A two-day discussion of business, environment and urban areas will feature Mary Nichols, assistant administrator for air and radiation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), speaking Friday, April 18, at 10 a.m. in 253 Malott Hall, Cornell University.

The daughter of former Ithaca Mayor Ben Nichols, she will speak on current issues and directions for the EPA. The lecture is free and open to the public. A buffet luncheon and informal case-study discussion will follow in the afternoon.

Nichols is the sixth speaker in a semesterlong series, "Industrial Ecology: Connecting Business and the Environment." The series, which began in February and continues through early May, is co-sponsored by Cornell's Johnson Graduate School of Management, Center for the Environment, Work and Environment Initiative, and Department of City and Regional Planning.

The two-day discussion resumes Saturday, April 19, at 8:30 a.m. in Malott Hall's Collyer Room with a focus on air pollution and other urban problems that are rooted in patterns of land use and urban development. Anchored by speakers from Cornell and New York City, roundtable discussions will explore options for cooperation among federal agencies, states and local communities.

For further information on Mary Nichols' presentation, contact Tad McGalliard, Cornell Center for the Environment, (607) 255-5089. Information on the Saturday sessions is available from Thomas Vietorisz, city and regional planning, (607) 255-6681.