[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 70 (Thursday, April 11, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21699-21700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-08507]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 8271]
Notice of the Next CAFTA-DR Environmental Affairs Council Meeting
AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Notice of the CAFTA-DR Environmental Affairs Council Meeting
and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Department of State and the Office of the United States
Trade Representative are providing notice that the government parties
to the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade
Agreement (CAFTA-DR) intend to hold the seventh meeting of the
Environmental Affairs Council (Council) established under Chapter 17 of
that agreement in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on May 9, 2013 at a
venue to be announced. All interested persons are invited to attend
[[Page 21700]]
a public session beginning at 2:00 p.m. on May 9.
During the meeting, each Council Member will present its country's
progress in implementing Chapter 17 obligations and the impacts of
environmental cooperation in their respective countries. The Council
will also receive a presentation from the CAFTA-DR Secretariat for
Environmental Matters (SEM). For the public session of the meeting, the
Council will highlight issues from the above discussion elements with a
particular focus on Chapter 17 obligations and environmental
cooperation successes.
All interested persons are invited to attend a public session where
they will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss
implementation of Chapter 17 and environmental cooperation with Council
Members. In addition, the SEM will present on the public submission
process established under Chapter 17. More information on the Council
is included below under Supplementary Information.
The Department of State and Office of the United States Trade
Representative invite written comments or suggestions regarding the
meeting. In preparing comments, we encourage submitters to refer to
Chapter 17 of the CAFTA-DR, the Final Environmental Review of the
CAFTA-DR and the Agreement among the CAFTA-DR countries on
Environmental Cooperation (ECA) (all documents available at http://www.state.gov/e/oes/env/trade/caftadr/index.htm).
DATES: The Council will hold the meeting on May 9, 2013, in Santo
Domingo. If you are interested in attending, please email Abby Lindsay
at [email protected] for the specific time and place. To be assured of
timely consideration, all written comments or suggestions are requested
no later than April 19, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions should be submitted to both:
(1) Abby Lindsay, 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 ``CAFTA-DR EAC Meeting'' or by
fax to (202) 647-5947; and (2) Sarah Stewart, Director for Environment
and Natural Resources, Office of the United States Trade Representative
by email to [email protected] with the subject line ``CAFTA-
DR EAC Meeting'' 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-
0009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Abby Lindsay, (202) 647-8772 or Sarah
Stewart, (202) 395-3858.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 17.5 of the CAFTA-DR establishes an
Environmental Affairs Council (the Council). Article 17.5 requires the
Council to meet to oversee the implementation of, and review progress
under, Chapter 17. Article 17.5 further requires, unless the
governments otherwise agree, that each meeting of the Council include a
session in which members of the Council 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 Web site at http://www.state.gov 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 on the
Council meeting agenda. There is no expectation of resources or funding
associated with any comments or suggestions.
Dated: April 8, 2013.
George N. Sibley,
Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues,
U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2013-08507 Filed 4-10-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P