The third and final day of the Professional Abatement Contractors of New York (PACNY) 29th Annual Environmental Conference at the beautiful Turning Stone Resort Casino wrapped up another outstanding year of education, discussion, and industry networking. February 27, 2026, focused heavily on regulatory updates, owner expectations, compliance trends, and direct engagement with regulators — exactly the kind of practical information environmental professionals need to bring back to the field.
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| The Mohawk Room |
Throughout the day, attendees gathered in the Mohawk Room for presentations while the Oneida Room Vendor Exhibit Hall continued serving as the hub for coffee breaks, networking, and conversations with exhibitors. PACNY once again demonstrated why this conference remains one of the most valuable environmental industry events in New York State.
PACNY Leadership Opens the Day
The morning began with remarks from PACNY President Kevin Hutton and PACNY Vice President Russell Vent, who discussed the current state of PACNY, ongoing industry initiatives, and the organization’s continued role in supporting environmental professionals throughout New York State. Their comments reflected both the growth of the organization and the evolving challenges facing the asbestos, remediation, and environmental consulting industries.
"A Crystal Ball” Panel Brings Owner Perspectives Front and Center
One of the most engaging discussions of the day was the panel presentation titled:
“A Crystal Ball – What Owners and General Managers Want You To Know”
The session was moderated by Bridget Ruane of C&S Companies and featured panelists representing multiple perspectives within the construction and environmental industry:
- James Riscica of C&S Technical Services, representing general contractors
- Sean Dollaway of C&S Companies, representing construction managers
- Conor Osterman of SUNY Upstate Medical University, representing owners and clients
This panel generated substantial discussion because it addressed a growing frustration that many owners, construction managers, and contractors are experiencing regarding asbestos surveys and project design documents.
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| Bridget Ruane moderating "Crystal Ball" panel |
Several recurring themes emerged:
- Lack of sufficient detail in asbestos surveys
- Overreliance on asbestos presumptions in specifications and designs
- Disconnects between field conditions and design assumptions
- Challenges owners face when incomplete information results in costly change orders or project delays
- Difficulties contractors encounter when survey limitations are not clearly communicated upfront
The panelists emphasized that owners and construction managers are increasingly expecting consultants and designers to provide clearer documentation, more defensible assumptions, and practical project planning. It was an honest conversation that many attendees clearly related to based on the audience participation and follow-up discussions afterward.
OSHA Provides Regulatory and Enforcement Updates
Following a coffee break in the exhibit hall, Jeff Presbin from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) presented updates regarding OSHA standards and enforcement trends
The presentation focused heavily on:
- OSHA’s Top Ten Violations from 2025
- Enforcement trends involving asbestos work
- Common compliance failures seen during inspections
- Regulatory expectations for documentation and worker protection
For environmental contractors and consultants, these discussions are always valuable because they provide insight into where OSHA is placing emphasis during inspections and enforcement actions.
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| Jeff Presbin from OSHA |
Asbestos compliance continues to remain a significant area of concern, particularly involving respiratory protection, regulated areas, exposure assessments, competent person oversight, and proper work practices under the asbestos construction standard.
NYSDOL Roundtable Closes Out the Conference
The final presentation of the conference featured representatives from the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) Asbestos Control Bureau:
- Vincent Rapacciuolo, Deputy Director of Safety & Health
- Chek Beng Ng, Professional Engineer 2
- Jason Pensabene, Program Manager 2
As always, the NYSDOL session drew substantial attendance and participation because attendees had the opportunity to directly engage with regulators and ask real-world compliance questions.
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| Chek Beng Ng, Jason Pensabene, & Vincent Rapacciuolo, NYSDOL |
Expansion of the MPWR System
Vincent Rapacciuolo discussed the proposed expansion of the MPWR website platform, including increased electronic functionality involving:
- Notifications
- Payment of fines
- Opt-in electronic communications
- Asbestos license renewals
The overall direction is clear — NYSDOL continues moving toward expanded electronic communications and digital administration processes. For contractors, consultants, and building owners, staying current with these electronic systems will become increasingly important.
Variance Statistics and Processing Times
Chek Beng Ng provided updates regarding variance activity processed by the NYSDOL Engineering Services Unit (ESU) over the past year. The numbers were eye-opening:
- 1,759 total variances processed
- 120 statewide variances
- 121 school variances
- 380 emergency variances
- 1,130 site-specific variances
Average processing time was reported at approximately two weeks. These statistics highlight both the volume of asbestos-related work occurring throughout NYS and the continued importance of understanding the variance process under Industrial Code Rule 56.
New NYSDOL Fact Sheets
Jason Pensabene discussed several newly released NYSDOL fact sheets concerning asbestos survey requirements in NYS, with another guidance document currently in development. The fact sheets are all asbestos survey-related:
- Asbestos Survey Always Required - (Published based on a PACNY initiative)
- NYS Asbestos Survey Requirements - Municipalities
- NYS Asbestos Survey Requirements - Building Permit Applicants
- Expectations for Contents of Asbestos Surveys and Assessments (published after the conference in March)
These fact sheets are expected to provide additional clarification regarding survey expectations and compliance obligations — areas that continue to generate questions throughout the industry.
One of the Most Active Q&A Sessions in Recent Memory
The conference concluded with an extensive roundtable question-and-answer session that utilized a newer structured format designed to encourage broader audience participation. The result was one of the most active Q&A sessions many attendees could remember.
To their credit, the NYSDOL representatives remained engaged and attempted to address the large number of questions raised by attendees.
Some of the issues discussed included:
- Partial asbestos removal with encapsulated edges and flood cuts
- Interpretation of survey requirements
- Variance considerations
- Enforcement consistency
- Field compliance challenges
One particularly notable discussion involved bead blasting methods. NYSDOL representatives explained that refusals involving bead blasting are based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) documentation and agency experience indicating the equipment cannot be successfully used with water under those conditions.
These types of direct exchanges between regulators and industry professionals are one of the major reasons PACNY continues to provide such value to attendees year after year.
Final Thoughts
The 29th Annual PACNY Environmental Conference successfully returned to a three-day format and delivered another strong educational program covering technology, compliance, project design, exposure assessment, regulatory interpretation, and public health advocacy. From discussions on AI and robotics to owner expectations, OSHA enforcement, and NYSDOL compliance updates, the conference reflected an industry continuing to evolve while facing increasingly complex regulatory and operational challenges.
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| NYSDOL representatives at the Conference |
Perhaps most importantly, the conference once again reinforced the importance of communication between contractors, consultants, regulators, building owners, laboratories, and public health advocates. These conversations — even when difficult — are critical to improving worker protection, project quality, and regulatory compliance.
PACNY, its leadership, presenters, vendors, and attendees should be commended for putting together another outstanding conference. If this year’s event is any indication, the environmental industry in NYS continues to move forward through collaboration, education, and honest discussion about the challenges we all face in the field every day.
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