6:00pm: Social Hour and Special Talk Featuring Mark Plunkett, Seattle Aquarium Curator
With optional tour of the Aquarium Cafe Solar Hot Water System at 6:30 pm!
7:00pm: Dinner
8:00pm: Bob Duffner, Water Resources Manager at Seattle-Tacoma Airport
Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way
Presentation Abstracts & Speaker Bios
Mark D. Plunkett
"Climate Change and Ocean Acidification Impacts on PNW Marine Life".
Mark Plunkett joined the Aquarium education team in 1985 to help develop the “State of the Sound” exhibit. He has been active over the past 24 years in integrating conservation into Aquarium classes, teacher workshops, exhibits and statewide partnerships.
He received the Seattle Parks 1993 Employee of Excellence award for “Environmental Concern” and the 2003 Seattle Works “Visionary” award for his 13-year effort to create 150 acres of marine reserves on Seattle beaches. In 2003 Mark was promoted to Aquarium Conservation Curator to expand our mission throughout the facility.
He holds an M.S. in Biology/Marine Ecology from Western Washington University and a B.S. in Biology from Seattle Pacific University. Mark lives in Bellevue with his wife where he enjoys raising Natty and Kristopher to become the next generation of conservationists.
Bob Duffner
The Seattle Tacoma International Airport has competed a major capital improvement phase which include construction of the Third Runway and other supporting facilities. Permits for these improvements included requirements to provide stormwater treatment and detention for the new facilities as well as to retrofit all other Airport surfaces.
In addition, the Airport was issued a comprehensive NPDES permit containing extensive discharge monitoring requirements as well as stringent water quality effluent limitations. In response, the Port implemented a Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program at a cost of approximately $80 million. Under this program, The Port constructed 11 detention facilities and extensive water quality treatment BMPs that serve over 1,200 acres. Subsequent discharge monitoring has demonstrated consistent compliance with water quality effluent limitations. Most recently, the Airport has developed a number of low impact BMPs designed to further improve water quality and reduce maintenance costs.
Bob Duffner is a Professional Engineer with over 25 years experience in the environmental field. Mr. Duffer has a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Biology as well as a Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering. Mr. Duffner currently is the Water Resources Manager for the Port of Seattle’s Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Mr. Duffner has served as Water Resources Manager for the Port of Seattle since May of 2002. As Water Resources Manager, Mr. Duffner is responsible for overall coordination and management of Airport compliance activities associated with state permits under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) including those regulating stormwater, industrial wastewater, and erosion and sediment control. Mr. Duffner coordinates with the Airport’s Infrastructure Group and Project Management Group to ensure that stormwater and wastewater facilities at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are adequate for current and future development needs.
Mr. Duffner also represents the Port in Basin Planning efforts associated with the Airport. Prior to serving the Port of Seattle, Mr. Duffner provided environmental management and engineering services for 18 years. Mr. Duffner has provided technical consulting services in a variety of environmental areas including those regulated under the state and federal NPDES programs, the federal SUPERFUND program, OPA, and Ecology’s MTCA. Mr. Duffner has provided these services to both to private and public agencies including the USEPA Region 10, Washington State Department of Ecology, and Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality.