US-AEP Executive Director Peter Kimm was a keynote speaker on March 31 at a conference in Durham, North Carolina, "Expanding Markets for Environmental Technologies: The Bottom Line." The event was organized by the World Trade Center North Carolina and the North Carolina Environmental Technologies Consortium. Its purpose was directly in alignment with US-AEP goals: to promote export of U.S. environmental technologies and services. The conference attracted 100 public and private sector attendees from around the region and highlighted the many opportunities and resources available to them.

This was an important conference for US-AEP for several reasons. North Carolina ranks 12th among all states in terms of revenue generated by the environmental sector and 17th in terms of environmental exports. However, only a handful of the state's environmental companies have taken advantage of US-AEP's export promotion tools. Kimm's keynote speech provided an opportunity to stress the availability of these resources. He also articulated for the audience a clear distinction between the role of the government and that of U.S. businesses: the government's role is to provide assistance in the form of information, tools, and contacts for exporters, while the private sector makes the ultimate business decisions and assumes the risk of the international marketplace.

USAID and US-AEP were at center stage throughout the conference. Highlights of the event included a keynote address given by Ambassador David L. Aaron, Under Secretary for International Trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), who promoted both DOC resources and US-AEP tools as valuable means to help U.S. companies enter the Asian market. In addition, the Asian Development Bank--an organization with which the US-AEP works closely--highlighted DOC and US-AEP resources during its presentations on how U.S. companies can secure loans and technical assistance grants from the bank. ADB presentations were given by Denny Barnes, Director of the Office of the U.S. Commercial Liaison to the ADB, and Todd Avery, US-AEP Commercial Environmental Specialist of the Multilateral Development Bank.

US-AEP was also represented at breakout sessions during the event. Charlie Kellett of the National Association of State Development Agencies (NASDA) led a session that focused on helping companies with the application process for US-AEP Environmental Technology Fund grants. Greg Hills, US-AEP Operations Manager, participated in a panel discussion, "Doing Business in Asia in Troubled Times," that offered guidance to U.S. companies exporting during Asia's financial crisis.

Under its agreement with US-AEP, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented a three-day training module on the principles and tools of public outreach to 30 key government and private sector public relations personnel. Attendees represented Thailand's Department of Environmental Quality Promotion, Pollution Control Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, Petroleum Authority of Thailand, and the municipalities of Chiang Mai, Nonthaburi, Rayong, Samutprakarn and Hat Yai. The course, conducted March 16-27 by EPA's Timothy O'Donovan, Dennis Wagner, and Mary Mears, included case studies on running municipal public relations campaigns. US-AEP/Thailand staff, Satit Sanongphan and Kitti Kumpeera, were on hand for translating assistance. Following the course, the EPA team and US-AEP representatives travelled to Hat Yai Municipality, where they conducted a second public outreach training course for 25 local administrative officers, media representatives, members of parliament, community leaders, NGOs, teachers, and district officers.

At the request of the Chemical Industry Association of the Philippines, US-AEP, through its Environmental Exchange Program, brought two U.S. experts to Manila, Philippines, to lead a workshop on Community Awareness and Emergency Response. Elizabeth Gonzalez and Saundra Gabbert from the Local Emergency Planning Committee of Pasadena, Texas, conducted the March 26-27 workshop and presented the U.S. perspective on chemical accident prevention, risk management, and inherent safety. Attending the event were the signatories to the Responsible Care� program that was initiated in the Philippines by US-AEP's Clean Technology and Environmental Management activity on voluntary business standards. As a result of the workshop and their ongoing commitment to Responsible Care�, attendees are developing a local Community Awareness and Emergency Response Code for adoption and implementation by their respective companies. The adoption of this code will be the first of six Codes of Management Practices that are recommended under the Responsible Care� program.

On March 19, the Maryland International Trade Association and the Maryland Environmental Business Alliance hosted a seminar on "International Opportunities in Water and Wastewater." The seminar focused on financing options tailored to the needs of small- and medium-sized water and wastewater businesses interested in exports. Meaghan Conte, Director of Environmental Programs at the National Asssociation of State Development Agencies (NASDA), who represented US-AEP, spoke on Asian market opportunities. Seminar panelists included Ben Movahed, Principal, Watek Engineering, a US-AEP Environmental Technology Fund grant recipient. In the spirit of partnership, the seminar also received support and sponsorship from the Office of International Business, Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development, United States Export Assistance Center, University of Maryland University College, and World Trade Center Institute.

Sundaresan Subramanian, US-AEP's Tech Rep in Chennai, India, has received the Meritorious Honor Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce. U.S. Ambassador Richard Celeste presented the award to Subi for his extraordinary efforts in organizing high-profile national events, including a December trade mission led by Department of Commerce Secretary William Daley.