[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 18 (Monday, January 28, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 5854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01692]
[[Page 5854]]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 8164]
Notification of the First Meetings of the U.S.-Korea FTA
Environmental Affairs Council and ECA Environmental Cooperation
Commission and Request for Comments on the Meeting Agendas
AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Notice of the first meetings of the Environmental Affairs
Council established pursuant to the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement and
the Environmental Cooperation Commission established under the U.S.-
Korea Environmental Cooperation Agreement and request for comments on
the meetings' agendas.
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SUMMARY: The Department of State and the Office of the United States
Trade Representative (``USTR'') are providing notice that the United
States and the Republic of Korea (hereinafter ``Korea'') intend to hold
the first meetings of the Environmental Affairs Council (the
``Council'' or ``EAC'') and of the Environmental Cooperation Commission
(the ``Commission'' or ``ECC'') in Washington, DC, on February 14,
2013. The United States and Korea established the Council pursuant to
Chapter 20 (Environment) of the United States-Korea Free Trade
Agreement (``FTA'') and the Commission pursuant to Article 3 of the
United States-Korea Environmental Cooperation Agreement (``ECA'').
During the Council meeting, the United States and Korea
(collectively the ``Parties'') will discuss their respective
implementation of and progress under the Environment Chapter (Chapter
20) of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. During the Commission
meeting, the Parties will discuss plans for ongoing and future
environmental cooperation and will develop an environmental cooperation
Work Program for the 2012-2015 period. All interested persons are
invited to attend a public session where they will have the opportunity
to ask questions and discuss implementation of Chapter 20 and U.S.-
Korea environmental cooperation with Council and Commission Members.
The public session will be held at 2:00 p.m., February 14, 2013, at the
Department of State in room 1105 of the Harry S. Truman Building, 2201
C Street NW., Washington, DC 20520. To attend the public session,
please contact Deborah Grout for pre-clearance procedures. For further
information please contact Deborah Grout or Leslie Yang (contact
information below).
The Department of State and USTR also invite interested agencies,
organizations, and members of the public to submit written comments or
suggestions regarding the meeting agendas. In preparing comments or
suggestions, we encourage submitters to refer to: (1) The United
States-Korea Environmental Cooperation Agreement; (2) Chapter 20
(Environment) of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement; and (3)
the Environmental Review of the United States-Korea Free Trade
Agreement. These documents are available at http://www.state.gov/e/oes/env/trade/c49687.htm.
DATES: The Council and Commission meetings will be held February 14,
2013 in Washington, DC. To be assured of timely consideration, all
written comments or suggestions for the agenda are requested no later
than February 6, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions should be submitted to both:
(1) Deborah Grout, International Relations Officer, U.S. Department of
State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific
Affairs, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues by
email to [email protected] with the subject line ``U.S.-Korea EAC/ECC
Meetings'' or fax to 202-647-5947; and (2) Leslie Yang, Director for
International Environmental Policy, Office of the United States Trade
Representative by email to [email protected] with the subject
line ``U.S-Korea EAC/ECC Meetings'' or by fax to (202) 395-9517. If you
have access to the Internet you can view and comment on this notice by
going to: http://www.regulations.gov/#!home and searching on docket
number DOS-2013-0002.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Grout, International Relations
Officer, (202) 647-6777 or Leslie Yang, Director for International
Environmental Policy, (202) 395-3167.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 20.6.1 of the United States-Korea
FTA establishes an Environmental Affairs Council (the ``Council''),
which oversees implementation of Chapter 20 (Environment). Article
20.6.2 further provides that meetings of the Council shall include a
public session, unless the Parties otherwise agree.
The United States and Korea established the U.S.-Korea
Environmental Cooperation Commission when they signed the U.S.-Korea
ECA, negotiated in concert with the FTA, on January 23, 2012. In
Articles 3 and 4 of the ECA, the Governments state that they plan to
meet to develop and update, as appropriate, a Work Program for
Environmental Cooperation. The Work Program will identify and outline
environmental cooperation priorities, on-going efforts, and
possibilities for future cooperation.
Please refer to the Department of State Web site at http://www.state.gov/e/oes/env/trade/index.htm and the USTR Web site at
www.ustr.gov for more information.
Disclaimer: This Public Notice is a request for comments and
suggestions, and is not a request for applications. No granting of
money is directly associated with this request for suggestions for the
meeting agendas. There is no expectation of resources or funding
associated with any comments or suggestions for the agendas.
Dated: January 18, 2013.
George N. Sibley,
Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2013-01692 Filed 1-25-13; 8:45 am]
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