Travel Reimbursement
**EE2020 has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Please see the official announcement. If you have already made travel plans, please take steps to cancel your arrangements.
For State Agencies: The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) has funding to reimburse travel expenses for up to two employees from each state and territorial environmental agency. For complete details on allowable expenses, please see below. Each state or territorial environmental agency is ultimately responsible for determining which two employees will apply for reimbursement. Prior to registration, individuals should coordinate with the appropriate managers/agency heads so that the agency can determine attendance and coordinate reimbursement requests. During the registration process, anyone registering as a state or territorial attendee will be asked to indicate an intent to request travel expense reimbursement. ECOS will be notified of the request upon registration. For more information please contact Connor MacCartney at ECOS.
For Tribal Agencies: The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) will provide a limited number of travel scholarships to eligible individuals representing Federally recognized Tribes and/or eligible Tribal organizations. Support for airfare, mileage, lodging, and per diem is available. Funding will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to request a scholarship, please contact ITEP’s Lydia Scheer.
For EPA Employees: U.S. EPA employees that will be on official travel to attend EE2020 must include the following meeting-specific Project Code in the Site Project Box on the Line of Accounting of your travel authorization: MM17BE01. This will allow for tracking and reporting of EPA staff attendance and travel costs for EE2020, per Agency requirements.
All EE2020 attendees must make their own travel arrangements. See the Venue page for more details on the meeting hotel and how to get there.
ALLOWABLE state Travel EXPENSES
To be eligible for travel expense reimbursement from ECOS, state environmental agency employees must indicate that they intend to request reimbursement during the EE2020 registration process. Please carefully review the ECOS Travel Policies and Guidelines for complete details on expenses that are allowable for reimbursement. Reimbursable state travel expenses include:
Air or rail transportation to the meeting in Coach Class. If your round trip airfare will exceed $500, you must request and receive written pre-approval from ECOS prior to purchase or your airfare reimbursement will be capped at $500. Contact Connor MacCartney for pre-approval.
Privately owned vehicle (POV) mileage of $0.58 per mile and tolls only when round trip mileage is 500 miles or less. Requests for reimbursement for trips that exceed 500 round trip miles must be pre-approved by ECOS. Contact Connor MacCartney for pre-approval.
Airport, train station, or hotel parking.
Ground transportation (e.g., subway, shuttle, bus, taxi, rideshare) to and from originating airport or train station.
Ground transportation (e.g., subway, shuttle, bus, taxi, rideshare) between the hotel and either Chicago O’Hare (ORD) or Midway (MDW) Airports.
Lodging of $218 + tax per night for the nights of May 11, 12, and 13, 2020, only. Additional nights required to accommodate travel from outside the continental United States must be pre-approved by ECOS in advance. Contact Connor MacCartney for pre-approval.
Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) equivalent to the FY2020 GSA Federal per diem (less costs for breakfast, which will be provided each day.) In accordance with GSA guidance, ECOS will reimburse 75% of M&IE on the first and last days of travel.
The following expenses are not eligible for reimbursement:
Round trip air or train fare in excess of $500 without pre-approval from ECOS.
Sleeping room charges in excess of $218 + tax for three nights (e.g., room upgrades, reservations made after the cut-off date, rooms at other Chicago-area hotels, or additional nights not pre-approved by ECOS).
Internet access fees.
Travel insurance.
Rental car in lieu of less expensive transportation and without pre-approval from ECOS.
Premium air or rail seat fees.
Early check-in fees or fees for pre-paid seat assignment.
Checked baggage fees for more than 1 checked bag.
Breakfast on May 11, 12, and 13, 2020.
FILING FOR REIMBURSEMENT
Complete instructions for filing for expense reimbursement will be available at a later date.
