Top Commerce Official To Launch US Environmental Technologies Export Initiative At WEFTEC 2012

Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce Francisco J. Sánchez will launch the US Environmental Technologies Export Initiative on Monday, October 1 in New Orleans, La. at WEFTEC 2012, the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) 85th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference. The major new Initiative is designed to foster greater interagency collaboration in U.S. government trade and international environmental activities to support the increased worldwide deployment of environmental solutions.

“We are thrilled to have Under Secretary of Commerce Sánchez join us at WEFTEC to launch this important new initiative,” said Jeff Eger, WEF Executive Director. “The Environmental Technologies Export Initiative will be of great interest to our members and help to make U.S. environmental technical expertise and technology more available worldwide.”

As Under Secretary, Sánchez heads the International Trade Administration, an organization of 2,400 employees with offices throughout the United States and in 73 countries, and he leads the efforts to improve the global business environment by helping U.S. businesses compete abroad. By facilitating foreign buyers’ access to U.S. environmental protection approaches and technologies, the Environmental Technologies Export Initiative will support U.S. exports and jobs while advancing the nation’s environmental protection, diplomatic, and international development goals.

The Initiative will include deployment of a series of country-based interagency plans that take a coordinated U.S. government approach to address environmental issues plus an Environmental Exporters Portal, a central repository of related information supporting environmental assistance projects and policy discussions, trade promotion activities, and other interaction with foreign environmental end users.

“A key part of WEF’s mission is to leverage knowledge to support clean and safe water worldwide, and the Environmental Technologies Export Initiative should help water professionals do just that,” said Eger. 

The Sánchez appearance will kick off presentations at WEFTEC’s Global Center, where attendees will find resources committed to matching international trade delegates and exhibitors with an eye on the worldwide market.

About WEF
Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of 36,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. WEF members, Member Associations and staff proudly work to achieve our mission to provide bold leadership, champion innovation, connect water professionals, and leverage knowledge to support clean and safe water worldwide. For more information, visit www.wef.org.