Regional : Support of ADB-USEPA Cooperation

Sovereign Project | 49182-001

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) on 12 May 2005 which provides a framework for regularly identifying and carrying out joint activities in Asia-Pacific. The LOI was renewed on 30 March 2010 and is to be renewed again on 30 June 2015 for another 5 years.

ADB is expected to continue to facilitate the realization of the aims of both institutions to protect the environment while promoting economic growth, inclusive social development, and improved governance. Promoting the role of the private sector in development, supporting regional cooperation and integration for development and addressing environmental sustainability are acknowledged as still fundamental to the aims of the cooperation. The cooperation is also expected to increase their development relevance and effectiveness by managing actitivies on the basis of performance results.

Project Details

  • Project Officer
    Ferdausi, Shakil A.
    Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department
    Request for information
  • Country/Economy
    Regional
  • Modality
  • Sector
    • Agriculture, natural resources and rural development
Project Name Support of ADB-USEPA Cooperation
Project Number 49182-001
Country / Economy Regional
Project Status Closed
Project Type / Modality of Assistance Technical Assistance
Source of Funding / Amount
TA 8911-REG: Support of ADB-USEPA Cooperation
Technical Assistance Special Fund US$ 45,000.00
Strategic Agendas Environmentally sustainable growth
Inclusive economic growth
Drivers of Change Governance and capacity development
Knowledge solutions
Partnerships
Private sector development
Sector / Subsector

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Agricultural policy, institutional and capacity development - Rural water policy, institutional and capacity development - Water-based natural resources management

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Other urban services - Urban policy, institutional and capacity development

Gender No gender elements
Description

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) on 12 May 2005 which provides a framework for regularly identifying and carrying out joint activities in Asia-Pacific. The LOI was renewed on 30 March 2010 and is to be renewed again on 30 June 2015 for another 5 years.

ADB is expected to continue to facilitate the realization of the aims of both institutions to protect the environment while promoting economic growth, inclusive social development, and improved governance. Promoting the role of the private sector in development, supporting regional cooperation and integration for development and addressing environmental sustainability are acknowledged as still fundamental to the aims of the cooperation. The cooperation is also expected to increase their development relevance and effectiveness by managing actitivies on the basis of performance results.

The collaboration between ADB and USEPA is guided by the following principles: (i) country and regional ownership of sound development policies and programs is necessary to ensure sustainable development; (ii) long-term approaches to sustainable development are needed; (iii) full stakeholder participation should be encouraged, consistent with available resources; and (iv) development policies and programs should be result-oriented and built on transparent relationships between development assistance providers and beneficiary countries.

ADB and USEPA intend to explore all possibilities for effective collaboration with respect to environment, sustainable development, and natural resource management, including, but not limited to cooperation on (i) improving air quality management, especially in urban areas; (ii) building strong environmental institutions and legal structures (development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental law, as well as strengthening of environmental governance institutions such as courts); (iii) building environmental impact assessment policies and procedures; (iv) improving provision of safe drinking water, especially in urban and peri-urban areas; (v) sound management of toxic substances, especially of Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxins (PBTs) including Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); and (vi) improving water resource management. Other areas for mutual collaboration and cooperation may be identified and addressed by the participants from time to time.

Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy

The impact of this S-CDTA is to improve DMCs capacity in the areas of environmental management, sustainable development and natural resources management. The outcome is to provide an operational platform to effectively implement the collaboration between ADB and USEPA, in line with the Letter of Intent.

Under this S-CDTA, ADB and USEPA will cooperate in the specific areas agreed through periodic work plans where USEPA will make available experts who will provide environmental technical services to ADB-financed projects, programs, and technical assistance. This S-CDTA will enable USEPA to cooperate with ADB in providing assistance to countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

USEPA will provide experts who will carry out the following broad types of activities: (i) environmental information activities in project development, implementation, and assessment; (ii) environmental policy and technical assistance; (iii) environmental impact assessment training and consultation; (iv) human resource development related to the environment; (v) project and policy evaluation related to the environment; (vi) institutional capacity building, particularly around environmental governance; and (vii) environmental knowledge sharing through exchange of publications, reports and experts.

An indicative list of specific program activities include: (i) environmental impact assessment (EIA) trainings in south-south twinning activities under the Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN); (ii) activities under the Joint Safeguards Practitioners CoP in conjunction with USAID and other development partners, (iii) activities relating to air quality management in the Peoples Republic of China, particularly for Beijing and surrounding regions; (iv) activities relating to air quality improvements in Asia and partnering activities that involve ADB and CAI-Asia; (vi) development of technical assistance and strengthening environmental policy and implementation capacity in DMCs in Asia and the Pacific; and (vii) reviewing technical documents, conducting reconnaissance missions, trainings and capacity development activities.

Impact
Project Outcome
Description of Outcome
Progress Toward Outcome
Implementation Progress
Description of Project Outputs
Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues)

Recent progress:

The training on BenMAP Community Edition (BenMAP-CE) will take place on 29-31 May 2018 in Hanoi under the TA in collaboration with USEPA and AIT Hanoi Center. This will be open for air quality professionals by registering the course and paying the required fees.

Under the TA cooperation, 25 professionals from the region including 10 ADB staff and consultants participated the training on Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program--Community Edition (BenMAP-CE) from 7 to 10 August 2017 jointly organized by USEPA and SDES/SDCC. BenMAP-CE is an open-source software program used to estimate the number and economic value of air pollution-related health impacts. BenMAP's database includes concentration-response functions that quantify the relationship between air pollution concentrations and various health effects, population data, baseline incidence data for the various health effects, and the economic data needed to value these health impacts.

With the cooperation under the TA, USEPA provided resource persons from Environmental Appeals Board in designing and delivering the The National Judicial Workshop on Mainstreaming Legal Knowledge of Environmental Issues' in Cambodia. The workshop was organized by OGC. The training workshops were held in two locations. The first one was held in Phnom Penh during 21-22 August 2017 and another was held in Siem Reap during 24-25 August 2017.

Earlier Reported Progress:

Under the ADB-USEPA cooperation, the Chief, Drinking Water and Municipal Infrastructure Branch of USEPA participated the ADB Green Business Forum during November 22-24, 2016 and made a presentation on "How New York City Provides High Quality Unfiltered Drinking Water, Leveraging Regulation and Partnerships".

A training workshop on "Principles of Environmental Compliance Inspections and Enforcement" was held in Pokhra, Nepal from 09-13 January 2017. Twenty-six government officials and other participants attended the training designed to develop a management approach to an environmental problem, draft enforceable requirements, design a compliance strategy and enforcement program, conduct inspections, gather evidence, and resolve enforcement cases. The training was conducted by the Acting Director, International Compliance Assurance Division, USEPA with support from two other professional colleagues.

A workshop on "Pollution, Health and Safety Management in ADB Projects - Air Quality Module" was organized from 4-7 April 2017 at ADB HQ. The training was designed to improve the knowledgebase of the ADB staff and consultants air quality agenda and improve the EIA and project design.

An orientation program on "Orientation on Air Quality Index and USEPA's AirNow-International" was organized on 8 April 2017 to present on Air Quality Index and AirNow-International system. The tools can be used to communicate to the public the connection between air pollution and health, helping to facilitate their involvement in efforts to improve air quality.

Geographical Location Regional
Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects
Environmental Aspects
Involuntary Resettlement
Indigenous Peoples
Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation
During Project Design
During Project Implementation
Business Opportunities
Consulting Services USEPA will select experts (whether USEPA staff or USEPA consultants) available for the activities. USEPA will identify and provide personnel from among USEPA employees or USEPA consultants, suitable to perform the tasks agreed to with ADB and make their qualificiations available for review by ADB.
Responsible ADB Officer Ferdausi, Shakil A.
Responsible ADB Department Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department
Responsible ADB Division Environment and Safeguards Division, SDCC
Executing Agencies
Asian Development Bank
Timetable
Concept Clearance -
Fact Finding -
MRM -
Approval 24 Jun 2015
Last Review Mission -
Last PDS Update 16 Mar 2018

TA 8911-REG

Milestones
Approval Signing Date Effectivity Date Closing
Original Revised Actual
24 Jun 2015 - 24 Jun 2015 30 Jun 2018 - 15 Aug 2018
Financing Plan/TA Utilization Cumulative Disbursements
ADB Cofinancing Counterpart Total Date Amount
Gov Beneficiaries Project Sponsor Others
45,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 45,000.00 90,000.00 17 Jun 2022 44,701.30

Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.

The Access to Information Policy (AIP) recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential to development effectiveness. It establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced.

The Accountability Mechanism provides a forum where people adversely affected by ADB-assisted projects can voice and seek solutions to their problems and report alleged noncompliance of ADB's operational policies and procedures.

In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of, or reference to, a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.

Title Document Type Document Date
Support of ADB-USEPA Cooperation: Technical Assistance Completion Report TA Completion Reports Aug 2018

Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.

None currently available.


Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation

None currently available.


Related Publications

None currently available.


The Access to Information Policy (AIP) establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced in its operations to facilitate stakeholder participation in ADB's decision-making. For more information, refer to the Safeguard Policy Statement, Operations Manual F1, and Operations Manual L3.

Requests for information may also be directed to the InfoUnit.

Tenders

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Contracts Awarded

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Procurement Plan

None currently available.