International Programs

EPA programs and activities in South America, Central America and the Caribbean support the work of our partners to build healthy communities by strengthening their capacity to implement environmental laws and programs, advance greater use of economic incentives, and promote stakeholder involvement in environmental decision-making.  These programs also support implementation of environmental cooperation mechanisms associated with Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). These mechanisms help build the sustainable development capacity of U.S. trading partners by promoting cooperation on the effective development and enforcement of environmental law, policies and programs; public participation and transparency in environmental decision making; and improved performance of the private sector.

Brazil

Brazil ’s size (the 5th largest country in the world and the largest in Latin America), large population, and high levels of economic growth and urbanization make its current and future environmental footprint the most significant in the Latin America and Caribbean region and one of the most significant in the world. EPA works with national and local environmental agencies in Brazil to exchange information on environmental management and risk reduction in areas of mutual interest.

Chile

Our trade and environment cooperation with Chile is guided by an Environmental Cooperation Agreement (ECA) and its associated Work Program. The 2007-2008 Work Program focuses on the following priority areas, with the following corresponding general objectives:

• Strengthening effective implementation and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations;
• Encouraging development and adoption of sound environmental practices and technologies, particularly in business enterprises;
• Promoting sustainable development and management of environmental resources, including wild fauna and flora, and protected wild areas;
• Civil society participation in the environmental decision-making process; and
• Environmental education.

In addition to these areas, the Work Plan provides for information exchange and collaboration on other issues, including critical issues in children and women's environmental health. Under this area of work, OIA has worked with EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection and Environmental Education (OCHPEE) to help establish a Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) in Chile. EPA played a leadership role in implementing 7 of the 8 cooperation projects listed in the FTA. As of July 2008, all 7 projects have been completed.

For more information, please visit the following websites:

• US Trade Representative: http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Chile_FTA/Section_Index.html
• State Department: http://www.state.gov/g/oes/env/trade/index.htm

CAFTA-DR

The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) includes Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the United States.

EPA works as an implementation partner with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on environmental capacity building within the CAFTA-DR region in accordance with the priorities outlined in the CAFTA-DR Environmental Cooperation Agreement (ECA).

EPA works to:

• strengthen countries’ environmental management systems, including strengthening institutional and legal frameworks;
• increase compliance and implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements; and
• provide technical assistance to enable countries to develop and enforce environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

EPA focuses on legislation and policies that address water contamination, air pollution, solid waste management and chemicals management. The work consists of the following programs:

• Program 1: Environmental regulations, policies and procedures are improved and enhanced
• Program 2: Compliance with environmental law is increased through improved enforcement
• Program 3: Compliance Promotion, Auditing and Environmental Management Systems (EMS) yields improved industrial environmental performance and compliance
• Program 4: EIA review processes and tools are strengthened
• Program 5: Safe handling of hazardous substances is improved
• Program 6: The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) is implemented
• Program 7: Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) are established
• Program 8: Air Quality Management systems are in place
• Program 9: Land-Use/Land-Cover Maps are improved
• Program 10: Customs procedures are improved to prevent illegal movement of environmentally controlled substances

In addition to the previous programs, OIA manages an Information Project cooperative agreement between EPA and the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC ).

E PA has produced results in planning, coordination, capacity building, and project implementation, such as:

• Establishing the first regional air quality focal point network, which was endorsed by the Central American Ministers of Environment in 2007.
• Providing air quality monitoring equipment to some countries in the region. Now, all CAFTA-DR countries can monitor for PM10. .
• Providing training on Inspections, Criminal Enforcement, Wastewater Inspections, Hazardous Materials Handling, Customs and Environment and Environmental Impact Assessment Review.
• Initiating the implementation of some of the basic elements of the wastewater framework regulation in two countries.
• Developing mechanisms for implementation of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (ECE) Indicators, Customs and Environment, and Land-Use/Land-Cover Maps Improvement projects.

For more information, please visit the following websites:

• US Trade Representative: http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Regional/CAFTA/Section_Index.html
• State Department: http://www.state.gov/g/oes/env/trade/index.htm
• USAID: http://www.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/environment/
• CCAD (in Spanish): http://www.sica.int/acuerdo_USAID-CCAD/drcafta-ambiente/

 

Other Free Trade Agreements:

Colombia

The FTA is currently pending congressional approval.

For more information, please visit the following websites:

• US Trade Representative: http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Colombia_FTA/Section_Index.html
• State Department: http://www.state.gov/g/oes/env/trade/index.htm 

Peru

The FTA has been approved by Congress and is now pending implementation.

For more information, please visit the following websites:

• US Trade Representative: http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Peru_TPA/Section_Index.html
• State Department: http://www.state.gov/g/oes/env/trade/index.htm

Panama

The FTA is currently pending congressional approval.

For more information, please visit:

• the US Trade Representative website at: http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Panama_FTA/Section_Index.html

Other initiatives in the Region

• Summit of the Americas- For more information, please visit the website for the Organization of American States (OAS) at http://www.summit-americas.org/
• Inter-American Forum on Environmental Law (FIDA)- For more information, please visit the website for the Organization of American States (OAS) at http://www.oas.org/dsd/fida/