NEBC wins grant for Philippines project By JIM RYBOCK and DAVID WELSH Northwest Environmental Business Council Imagine a tropical paradise in the South Pacific -- beaches of sparkling white sand, deep blue waters, coral reefs and colorful exotic fish, secret islands just a short sail from the coast, grass huts and a soft breeze wafting though the palms. As you're lying on the beach basking in the sun, add to this idyllic picture the following elements: coastal rivers heavily silted from upstream deforestation and uncontrolled mining activities; fish kills caused by discharge of untreated organic wastes and resulting oxygen depletion; reef and marine habitat destruction caused by bottom trawling and "fishing" with dynamite; algal blooms and excessive turbidity due to over-fertilization of croplands and fish farms; obnoxious odors and other aesthetic impacts from open dumping and an inadequate sewage system; and a dangerous increase in toxic contaminants due to unauthorized pesticide applications and industrial discharges. These are representative descriptions of both the past and the present in Pangasinan, a large and geographically-diverse province of the Philippines located about 200 kilometers north of Manila. Rapid growth and industrialization, combined with inadequate knowledge of environmental cause-effect relationships and insufficient institutional and technological means for protecting their environment, are threatening to destroy the natural resources on which the people of Pangasinan have depended for generations. Lifestyles based on fisheries, forestry and agriculture are being compromised by a rapid advance into the industrial age. Fortunately, Pangasinan's leaders recognize the severity of their problems and are seeking help in changing destructive land-use practices. They believe they can realize the benefits of controlled economic growth without compromising the quality of their air and water. They even envision the day when the province will return to a level of sustainable productivity and environmental beauty that attracts tourists from Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Asia Pacific regions. The Northwest Environmental Business Council (NEBC) responded to the call for help from Pangasinan. NEBC is just beginning a year-long program of environmental cooperation and exchange, working with the Oregon Economic Development Department (OEDD) and the Washington Department of Community Trade and Economic Development (CTED), and building on the solid foundation established by the Northwest Filipino community in general and especially the Washington-Pangasinan Sister State Association (WPSSA). Funded by a $150,000 grant from the Council of State Governments and the U.S.-Asia Environmental Partnership, this TEST Program -- short for Transfer of Environmentally Sustainable Technology -- has been designed both to help Pangasinan prioritize its watershed problems and to assist NEBC member companies. Northwest environmental firms will get to export the services and technologies that can begin to solve Pangasinan's problems. The project first involves development of an environmental management system for the region, where a coalition of organizations in Pangasinan will establish goals, set priorities and monitor progress. This coordinated body of government, industry, non-profit and citizen groups will build lasting relationships with their counterparts in the Northwest. At the same time, the grant will be used to identify specific opportunities to bring clean technology to the region in a manner that is consistent with local conditions, values and economics. The grant will fund program development, travel between Pangasinan and the Northwest, seminars and technical and business assistance. It will help to initiate contracts involving the transfer of Northwest technology -- from expertise in monitoring and modeling watersheds, to educating the public about impacts and behavior change, to designing best management practices, to supplying equipment to remediate water quality problems. Recognizing that this initial effort is only the beginning of a long process of reversing the damage already done, project personnel will also seek long-term funding sources so the program can continue. The program is appropriately named TEST not only for the environmental technology it will bring to address Pangasinan's watershed problems but also because, if it proves successful, this systematic program can be readily adapted to the many other countries in the Asia Pacific region that are experiencing similar challenges in balancing their environmental and economic goals. The opportunities in this region for win-win situations -- improvement of local environmental conditions concurrent with expanded business opportunities for Northwest providers of environmental services and equipment -- are almost endless. Jim Rybock is president of Environmental Connections Inc. in Seattle. David Welsh is executive director of the Northwest Environmental Business Council. The program will be administered by Sunan Setboonsrang, trade development officer at OEDD, and Welsh. Rybock will provide technical direction. Other key program participants include Alma Kern, president of WPSSA, and Alison Krupnick, CTED's program director for Emerging Markets.