Clearing the Air

The annual Clearing the Air, held every spring, keeps members informed on urgent air regulatory issues with MMA and the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan bringing together leading professionals from government, industry, advocacy groups and the legal profession. The sold-out 2024 event was held April 9, 2024, in Lansing.

2024 Highlights

Douglas Aburano

Manager, Air Programs Branch, U.S. EPA Region 5
Doug joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1991 as an Environmental Engineer and has spent the majority of his time working with states in Region 5 on implementing Title I of the Clean Air Act with a particular emphasis on meeting ozone and particulate matter standards. In his current role managing the Air Programs Branch, he is responsible for overseeing the attainment planning, permits, mobile sources, grants and tribal relations activities.

Evan Belser

Policy Strategist and Managing Counsel, Ford Motor Company
Evan is a Policy Strategist and Managing Counsel in Ford’s Office of General Counsel. In this role he leads legal and policy matters concerning vehicle emissions and fuel economy standards, zero-emission vehicle goals, energy storage and the potential for vehicle-to-grid, federal tax incentives for electric vehicles, critical minerals supply chain and battery recycling, and other environmental, social and governance priorities for Ford. Before Ford, among other roles, Evan was an official with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Heather Grondin

Chief Relations Officer, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority
Heather has 20 years of experience, specializing in strategic planning, communications and engagement. As part of diverse public-sector teams working on high-profile projects and portfolios, Heather’s consistent goal has been to build meaningful relationships based on trust, openness and understanding. Holding the executive position of Chief Relations Officer at Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) since 2015, Heather leads an integrated team of professionals who inform, inspire and interact with others in support of WDBA and the Gordie Howe International Bridge project.

Brian Leahy

Senior Meteorologist, Barr Engineering Company
Brian is a Senior Meteorologist with Barr Engineering Company in Grand Rapids. He has over 30 years of experience as an environmental consultant providing air quality permitting, modeling and regulatory compliance support to Michigan-based clients in the manufacturing, power, refining, and mining sectors. He has conducted hundreds of air dispersion modeling studies across a broad range of regulatory areas, including PSD and minor source permit applications, state air toxic policies, enforcement and litigation, odor response and accidental releases under Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act. He is an active participant in air quality issues in Michigan, having served on numerous committees including the MMA committee that negotiated improvements to EGLE’s Dispersion Modeling Guidance for Federally Regulated Pollutants.

Craig Johnson

Energy Market Executive, NTH Consultants Ltd.
With nearly 25 years of experience in regulatory compliance, engineering and enterprise-wide operations leadership, Craig works with a knowledgeable team of infrastructure and environmental experts to help their clients ensure safe, reliable and affordable energy. He has gained invaluable experience in the Energy Market, holding numerous utility engineering and operations manager and director roles, including overall leadership of coalfired generation facility. Craig has also worked work with and led all aspects of natural gas and electric distribution operations, including development of utility scale, community and customer-hosted solar projects. He currently assists clients in the Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS), Renewable Fuels, Wind/Solar, Oil & Gas, Generations Services and Transmission and Distribution areas.

Annette Switzer

Director, Air Quality Division, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
Annette led AQD’s Permit Section for seven years prior to being named Director in early 2023. As Section Manger, she improved public participation by pioneering innovative enhancements to the engagement process and creating the map by which all AQD program areas engage with the public. She also was heavily involved in an air permit lean process improvement that streamlined air permitting in Michigan. Annette began her civil service career as an air permit engineer where she used her education to work on the most complicated air permit applications.

2024 Sponsors

2023 Event Sponsors

Event Opportunities

Support manufacturing growth and innovation with sponsorship and engagement opportunities available throughout the year. Develop a comprehensive plan to build your brand, solidify your image and increase your engagement with Michigan manufacturers. Work with MMA’s team to build a package with multiple event sponsorship, thought leadership and advertising opportunities available. Contact MMA’s Ashley Wakefield to build your brand strategy.