[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2439-2440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-618]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 7292]
Request for Comments and Suggestions for the Agenda of the
Environmental Affairs Council (Eac) of the Dominican Republic-Central
America-United States Free Trade Agreement (Cafta-Dr)
ACTION: Notice of CAFTA-DR EAC meeting and request for comments on the
meeting agenda.
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SUMMARY: The Department of State and the Office of the United States
Trade Representative (USTR) are providing notice that, as set forth in
chapter 17 of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free
Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), the CAFTA-DR governments intend to hold the
fifth meeting of the Environmental Affairs Council (EAC) in Washington,
DC on January 27, 2011, at the Organization of American States, 200
17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20006. The EAC will hold a public
session in the afternoon, with a reception immediately following.
During the meeting, the EAC members will present on their
respective countries' progress in implementing chapter 17 and on the
impacts of environmental cooperation in their countries. The EAC will
also receive a presentation from the CAFTA-DR Secretariat for
Environmental Matters (SEM) and discuss the Organization of American
States' Second Evaluation Report: Monitoring Progress of the
Environmental Cooperation Agenda in the CAFTA-DR Countries. For the
public session of the meeting, the EAC will present the results of the
above discussion elements with a particular focus on the chapter 17
obligations and environmental cooperation successes. The public will
have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss implementation of
chapter 17 and environmental cooperation with EAC members. In addition,
the SEM will present on the citizen submissions mechanism established
under chapter 17. More information on the EAC is detailed below under
Supplementary Information.
The Department of State and USTR invite written comments or
suggestions regarding the EAC meeting agenda and the Environmental
Cooperation Expo. In
[[Page 2440]]
preparing comments, we encourage submitters to refer to chapter 17 of
the CAFTA-DR, the Final Environment Review of the CAFTA-DR and the
Agreement among the CAFTA-DR parties on Environmental Cooperation (ECA)
(available at http://www.state.gov/g/oes/env/trade/caftadr/index.htm).
DATES: To be assured of timely consideration, all comments or
suggestions are requested no later than January 20, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions should be submitted to both:
(1) Rebecca Slocum, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and
International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of
Environmental Policy by e-mail to [email protected] with the subject
line ``CAFTA-DR EAC Meeting'' or by fax to (202) 647-5947; and (2)
Kelly Milton, Director for International Environmental & Conservation
Policy, Office of the United States Trade Representative by e-mail to
[email protected] with the subject line ``CAFTA-DR EAC Meeting'' or
by fax to (202) 395-9517.
Persons with access to the Internet will be able to review and
comment on the notice by going to the Regulations.gov Web site at:
http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#home, and searching on
docket ID DOS-2011-0015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Slocum, 202-647-4828 or Kelly
Milton, 202-395-9590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 17.5 of the CAFTA-DR establishes an
Environmental Affairs Council (EAC). Article 17.5 requires the EAC to
meet to review the implementation of, and progress under, chapter 17.
Article 17.5 further requires, unless the governments otherwise agree,
that each meeting of the EAC include a session in which members of the
EAC have an opportunity to meet with the public to discuss matters
relating to the implementation of chapter 17.
In Article 17.9 of the CAFTA-DR, the governments recognize the
importance of strengthening capacity to protect the environment and to
promote sustainable development in concert with strengthening trade and
investment relations and state their commitment to expanding their
cooperative relationship on environmental matters. Article 17.9 also
references the ECA, which sets out certain priority areas of
cooperation on environmental activities that are also reflected in
Annex 17.9 of the CAFTA-DR. These priority areas include, among other
things: reinforcing institutional and legal frameworks and the capacity
to develop, implement, administer, and enforce environmental laws,
regulations, standards, and policies; conserving and managing shared,
migratory and endangered species in international trade and management
of protected areas; promoting best practices leading to sustainable
management of the environment; and facilitating technology development
and transfer and training to promote clean production technologies.
The public is advised to refer to the State Department website at
http://www.state.gov/g/oes/env/ and the USTR Web site at http://www.ustr.gov for further information.
Dated: January 10, 2011.
Willem H. Brakel, PhD,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-618 Filed 1-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P