During the October WEFTEC conference in Chicago, former US-AEP Director for Environmental Infrastructure Peter Gourlay brought together representatives from US-AEP and clients from Gourlay's new undertaking with CNA/Schinnerer. A select group of CNA's engineering clients and prospects met with US-AEP Tech Reps from Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka, who provided insight into their respective countries and networked with some of the major U.S. project designers, builders, and developers in Asia. Participating firms included Fluor Daniel, Black & Veatch, Sverdrup, CH2MHill, Harza, Parsons Brinkerhoff, Greeley & Hanson, Pate Engineers, EA Engineering, Montgomery Watson, and Raytheon. This meeting is expected to lead to long-term business relationships between US-AEP and CNA/Schinnerer clients.

Through a US-AEP Environmental Business Exchange, U.S. companies Doucet & Mainka (Peekskill, New York) and CGH Environmental Strategies, Inc. (Burlington, Vermont) presented medical waste management and disposal strategies at a September 23-October 3 conference in Mumbai, India. Developed in response to government legislation on waste disposal and management that will soon be enacted, the conference was sponsored by the All-India Institute of Local Self Government and attracted 200 participants from Indian municipal corporations, hospital administrators, pollution control boards, and NGOs. As a result of the exchange, Doucet & Mainka will be providing quotes for several medical waste incinerators through joint venture partner IAEC Industries. CGH has been invited to provide training to the All-India Institute, which is charged with training municipal officials for solid waste management. CGH is also negotiating training contracts with the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and the Indian Nurses Association. In addition, Dinaz Noble from US-AEP's office in Mumbai, is working with CGH to recruit appropriate U.S. businesses for a 1998 conference entitled "Greening the Hospital Supply Chain." US-AEP's Environmental Exchange Program is implemented by the Institute of International Education.

Thirty-five prominent members of the Philippine environmental business community visited the state of Maryland, October 16-17, to explore options in water treatment. The mission, coordinated by Alma Madrazo (US-AEP Tech Rep/Philippines), National Association of State Development Agencies (NASDA), and Maryland, included a visit to Water Environment Federation headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, and tours of four Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) sites--water treatment, wastewater treatment, commercial scale composting, and headquarters (where they viewed a state-of-the-art remote plant operations computer system). In addition, the Maryland Office of International Business and the Maryland Environmental Business Alliance sponsored a seminar and reception for the delegation, attended by representatives from several Maryland environmental firms. This event enabled the Maryland companies to gain expert insight into the Philippine environmental market. The Philippine delegation's visit was made possible through US-AEP's Overseas Program Fund, managed by NASDA.

Dena Weissbach, US-AEP/Malaysia Tech Rep, has been at the forefront of the air pollution crisis in Southeast Asia since early September, arranging for independent air quality testing and working with Malaysia's Department of Environment (DOE) to identify sources and types of U.S. assistance. By providing logistical help as well as access to facilities and data, US-AEP/Malaysia is currently supporting two related missions: a joint U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army air quality monitoring mission and a National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) mission. The EPA/Army mission will continue until November 18, during which the team will "fingerprint" the forest fire smoke from Sumatra by documenting the change in smoke composition as it migrates into peninsular Malaysia and finally mixes with local pollutants in Kuala Lumpur. The mission will provide Malaysia's DOE with a written report, through which the DOE hopes to advance new air quality standards and regulations.

NOAA and the SCRIPPS Institute of Oceanography are sending a two-person team to study the effects on El Ni�o on Indonesia's forest fires and the resultant air pollution. Using predictive computer modeling, the team will work with Malaysia's Meteorological Services, Ministry of Science, Technology & Environment, and the Center for Remote Sensing to assist the government of Malaysia in identifying when the threat of transboundary air pollution will be lifted. US-AEP/Malaysia will continue to coordinate activities through completion of both missions.

Sarath Kumar Menon, Singapore Tech Rep, who left US-AEP November 7 to join the private sector. Sarath has been with the Tech Rep program since its inception in 1993 and facilitated more than $7 million in environmental technology transactions during his tenure. As Jonathan Bensky, Senior Commercial Officer, stated, "Sarath has helped develop US-AEP Singapore and US-AEP in general into the organizations they are today." Peter Gourlay, former US-AEP Director for Environmental Infrastructure, echoes this message: "Few people have affected the productivity of US-AEP more than Sarath... his opinions and candor have been a driving force for the program's credibility. Those at US-AEP will mark his departure with sadness... but Sarath's skills in the private sector will bring forth an increased understanding between the U.S. and Singapore and the rest of Asia."