Responding to a request for technical assistance, US-AEP sent James J. Morgestor, Compliance Division Chief of the California Air Resources Board, to Bangkok, Thailand, in early March 1997, to aid in drafting regulations for vapor recovery systems at refueling stations. The exchange was arranged through US-AEP s Environmental Exchange Program in cooperation with US-AEP s California Environmental Partnership program and the Kenan Institute. Timing was critical for this assignment. The City of Bangkok passed a resolution last year to have all regulations in place by March 31, 1997. As a result of this exchange, the City of Bangkok is requesting to purchase Stage 1 gasoline pump nozzles for the entire city. Tim Ogburn, Program Manager of the California Environmental Partnership, is in the process of obtaining the technical requirements for the equipment to forward to California manufacturers.

PRC Environmental (Chicago, Illinois), together with an Australian firm, was awarded a $400,000 Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded technical assistance contract to assist the Philippine government s Environmental Management Bureau to improve environmental standards for three industry subsectors: food processing, cement, and power. The consultants will also advise the government on ways to shift the implementation of environmental standards from traditional command and control measures to more innovative economic and financial tools, such as market-based incentives, to encourage pollution prevention and clean technology. US-AEP's Commercial Environmental Specialist for the ADB, Lisa Kircher Lumbao, counseled PRC staff for the past year on ADB project opportunities and provided the firm with project updates and papers. US-AEP has also initiated discussions with the ADB and Philippine government regarding future assistance to this project, such as training on clean technology in the food processing sector through US-AEP s Environmental Exchange Program.

In December 1996, Belco Corporation (Parsippany, New Jersey) was awarded a contract worth $2,500,000 for the installation of its Air Pollution Control System in the Taejon Municipal Incineration Plant in Korea. The agreement was made between Belco and Korea Speco, sub- contractor of the Daewoo/Hanjin consortium responsible for supplying the basic design of the incineration plant. The deal resulted, in part, from a 1995 US-AEP Environmental Exchange that brought Taejon City officials and Daewoo representatives to New Jersey to inspect operational incineration plants installed by Belco. After the U.S. visit, Taejon City conducted a one-year technology evaluation. During that time, US-AEP/Korea supported Belco's bid by promoting the company s technical background and the cost-effectiveness of its technology to Taejon City officials. Installation the Air Pollution Control System is to be completed by December 1997. Belco expects to sell additional units to be used at the same location, and to enter the incineration markets in cities such as Kwacheon and Yongin. Belco, a manufacturer of wide range of environmental technologies, also supplied the wastewater treatment system for a thermal power plant at Sam Cheon Po, Korea, in 1987.

Concepts Asia, Inc., a California manufacturer, was awarded a US-AEP Environmental Technology Fund grant to demonstrate and market its water purification technology to potential distributors in Asia. Sponsored by the California Department of Commerce, Concept Asia set out in November 1996 to demonstrate the performance features of its BACFREE Water Station in Indonesia and to obtain local government certification of the Water Station disinfecting capability. US-AEP/Indonesia played a key role in identifying a local distributor for this technology. A broadcast fax was sent to over 300 local government and business groups, and demonstrations were arranged with the respondents. Based on these meetings, Concept Asia appointed PT . Globindo Nusasarana as sole agent. To date, thirteen Water Stations totaling $174,000 have been sold. Concept Asia will continue to visit Indonesia over the next two years. It expects to have 500 Water Stations in full operation by the end of 1997. According to Tony Laremore , President and CEO of Concept Asia, similar marketing efforts are expected to begin in Malaysia this month. We are hopeful that we will continue to receive the same type of excellent assistance from US-AEP offices throughout Asia that we have received from US-AEP in Jakarta in the demonstration and promotion of our products and technology, Laremore said. The Environmental Technology Fund is implemented by the National Association of State Development Agencies ( NASDA ).

Asia s commitment to the development of Environmental Professional Associations continues to grow. For the Air and Waste Management Association (A&WMA), potential members of a Philippines chapter met March 10, 1997, with the association s International Program Manager, Mike Roy, to discuss the creation of a local section. In Korea, Mike joined twenty-six A&WMA members who met for the first time March 13 to elect officials. The Water Environment Federation is witnessing similar enthusiasm. In a recent visit to India, Marsha Shutty, Manger of International Development, assisted the Indian Environmental Association, WEF s sister organization, in establishing local chapters in Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi.

The US-AEP/IRG Technical Support Staff gave a fond and sad farewell to Douglass Lea recently upon his leaving the program to carry out writing assignments and engagements in the environ-mental field. Doug has written a number of books and articles on land-use and management of urban and rural landscapes, and he assures us he will be returning to these subjects with new twists and insights gained from lessons learned with US-AEP. Doug was responsible for the US-AEP annual report for 1995 and for the forthcoming issue. We shall miss his broad engage-ment in the environmental and intellectual world that enriched the US-AEP during his tenure.