Boston, MA – March 19, 2007 – Wentworth Institute of Technology will host the Toxics Action Center’s 2007 Annual Conference on Saturday, March 24, marking the fourth consecutive year that the institute will be hosting this event. The conference provides approximately 300 community activists access to technical and regulatory information in an effort to help them be effective advocates for environmentally safe and sustainable communities. Over 36 workshops across a variety of topics that range from diesel, water, energy, and hazardous waste to business and management related activities of fundraising, advocacy, campaigning, and media relations will be presented and discussed.

Providing the keynote address will be Lois Gibbs, a nationally renowned environmental advocate and the founder and executive director of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice in Washington. In addition, Ms. Gibbs is the founder of the Love Canal Homeowner's Association, an organization that has assisted over 10,000 nationwide grassroots groups with organizing and technical assistance. Also, Dan Cantor, executive director of New York’s Working Families Party, will be a guest speaker, and Jack Duggan, an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Wentworth and the Colleges of the Fenway Environmental Science Programs Coordinator, will be presenting on the topic of urban fill material and soil.

In addition to the workshops and speaker addresses, citizen awards will be announced at the day-long conference that runs from 8:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. More information about the conference can be accessed at http://www.toxicsaction.org/.

The Toxics Action Center has helped more than 525 New England neighborhood groups fight toxic pollution in their communities since its founding in 1987, and focuses on a wide range of issues, including landfill and incinerator citing, control of pesticides, and pressuring companies to reduce their toxic chemical use. The organization provides information to neighborhood groups about the contamination in their areas, recycling, and cleaning up hazardous waste sites, as well as publishes fact sheets and reference books.

Wentworth Institute of Technology
Founded in 1904, Wentworth Institute of Technology is an independent, co-educational nationally ranked institution offering career-focused education through 15 bachelor degree programs in areas such as architecture, computer science, construction management, design, engineering, engineering technology, and management of technology. For over a century, Wentworth Institute of Technology has been a leader in technical education known for its academic excellence, community service, and support for the economic growth of the region. For more information please visit www.wit.edu.