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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLB #0100/01 0320937
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 010937Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6445
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 000100 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TDA AND EPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2020 
TAGS: SENV ECON EFIN ENRG EPA PGOV PREL KGHG AID LE
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT MINISTER RAHHAL WELCOMES U.S. 
ASSISTANCE FOR UNDERFUNDED MINISTRY 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Water management, reforestation and solid 
waste management were the Environment Ministry's key 
priorities, new Environment Minister Mohammed Rahhal told the 
Ambassador on January 28.  Rahhal pledged continued 
cooperation with USAID reforestation programs and asked for 
assistance in removing solid waste from the 2006 oil spill 
clean-up off Lebanon's shores.  He would emphasize 
alternative energy moving forward, Rahhal said, and he 
described a proposal to provide financial incentives for 
alternative energy vehicles.  Rahhal also broached obtaining 
U.S.-made hybrid vehicles for ministry employees to raise 
environmental awareness.  We propose pursuing a Rahhal visit 
to the United States, considering a U.S. Trade and 
Development Agency (TDA) feasibility study on alternative 
energy, and working with USDOC-FCS on hybrid vehicle 
procurement.  End summary. 
 
WATER TOP PRIORITY 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (C) Water management and sanitation are two of his main 
priorities, Rahhal told the Ambassador in a January 28 
courtesy call.  During negotiations over the ministerial 
statement, Rahhal pointed out, Prime Minister Saad Hariri 
emphasized clean-up of the Litani River, which passes through 
50% of rural villages and irrigates up to 70% of fertile 
land.  Rahhal, who just completed a three-year "master plan" 
for the ministry, noted that his ministry is a player in 
preventing pollution, and he underscored the importance of 
working with the United States to improve water sanitation. 
(Note: The lead players in the water sector are the Ministry 
of Energy and Water and the four regional water authorities. 
End note.)  The Ambassador noted the success of USAID-funded 
waste water treatment plants in the West Biqa' and Chouf 
regions. 
 
MINISTRY WELCOMES USAID REFORESTATION EFFORTS 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Reforestation is another ministry priority, Rahhal 
noted, and the Ambassador described the extensive U.S. 
activities in this area.  With Department of Defense 
Humanitarian Assistance funding, the Office of Defense 
Cooperation (ODC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers just 
completed a fire station in Ehmej (Jbeil) the Ambassador 
reported.  In addition, USAID -- in conjunction with the 
United States Forest Service (USFS) -- had sponsored 
wilderness fire origin investigation training via a local NGO 
partner.  As part of its new five-year strategy, USAID plans 
to support reforestation efforts that provide short-term jobs 
in rural areas, the Ambassador continued, and USAID has 
tentatively identified funding for that purpose.  One 
proposed USFS project, she explained, would teach a more 
efficient tree planting method that would increase the rate 
of reforestation, boost short-term job growth, and emphasize 
sustainability.  Rahhal expressed enthusiasm about the plans 
and admitted that previous planting efforts had fallen short 
because of lack of follow-on; he wanted all future 
reforestation contracts to include a seven-year maintenance 
plan. 
 
SOLID WASTE CONCERNS BECOMING URGENT 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (C) Because the Naameh waste treatment plant has almost 
reached capacity, solid waste management is becoming 
increasingly important, Rahhal said.  The ministry plans to 
issue new tenders, he said, after cabinet approval of a 
national solid waste strategy that the ministry has yet to 
submit.  Rahhal expressed interest in visiting sites in the 
U.S. using "waste-to-energy" technology in addition to 
talking to experts on the field.  PM Hariri plans to visit 
similar alternative energy sites in Germany, Rahhal noted, 
and a TDA feasibility study on the topic would be well 
received in Lebanon.  (Note: TDA has been active in Lebanon, 
completing 14 feasibility studies in various sectors since 
¶1992.  End note.) 
 
¶5. (C) Rahhal requested that the U.S. help remove stored 
waste from the USAID-assisted 2006 coastal oil spill 
clean-up.  The waste -- divided into polluted sand, debris, 
and oil -- was stored in sealed containers in the north, 
Zahrani, and Jiyyeh, Rahhal said, but the ministry needs 
international assistance to dispose of the oil-covered solid 
waste. (Note: USAID closed out this project in February 2009 
after completing its pledged portion of the oil spill 
 
 
 
clean-up activities; this is the first time we have heard of 
this additional request.  There are no FY-10 or FY-11 USAID 
funds designated for additional activities in this area. 
Greek and Italian reconstruction funding in this sector has 
also ended.  End note.) 
 
A MARGINALIZED MINISTRY 
----------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Describing the weaknesses of his ministry, Rahhal 
explained that many ministries have overlapping mandates 
regarding the environment, and his ministry is unable to 
enforce its will because it is too "young" and lacks broad 
prerogatives.  The ministry, with a staff of only 53, also 
lacks human and financial resources, he said.  Nonetheless, 
Rahhal underscored, the environment is important to PM 
Hariri, who has placed environmental issues on the cabinet 
agenda in four of six cabinet sessions, and Rahhal expected 
significant progress from his ministry.  After completing a 
series of studies on solid waste, the Litani River, dam sites 
and quarries, Rahhal plans to meet with international donors 
to seek funding to develop a "comprehensive" environment 
strategy.  Rahhal also laid out his intention for the 
ministry to play a "coordinating" role in de-conflicting 
international funding to the environmental sector. 
 
PROMOTING HYBRID VEHICLES 
------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Rahhal proposed that companies producing hybrid 
vehicles, such as Ford Motors, provide hybrid cars for 
environment ministry employees to raise public awareness and 
garner positive advertising.  According to Rahhal, the 
finance ministry has secured funding to conduct a feasibility 
study on replacing Lebanon's taxi fleet -- totaling 
approximately 200,000 cars, he said -- with hybrids.  Rahhal 
also outlined his idea for establishing an "environment fund" 
that would provide financial incentives for the purchase of 
hybrid cars and other "environmentally friendly" energy 
vehicles.  In addition, Rahhal proposed coordinating with the 
ministry of public works to create an artificial reef off 
Lebanon's coast using scrap buses.  Similar projects using 
old trains have succeeded in the U.S., Rahhal said, and he 
expressed interest in learning more about such schemes. 
 
¶8. (C) Comment: As a young, first-time minister, Rahhal 
displayed his activist background in his first meeting with 
the Ambassador.  Because he is a creative and willing partner 
for U.S. initiatives, we propose pursuing a U.S. visit for 
the minister, with stops at the Environmental Protection 
Agency and relevant academic and private institutions to 
discuss waste-to-energy systems and other alternative energy 
prospects.  Rahhal was keen on a TDA solid waste feasibility 
study, and we will seek input from TDA on next steps.  We 
will also work with the Department of Commerce (FCS) to 
pursue Rahhal's hybrid vehicle proposals for the taxi fleet 
and the Ministry. 
SISON