[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 15 (Thursday, January 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 3914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01313]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 8603]
Meeting of the United States-Panama Environmental Affairs Council
and Environmental Cooperation Commission and Request for Comments on
Meeting Agendas and the Work Program for Environmental Cooperation
ACTION: Notice of meetings of the United States-Panama Environmental
Affairs Council and Environmental Cooperation Commission, and request
for comments.
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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 Panama intend to hold the first meeting of the Environmental
Affairs Council (the ``Council'') and the first meeting of the
Environmental Cooperation Commission (the ``Commission'') on January
29, 2014 in Panama City, Panama. The purpose of the Council meeting is
to review implementation of Chapter 17 (Environment) of the United
States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) and the purpose of the
Commission meeting is to review implementation of the United States-
Panama Environmental Cooperation Agreement (ECA) and approve a Work
Program for implementing the ECA. The Department of State and USTR
invite interested organizations and members of the public to attend the
public session of the meetings and comment on any items that should be
included on the meeting agendas. The Department of State also invites
suggestions for items to be included in the Work Program.
During the Council meeting, the United States and Panama
(collectively the ``Parties'') will discuss their respective
implementation of and progress under Chapter 17. During the Commission
meeting, the Parties will provide an overview of environmental
cooperation, and present and approve the inaugural 2014-2017
Environmental Cooperation Work Program.
DATES: The public session of the Council and Commission meetings will
be held on January 29, 2014, from 3:00-5:30 p.m. We request comments
and suggestions in writing no later than January 22, 2014.
ADDRESSES: The public session of the Council and Commission meetings
will be held at the Holiday Inn Clayton, Panama City, Panama. Please
submit written comments and suggestions to both:
(1) Lauren C. Stowe, Office of Environmental Quality and
Transboundary Issues, U.S. Department of State, by electronic mail at
[email protected] with the subject line ``U.S.-Panama EAC/ECC
Meeting.''; and
(2) Sarah Stewart, Office of Environment and Natural Resources,
Office of the United States Trade Representative, by electronic mail at
[email protected] with the subject line ``U.S.-Panama EAC/ECC
Meeting.''
You can view and comment on this notice by going to: http://www.regulations.gov/#!home and searching on docket number: DOS-2014-
0001
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauren C. Stowe, Telephone (202) 647-
4833 or Sarah Stewart, Telephone (202) 395-3858.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States-Panama TPA entered into
force on October 31, 2012. Article 17.6 of the TPA establishes an
Environmental Affairs Council to oversee the implementation of, and
review progress under, Chapter 17. The United States-Panama ECA entered
into force on December 5, 2013. Article III of the ECA establishes an
Environmental Cooperation Commission and makes the Commission
responsible for developing a Work Program. Article 17.6 of the TPA and
Article V of the ECA require that meetings of the Council and
Commission respectively include a public session, unless the Parties
otherwise agree.
The Department of State is requesting suggestions for cooperative
environmental activities to consider for inclusion in the first
Environmental Cooperation Work Program. For additional information,
please visit: http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/index.htm
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
Work Program. There is no expectation of resources or funding
associated with any comments or suggestions for the Work Program.
If you would like to attend the public session or provide comments,
please notify Lauren Stowe at the email address listed above under the
heading ADDRESSES. Please include your full name and identify any
organization or group you represent. As you consider preparing
comments, we encourage you to refer to:
Chapter 17 of the TPA,
The Final Environmental Review of the TPA, and
The ECA.
These documents are available at: http://www.ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/panama-tpa and http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/c51527.htm.
Dated: January 14, 2014.
Deborah Klepp,
Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2014-01313 Filed 1-22-14; 8:45 am]
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