EPA ADMINISTRATOR VISIT TO HYDERABAD PROMOTES COOPERATION

UNCLAS CHENNAI 000261 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ENRG OVIP IN SUBJECT: EPA ADMINISTRATOR VISIT TO HYDERABAD PROMOTES COOPERATION ON ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ¶1. The Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Stephen L. Johnson visited Hyderabad on March 30 - 31 to promote U.S.-India cooperation on environmental protection and sustainable economic development. The Administrator met with government officials, business leaders, and academics and emphasized the importance of innovative technology and collaboration with industry to further India and the United States' clean development goals. ¶2. The Administrator met with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YSR Reddy, along with the state's Secretary for the Environment Janaki Kondapi. The Administrator commended the Chief Minister for his progressive approach to environmental protection. The Chief Minister said that the state was working hard to restore its lakes and to address industrial pollution. Secretary Kondapi expressed appreciation for EPA's funding, along with the World Bank, of a comprehensive study of the sources of air pollution in Hyderabad. She added that Andhra Pradesh would like to conduct similar studies of two additional cities and requested EPA assistance. The Administrator said that EPA would consider the request. ¶3. The Chief Minister said clean coal technology would be especially useful to India. The Administrator agreed, explaining that the United States and India are similar in that they both rely on coal for a substantial portion of their electricity generation. He said that the United States will bring fifteen new clean coal electricity power generation units online this year that use either Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle or Super Critical Coal Combustion technologies. The Chief Minister said that he would be interested in the details of these technologies. ¶4. The Administrator also toured the Confederation of Indian Industries' Green Business Center (GBC). S. Raghupathy, Director of the GBC, explained that the Center is a unique public-private partnership, first announced during the 2000 visit of then-President Bill Clinton. The government of Andhra Pradesh donated five acres of land; USAID provided technical assistance; and the House of Godrej (an Indian business conglomerate) paid the cost of construction. The center, with 65 permanent technical staff, provides workshops and consulting services to Indian businesses on various aspects of environmentally sustainable business practices. After hearing a number of proposals for areas of cooperation, the Administrator announced an agreement between EPA and CII to share U.S. expertise on its Climate Leaders Program for possible implementation of an analogous program in India. The Administrator said that 100 voluntarily participating corporate members of the EPA's Climate Leaders Program represent 8% of the United States' total emission of green house gases; the Climate Leaders Program has prevented eleven million tons of carbon equivalents per year, which is the equivalent of removing seven million automobiles from the roads per year. ¶5. The Administrator visited the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI),India's premier training institution for senior managers from government and the private sector. The Administrator spoke to students and faculty of ASCI, as well as invited members of the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with all stakeholders -- Central, State and local governments, NGOs and industry -- in accelerating the pace of environmental protection. ¶6. At the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board the Administrator heard presentations on the challenges of providing safe drinking water. Officials of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Board said that they are presently able to provide only two hours of running water on alternating days to their customers. The Administrator commended them for their efforts to tackle one of India's most difficult challenges and later toured one of Hyderabad's primary water treatment plants. ¶7. EPA is collaborating with the Hyderabad Water Board, World Health Organization (WHO),and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in developing a Water Safety Plan in two neighborhoods in the City. This cooperative program will optimize water treatment performance and protect consumers from hazards in drinking water before they occur. ¶8. This cable was cleared by Joan Fidler, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. HOPPER