On April 6, Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui visited the Environmental Center for Livestock Waste Management (ECLWM) at the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST). The ECLWM was jointly established by US-AEP, NPUST, and a consortium of U.S. government, industry and academia. Dr. Shan-Da Liu, President of NPUST explained to President Lee that standards for handling livestock waste were constantly rising because of the rapid increase in numbers of livestock and accompanying environmental concerns. Livestock waste management has become a major environmental issue not just in Taiwan and the U.S., but worldwide.

President Lee, who received a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Cornell University, was interested to learn that the technology being developed at ECLWM is likely to be adopted throughout Asia and could be part of the next generation of livestock waste management procedures employed in the United States.

One of the objectives of the ECLWM is to establish a training center at NPUST where Asians could study the latest technologies for livestock waste management.

On March 27 through April 1, the ECLWM held its first workshop comprised of thirty-five governmental policy makers, pork raisers, and veterinarians from Malaysia and one from Vietnam. Dr. Ron Miner of Oregon State University, Dr. Alan Sutton from Purdue University, and Dr. Hsia Liang-Chou from NPUST conducted the one-week training course which demonstrated how old and new technologies may eliminate odors, improve air quality and yield useful by-products such as feed, fertilizer, and compost. These new processes greatly reduce the amount of water needed in handling livestock waste by providing recycled water and discharge water that can meet or surpass the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency�s standards.

The participants were impressed with the content and implementation of the workshop, and will continue to use ECLWM as a valuable resource in learning more about livestock waste management.

Funding for this workshop was made available from US-AEP Malaysia and the United States Department of Agriculture�s Foreign Agricultural Service. The workshop was administered by US-AEP�s Environmental Exchange Program.

On April 14, Peter Kimm, Executive Director of US-AEP presented an address on "Thailand�s Environmental Challenges" at a conference entitled, "The New Thailand: Assessing Political and Economic Change". This conference was co-hosted by the Asia Society, the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, the US-ASEAN Business Council, and the US-Thailand Business Council. Presenters included U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Richard Hecklinger, former U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, William Itoh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Skip Boyce, and Thailand�s Minister of Finance, Tarrin Nimmanahaeminda.

Peter Kimm spoke about the importance of public participation in environmental decision-making, the necessity for an appropriate legal, regulatory and enforcement mechanism for the environment, and the vital role played by the private sector.

Ambassador Hecklinger in his keynote address recognized and praised Peter Kimm and US-AEP. The Ambassador commended US-AEP�s effective work on air pollution with the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority and US-AEP�s interventions in the water and wastewater sectors. Ambassador Hecklinger remarked, "every day, somewhere in Thailand, US-AEP is working together with Thai and American partners to improve the environment."

US-AEP Korea was instrumental in the award of a $3.4 million contract for an ozone and biologically activated carbon plant to PCI-WEDECO Environmental Technologies Inc., of West Caldwell, New Jersey and Kolon Engineering & Construction of Seoul, Korea.

Pusan, the second largest city in Korea, is undertaking a project to construct a water treatment plant in Deok-san. PCI, partnered with Kolon Engineering, approached US-AEP Korea for assistance. US-AEP Korea spoke to the Supply Administration Republic of Korea on behalf of PCI and Kolon, in regard to the Deok-san plant�s procurement. Earlier, in 1997, US-AEP Korea had arranged through the Environmental Exchange Program for two Pusan City officials to visit a U.S. plant that was operating on PCI�s advanced treatment system.

[The Environmental Exchange Program is administered by the Institute for International Education.]

The 15^th meeting of the US-ASEAN Dialogue will take place May 24-25 in Kuala Lumpur. The agenda covers economic, trade and development issues, as well as political/security issues. Members of both the ASEAN and U.S. private sectors will participate in the meetings covering the economic agenda items.

US-AEP will take an active role in the inter-agency preparations for the dialogue and participate in the meetings. US-AEP plans to discuss environmental and sustainable development policy issues, and its participation in projects with the ASEAN Secretariat and member countries.

In appreciation of Chi-Sun Lee and Jennifer Huang.

Chi-Sun Lee, US-AEP Technology Representative in Korea, and Jennifer Huang, US-AEP Technology Representative in Taiwan, have made significant contributions to US-AEP. The following is a letter of appreciation from US-AEP Executive Director Peter Kimm highlighting their achievements.
https://www.usaep.org/download/documents/chisunlee.doc
https://www.usaep.org/download/documents/jennifer.doc

The US-AEP office in the Philippines has moved to the new American Business Center opened by the U.S. Embassy. The American Business Center will house the offices of the U.S. Commercial Service, US-AEP, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, and the U.S. Liaison Office to the Asian Development Bank.

The new address and contact information are:

The Commercial Service/US-AEP, American Embassy
25/F Ayala Life/FGU Center
6811 Ayala Avenue, Makati City 1226, Philippines
 

US-AEP Philippines Office of Technology Corporation:
Tel: 632-888-6604 Fax: 632-888-6093
US-AEP staff in the Office of the U.S. Commercial Liaison to the ADB:
Tel: 632-887-1345 Fax: 632-887-1164
 

US-AEP India/Calcutta Office of Technology Corporation:
The US-AEP Office of Technology Cooperation in Calcutta, India new address is:
US-AEP India/US&FCS, American Center
38-A Jawahar Lal Nehru Road,Calcutta, 700 071 India
Tel: 91-33-288-1209 Fax: 91-33-288-1207
 

US-AEP Korea Office of Technology Corporation:
Phone number change. Address, e-mail, and fax remain the same.
Je-Ha Yang, Deputy Director Tel: 82-2-397-4587
Mr. Jihan Kim, Commercial Assistant Tel: 82-2-397-4579

Farewell:

In this edition, US-AEP will have to say farewell to three talented individuals who made great strides for US-AEP.

David Wagner served as the first Country Director for US-AEP in Vietnam. David, in his short tenure can be credited with establishing the US-AEP Vietnam office in Hanoi. Through his leadership and vision, he was able to work with partners, Vietnamese Ministries, and other international organizations to make significant progress in campaigns such as phasing out leaded gasoline. David will be pursuing a position in the Foreign Service.

George Irvine has been with IIE, and the US-AEP Environmental Exchange Program, for more than three years. In his role of Project Manager, he managed projects large projects such as the ECLWM. He has always been a dedicated professional and team member, and consistently given the extra effort to ensure that the job was done right. George has joined the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise.