HONOLULU, HI, December 1997--The
Council of State Governments (CSG) and the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) announced today that their highly
innovative and successful State Environmental Initiative is being
continued for another two years with up to $3 million of funding through
the United Sates-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP).
Launched in 1994, the State Environmental Initiative, awards grants
of up to $150,000 to states to promote the transfer of clean
technologies and environmental management practices and policies to
selected Asian economies. Through CSG's extensive contacts with state
government officials, the initiative enhances the capability of state
environmental protection, economic development, and international trade
agencies to assist private sector exports of environmental technologies
to Asia. According to Richard Sheppard, Acting Director of US-AEP, the
State Environmental Initiative also "draws on the strengths of our
federalist system in meeting the international, environment, and
development challenges. It encourages states and U.S. territories to see
the costs and benefits of their own involvement in overseas
development."
The State Environmental Initiative already has awarded $2.4 million
to 18 states to facilitate the transfer of U.S. environmental
technologies and services to nine Asian countries. The states have
leveraged more than $6 million in matching funds and in-kind services to
carry out their respective projects. These projects have focused on a
range of environmental issues, including pollution prevention,
development of solid waste management policies, and establishment of
training centers and exchange programs. "This partnership is a "win-win"
model program for all parties in that it promotes U.S. exports and
improves the Asian environment," said CSG's Executive Director Dan
Sprague.
The new agreement between CSG, headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky,
and US-AEP and USAID, will assist environmental projects through 2000.
CSG issued a call for proposals in October. Deadline for state
applications is February 16, 1998.
The United States-Asia Environmental Partnership, an interagency
program led by USAID, is a catalyst for practical public-private
initiatives to sustain development and protect the environment. US-AEP
seeks to foster a clean "revolution" in Asia to redress air, water, and
solid waste pollution problems as Asian countries vastly expand their
industrial capacities and infrastructure investments. US-AEP activities
are carried out in 10 key Asian economies through partnership approaches
that match Asian needs with U.S. technology, expertise, and experience.
