[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37836-37837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15489]
[[Page 37836]]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Request for Comments Concerning an Environmental Review of the
Proposed Trade in Services Agreement
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative
ACTION: Notice of intent to conduct an environmental review of the
proposed Trade in Services Agreement and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR),
through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is initiating an
environmental review of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA)
currently being negotiated among 23 economies, including the United
States. The TPSC invites written comments from the public on the topics
that should be included in the scope of the environmental review,
including potential positive or negative environmental effects that
might result from the trade agreement and potential implications for
U.S. environmental laws and regulations. The TPSC also welcomes public
views on appropriate methodologies and sources of data for conducting
the review. The review will be conducted consistent with the relevant
procedures of Executive Order 13141: Environmental Review of Trade
Agreement (64 FR 63169, November 18, 1999) and its implementing
guidelines (65 FR 79442, December 19, 2000). Persons submitting written
comments should provide as much detail as possible on the manner and
degree to which the subject matter they propose for inclusion in the
review may raise significant environmental issues that should be
considered in the context of the negotiations. Public comments on
environmental issues submitted in response to prior notices (78 FR
5238, January 24, 2013) and (78 FR 55135, September 9, 2013) requesting
comments from the public regarding the TiSA will be taken into account
in preparing the environmental review and do not need to be
resubmitted.
DATES: Comments should be submitted on or before September 2, 2014, to
be assured of timely consideration by the TPSC.
ADDRESSES: Public comments should be submitted electronically to
www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR 2014-0011. If you are unable to
provide submissions by www.regulations.gov, please contact Ms. Yvonne
Jamison (202-395-3475) to arrange for an alternative method of
transmission.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the submission of
comments in response to this notice should be directed to Ms. Yvonne
Jamison at (202) 395-3475. Questions concerning the environmental
review should be addressed to Ms. Leslie Yang at (202) 395-7320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background Information
On January 15, 2013, USTR notified Congress of the President's
intent to enter into negotiations for an international services
agreement with an initial group of 20 trading partners. Twenty-three
economies are presently participating in TiSA negotiations: Australia,
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the European Union, Hong Kong,
Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland,
Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States. Through a notice in the Federal
Register and a public hearing (held March 12, 2013, in Washington, DC),
the TPSC invited the public to provide written comments and/or oral
testimony to assist USTR in assessing U.S. objectives for the proposed
agreement (see 78 FR 5238, January 24, 2013). Through a subsequent
notice in the Federal Register, the TPSC invited the public to provide
written comments to assist USTR in assessing U.S. objectives regarding
the participation of Paraguay and Liechtenstein (additions to the
initial group of TiSA participants) (78 FR 55135, September 9, 2013).
Additional information about the proposed TiSA can be found at http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/services-investment/services.
2. Environmental Review
USTR, through the TPSC, will conduct an environmental review of the
agreement consistent with Executive Order 13141 (64 FR 63169, November
18, 1999) and its implementing guidelines (65 FR 79442, December 19,
2000). The purpose of environmental reviews is to ensure that
policymakers and the public are informed about reasonably foreseeable
environmental impacts of trade agreements (both positive and negative),
to identify complementarities between trade and environmental
objectives, and to help shape appropriate responses if environmental
impacts are identified. Reviews are intended to be one tool, among
others, for integrating environmental information and analysis into the
fluid, dynamic process of trade negotiations. USTR and the Council on
Environmental Quality jointly oversee implementation of the Executive
Order and its implementing guidelines. USTR, through the TPSC, is
responsible for conducting the individual reviews. Additional
background information and examples of prior environmental reviews are
available at: http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/environment/environmental-reviews.
3. Requirements for Submissions
Persons submitting comments must do so in English and must identify
(on the first page of the submission) ``Comments Regarding the Trade in
Services Agreement (TiSA) Environmental Review.'' In order to be
assured of consideration, comments should be submitted by September 2,
2014. In order to ensure the timely receipt and consideration of
comments, USTR strongly encourages commenters to make on-line
submissions, using the www.regulations.gov Web site. To submit comments
via www.regulations.gov, enter docket number USTR 2014-0011 on the home
page and click ``search.'' The site will provide a search-results page
listing all documents associated with this docket. Find a reference to
this notice and click on the link entitled ``Comment Now!'' (For
further information on using the www.regulations.gov Web site, please
consult the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on ``How to
Use This Site'' on the left side of the home page).
The www.regulations.gov Web site allows users to provide comments
by filling in a ``Type Comment'' field, or by attaching a document
using an ``Upload File'' field. USTR prefers that comments be provided
in an attached document. USTR prefers submissions in Microsoft Word
(.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If the submission is in an application
other than those two, please indicate the name of the application in
the ``Type Comment'' field.
For any comments submitted electronically containing business
confidential information, the file name of the business confidential
version should begin with the characters ``BC''. Any page containing
business confidential information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS
CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top of that page. Filers of submissions
containing business confidential information must also submit a public
version of their comments. The file name of the public version should
begin with the character ``P''. The ``BC'' and ``P'' should be followed
by the name of the person or entity submitting the comments. Filers
submitting comments containing no business confidential information
[[Page 37837]]
should name their file using the name of the person or entity
submitting the comments.
Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a
cover letter in the submission itself. Similarly, to the extent
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in
the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files.
As noted, USTR strongly urges submitters to file comments through
the www.regulations.gov Web site if at all possible. Any alternative
arrangements must be made with Ms. Jamison in advance of transmitting a
comment. Ms. Jamison may be contacted at (202) 395-3475. General
information concerning USTR is available at www.ustr.gov.
Comments will be placed in the docket and open to public
inspection, except business confidential information. Comments may be
viewed on the www.regulations.gov Web site by entering the relevant
docket number in the search field on the home page.
Douglas Bell,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2014-15489 Filed 7-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F4-P