Fischer Compliance Presents at AC26 Conference & Expo
Team members from Fischer Compliance will be attending and speaking at the AC26 Conference and Expo in Sacramento, CA. The conference runs from April 7-10, 2026. Presentations are listed below (descriptions from the AC26 Conference and Expo website).
This year’s conference theme is “Power of the Community” and features educational presentations, industry networking events, and expo.
Speakers
Jim Fischer P.E.
Principal,
Fischer Compliance
Rich Cunningham
Managing Partner, Fischer Compliance
RC Sewer
Tamarin Austin, JD
Principal,
Austin Clean Water Advisors, Inc.
Chris Ewers, BA, BS, PE
Water Quality Consultant,
Ewers Engineering
Presentations
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Presented by:
Jim Fischer, P.E. (lead), Tamarin Austin, JD, and Brandi Outwin, P.E.
Presentation Description:
Are you a seasoned or new Collection System Supervisor, Manager, or Field Operator striving to improve effectiveness of your field operator training program to meet and exceed the demands of the WDR? If so, you’ll certainly want to attend this informative session with updated best practice tips for operators to help avoid violations, enforcement, and negative attention.
Attendees will not only walk away with updated tips for success but also a training curriculum covering all applicable WDR requirements which can be configured into any established agency monthly Operator trainings!
Learning Objectives
Participants will improve knowledge of required Operator field data collection efforts for field staff.
- Participants will gain valuable insights for addressing all agency required Operator training requirements.
- Participants will gain best practices for Operator in avoiding common WDR training violations.
- Participants will improve knowledge of required Operator field data collection efforts for field staff.
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Presented by:
Jim Fischer, P.E. (lead), Rich Cunningham, Chris Ewers, BA, BS, PE (he/him/his)
Presentation Description:
Imagine yourself in the shoes of a relatively new Plant Manager experiencing an unplanned utility power shutoff which caused a major discharge of untreated wastewater in violation of the facility permit. What existing procedures should be in place and deployed for effectively responding, mitigating, documenting, and reporting this violation to Regional Board staff? What compliance points and strategic information should be included in the notification transmittal to help reduce enforcement risks?
Whether you are a seasoned or new Plant Manager, Supervisor, or Operator, you’ll not want to miss this interactive session with realistic inspection/settlement communication exercises by seasoned retired Water Board professionals for being more prepared, informed, and successful in responding to an incident like this including tips for being ready for Compliance Evaluation Inspections (CEIs).
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Presented by:
Jim Fischer, P.E. (lead), Rich Cunningham
Presentation Description:
Has your agency experienced a recent water quality permit violation? Are you interested in hearing directly from other agency managers who have experienced enforcement? Are you interested in being proactive and learning more about the enforcement process to help you prepare for addressing a future potential violation? If so, you’ll not want to miss this exciting and engaging session with an experienced team providing key insights for helping managers understand the enforcement process and better positioning their agencies to developing sound internal strategies to be proactive and successfully navigating an enforcement action by the Water Boards.
With the State Water Board Office of Enforcement Attorneys and Regional Board staff working diligently to address ongoing water violations across the State, this session has been strategically designed to offer ways to turn enforcement into opportunity, including:
With the State Water Board Office of Enforcement Attorneys and Regional Board staff working diligently to address ongoing water violations across the State, this session has been strategically designed to offer ways to turn enforcement into opportunity, including:
- Real-time Agency Enforcement Risk Survey.
- Strategies for showcasing agency compliance efforts.
- Strategies on avoiding common violations, addressing historic violations, developing key communications, reducing ancillary risks, and keeping Water Board investigators satisfied.
- Valuable insights on the California Water Quality Enforcement Policy including case studies.
- Strategies for enhancing collaborative opportunities to help reduce Water Board oversight and burden to improve outcomes.
- Enforcement Negotiation Team Best Practices:
- Managing overlapping agency inquiries, including from other state jurisdictional agencies and local agencies, early to streamline enforcement priorities.
- Strategies on steering your team to the regional board and mitigating potential enforcement decisions.
- Support agency primacy
- Negotiate strong Enforcement Policy Factors and provide potential Enforcement Order recommended language
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will gain valuable insights about your potential agency enforcement posture in advance.
- Participants will gain best practice suggestions on tested enforcement response strategies from experienced experts including agency managers with first-hand experience with Water Board compliance inspections, investigations, and negotiating enforcement actions.
- Participants will be more prepared with realistic settlement negotiations to address past violations.