississippi Phosphates Site, and the implementation of environmental remedies in conjunction with regulatory agencies. Together, these examples will illustrate how thoughtful management of financial and physical assets can help fund cleanup, maintain implementation momentum, and create opportunities for long-term site reuse.