[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 211 (Thursday, October 31, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66448-66449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-27713]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4186]


Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific 
Affairs; Public Meeting to Discuss the United Nations Environment 
Program (UNEP) Global Mercury Assessment

SUMMARY: The Department of State will host two public meetings on 
November 7, 2002 for interested parties, one for environmental non-
governmental organizations and one for industry representatives. The 
non-governmental organization and the industry meetings will take place 
at the Ariel Rios North Building in room 1332 at 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue NW, Washington DC at 10 am and 11:30 am respectively. Attendees 
must bring picture identification with them to gain entry to the 
building and should RSVP to Audrey Slayton at 202-564-7426 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: UNEP Chemicals undertook a process to 
develop a global assessment of mercury and its compounds. This report, 
which includes options for addressing mercury's adverse impacts, will 
be presented to the UNEP Governing Council at its twenty-second session 
in February 2003.
    To complete the global mercury assessment, UNEP established a 
working group with participants from governments, non-governmental 
organizations and the private sector. This working group, which met in 
September 2002, concluded that in their view there was sufficient 
evidence of significant adverse impacts to human health and the 
environment from mercury to warrant international action of some type. 
The working group developed an outline of possible options to address 
mercury impacts on a local, national, regional, and global level. The 
UNEP Governing Council is likely to use this report as the basis for a 
decision on the appropriate role of UNEP in addressing the issue of 
mercury. The outline of options and other meeting documents can be 
found at http://irptc.unep.ch/mercury/WG-meeting1.htm. For further 
information, please contact John Thompson, U.S. Department of State, 
Office of Environmental Policy (OES/ENV), Room 4325, 2201 C Street NW, 
Washington DC 20520, phone 202-647-9799, fax 202-647-5947, 
[email protected].

Timetable and Point of Contact

    The public meetings will be held on November 7, 2002 in room 1332 
at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Ariel Rios North 
Building at 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue. The entrance to the building is 
at street level directly adjacent to the Federal Triangle Metro 
escalator. The meetings for non-governmental organizations and industry 
will be held at 10 am and 11:30 am respectively. The U.S. Department of 
State is issuing this notice to help ensure interested parties are 
aware of the UNEP Governing Council discussions on mercury, and have an 
opportunity to offer comments to the U.S. Government on the issues 
raised in UNEP's Global Mercury Assessment. Those organizations or 
individuals which cannot attend the meeting, but wish to either submit 
a written comment or to remain informed, should provide Margaret Wilson 
of the U.S.

[[Page 66449]]

Department Of State with a statement and their name, organization, 
address, phone number, and e-mail. Margaret Wilson can be contacted at 
the U.S. Department of State, Office of Environmental Policy (OES/ENV), 
Room 4325, 2201 C Street NW., Washington DC 20520, phone 202-647-4833, 
fax 202-647-5947, [email protected].

    Dated: October 25, 2002.
Jeff Lunstead,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy, Bureau of Oceans, 
International Environment, & Scientific Affairs, Department Of State.
[FR Doc. 02-27713 Filed 10-30-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P