[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 121 (Thursday, June 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 40937]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14927]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice: 9614]
Notification 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 parties to the
Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement
(CAFTA-DR) intend to hold the tenth meeting of the Environmental
Affairs Council (the Council) established under Chapter 17
(Environment) of that agreement in San Salvador, El Salvador, on July 7
and 8, 2016. The Council will commemorate the tenth anniversary of
CAFTA-DR by highlighting the many environmental accomplishments of the
past ten years and charting a course for the future. On July 7, the
Council will meet to review implementation of Chapter 17 of CAFTA-DR
and the CAFTA-DR Environmental Cooperation Agreement (ECA). All
interested persons are invited to attend the Council's public session
beginning at 9:00 a.m. on July 8 at the Hotel Sheraton Presidente in
San Salvador.
During the July 7 Council meeting, Council members will present the
progress made and challenges in implementing Chapter 17 obligations as
well as the outcomes achieved through environmental cooperation in
their respective countries. The Council will also receive a
presentation from the CAFTA-DR Secretariat for Environmental Matters
(SEM). More information on the Council is included below under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
All interested persons are invited to attend the July 8 public
session where they will have an opportunity to ask questions and
discuss implementation of Chapter 17 and the Environmental Cooperation
Agreement with Council Members. At the public session, the Council
hopes to receive input from the public on current environmental
challenges and ideas for future cooperation. The session will also
offer the opportunity to hear directly from beneficiaries of the CAFTA-
DR Environmental Cooperation Program and explore environmental progress
in CAFTA-DR countries through a number of side events and interactive
presentations. If you would like to attend the public session, please
notify Neal Morris and Laura Buffo at the email addresses listed under
the heading ADDRESSES. Please include your full name and identify any
organization or group you represent.
The Department of State and Office of the United States Trade
Representative also invite written comments or suggestions to be
submitted before July 1, 2016 regarding topics to be discussed at the
Council 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 CAFTA-DR Environmental Cooperation Agreement
(ECA) (documents available at http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/caftadr/index.htm). Instructions on how to submit comments are under
the heading ADDRESSES.
DATES: The public session of the Council will be held on July 8, 2016,
from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Hotel Sheraton Presidente in San
Salvador, El Salvador. We request comments and suggestions in writing
no later than July 1, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions should be submitted to both:
(1) Neal Morris, 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) Laura Buffo, 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 for
docket number DOS-2016-0045.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neal Morris, (202) 647-9312, or Laura
Buffo, (202) 395-9424
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 17.5 of the CAFTA-DR establishes an
Environmental Affairs Council (the Council) and, unless the CAFTA-DR
parties otherwise agree, requires it to meet annually to oversee the
implementation of, and review progress under, Chapter 17. Article 17.5
further requires, unless the parties 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, the parties 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. These priority areas include,
among others: 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 commercial
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. In preparing comments, we encourage submitters
to refer to:
Chapter 17 of the CAFTA-DR,
The Final Environmental Review of CAFTA-DR, and
The ECA.
These documents are available at: http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/caftadr/index.htm. Visit http://www.state.gov and the USTR Web
site at www.ustr.gov for more information.
Dated: June 17, 2016.
Robert Wing,
Acting Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary
Issues, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2016-14927 Filed 6-22-16; 8:45 am]
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