Tuesday, March 27, 2007

U.S. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson Is In India

U.S. EPA Administrator Stephen L.Johnson is leading a U.S. delegation to India to meet with environmental officials on global environmental cooperation because the U.S. and India are important to the health of the global environment. Johnson will visit Mumbai, Hyderabad and New Delhi as he reviews existing U.S. –Indian collaboration. Johnson will address a gathering of public and private sector leaders on collaborative air quality initiatives and new technologies for reducing emissions in the transport and industrial sectors. In the near future EPA, in collaboration with Pune Municipal Corporation and California Air Resources Board, will initiate a diesel bus retrofit project in Pune City.

Johnson will also visit the King Edward Memorial Hospital to highlight ongoing efforts to establish a partnership between New York City and Mumbai on strategies to address childhood asthma in urban mega-cities. Johnson will meet with state officials in Hyderabad before participating in a seminar on green building and climate programs in India. Johnson will conclude his time in Andhra Pradesh with a visit to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board to discuss the challenges of providing clean and safe water in urban environments.

In New Dehli, Johnson and India's Minister of Environment and Forests A. Raja, will renew a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on environmental cooperation between the EPA and theIndian Ministry of Environment and Forests. The MOU, which is renewedevery five years, focuses on management of air and water quality and toxic chemicals and waste, along with environmental leadership. Johnson will conclude his visit to India by discussing EPA's methane gas recovery and mercury programs with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and he will also meet with government officials from the Planning Commission and Ministry of Science and Technology on a venues of collaboration to strengthen environmental protection.

2002 Memorandum Of Understanding on environmental cooperation betweenEPA and the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forest: http://epa.gov/oia/regions/Asia/india/mou.html Background information on the environment track of the economic dialogue between the United States and India: http://www.epa.gov/international/regions/Asia/india/2006_ied.htm

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