Jordan

The United States-Jordan Free Trade Area Agreement (FTA) entered into force on December 17, 2001.

Under the U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement, EPA supports the environmental efforts of the Kingdom of Jordan: enhancing enforcement and compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and increasing public awareness of environmental challenges and solutions.

For example, EPA is providing technical assistance and training to: the Jordanian Ministry of Environment (MoEnv); the Environmental Rangers (the enforcement branch of the MoEnv); and the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) . The RSCN is an independent, not-for-profit Jordanian NGO dedicated to the protection and care of Jordan’s wild plants, animals, and natural landscapes. The organization seeks to conserve biodiversity in Jordan while also encouraging socio-economic growth.

At JFK Airport, study tour participants observe physical inspections of shipments, and document inspections of import/export permits.

With the assistance of EPA and U.S. AID, the MoEnv is presently developing a training and outreach strategy to promote environmental awareness and governance, and measure performance.

Study Tour to the U.S.: In fall of 2008, ten Jordanian officials from the Ministry of Environment, the Environmental Rangers and RSCN traveled to the U.S. to take part in a “Study Tour” to learn about the U.S. environmental enforcement and compliance system. The tour was co-hosted by U.S. EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service. The delegation was able to experience firsthand different approaches taken in the U.S. related to addressing pollution as well as preserving green spaces. Jordanian and U.S. officials engaged in candid and informative discussions about environmental enforcement and compliance.

The Russeifah Landfill, located near Amman, was used for phosphate mining from 1963 to the mid 1980s. Since then, the site has been left uncared for; instead of fencing off the hazardous piles of phosphate left by the mining companies, the site eventually turning into a landfill, with a variety of materials dumped regularly, animal carcasses left to rot, and tire fires creating thick, oily smoke. EPA staff have begun plans for site remediation and will travel to Jordan to identify steps needed to clean up the site, define ways to limit groundwater contamination and close off the landfill, and then work with local and regional government officials to develop more stringent environmental laws to prevent recurrence at Russeifah or elsewhere in Jordan.

Environmental Enforcement Training: In 2009, EPA facilitators will travel to Jordan to provide training to Jordan’s Environmental Rangers, inspectors, and Judges. Each training session will be delivered in a train-the-trainer format that will allow Jordan to re-deliver the training on their own.

Study tour participants conduct a mock inspection of a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Training courses planned for 2009 include:

Inspector Training (held on February 15- 18, 2009) - Read the article in The Jordan Times

Goals of environmental compliance
Role of the inspector
Inspection planning – planning and preparation; defining scope and objectives; elements of a good projection plan
Inspector health and safety
Collecting evidence – verification and documentation; protection and control
Documenting inspections

Environmental Litigation for Judges

Introduction to environmental law for judges
Interactive seminar including a mock trial , which will include participation by judges, prosecutors and representatives from the Environmental Rangers, MoEnv, and RSCN

Criminal Environmental Investigation Training

Development and stages of environmental investigation
Evidence gathering and search warrants
Environmental crime scene management – sampling and evidence procedures; media-specific techniques and concerns

Train-the-Trainer

Training, communication, and facilitation techniques

EPA has been working with the Kingdom of Jordan for a number of years, but EPA’s involvement increased significantly in 2008, when it signed an Interagency Agreement with U.S.AID, which provided funding to support this effort. For more information on the U.S.AID-Jordan mission, please visit http://jordan.usaid.gov/.

Links:

Ministry of Environment (under construction in English)
http://www.moenv.gov.jo/arabicmoe/englishMoE/

Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature
http://www.rscn.org.jo/

Back to: EPA's Programs in the Middle East

Contacts

For additional information on EPA's work in the Middle East, contact:

Shereen Kandil
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International Affairs (2670R)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
E-mail: kandil.shereen@epa.gov
(202) 564-6433

Jordan

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