BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (September 1, 2004) – Yesterday, The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a $340,100 grant to the Romanian National Administration of Meteorology (NIMH) for a feasibility study on an Integrated Climatology, Agro-Meteorological, Air Pollution Forecast and Warning, Computation and Training Center (INTEROPERATE) project.  As a core element of Romania’s planned National Crisis Management System, the proposed project seeks to build upon the country’s existing meteorological infrastructure to complete a national monitoring system.

The USTDA grant was conferred in a signing ceremony at the Ministry’s headquarters in Bucharest.  Mr. Jonathan Marks, Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest signed the grant on behalf of the U.S. Government.  Mr. Florin Stadiu, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Environment and Water Management, signed on behalf of the Grantee. Mr. Vladimir Ivanovici, Executive Director at the National Administration of Meteorology witnessed the grant on behalf of the Grantee. 

Since 2000, NIMH has focused on implementing a new strategy to create a modern meteorological surveillance system.  The strategy at the time of inception involved two major investment programs known as the National Integrated Meteorological System (SIMIN) and the Destructive Waters and Abatement and Control of Water Disasters Program (DESWAT).  SIMIN sought to expand and improve Romania’s existing meteorological infrastructure to create a comprehensive national coverage network to monitor all types of dangerous weather, flooding, and pollution risks.  DESWAT, which was supported by a previous USTDA grant, was designed to monitor flooding and water disasters mainly in river basins.  The Government of Romania has successfully implemented both projects.

In addition, the Ministry of Environment and Water Management of Romania is moving forward with a third project.  That effort involves the implementation of an integrated water resources management (WATMAN) system, which also received USTDA funding support, to integrate all water information related to Romania’s river basins.  In order for SIMIN, DESWAT and WATMAN to communicate with each other, NIMH needs to integrate and expand its current systems to obtain optimal forecasting and monitoring capabilities.  The INTEROPERATE project seeks to address this issue to complete the national system.  The USTDA grant awarded today will be used to determine the best method to expand and integrate the three different systems.