[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 200 (Monday, October 19, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53542-53543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25081]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6790]


Suggestions for Updated 2009-2011 Plan of Action for Working 
Group on Environmental Cooperation Established Pursuant to the United 
States--Morocco Joint Statement on Environmental Cooperation

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State is soliciting ideas and suggestions 
for environmental cooperation projects between the United States and 
Morocco. The United States and Morocco are in the process of developing 
an updated 2009-2011 Plan of Action pursuant to the United States-
Morocco Joint Statement on Environmental Cooperation issued in 2004. 
The Joint Statement outlines broad areas of environmental cooperation 
to assist Morocco in complying with its obligations under the United 
States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement. It is envisioned that the 2009-
2011 Plan of Action will focus on the following themes: (1) 
Institutional and policy strengthening for effective implementation and 
enforcement of environmental laws, (2) biodiversity conservation and 
improved management of protected areas, and other ecologically 
important ecosystems, (3) improved private sector environmental 
performance, and (4) environmental education, transparency, and public 
participation in environmental decision-making and enforcement.
    The Department of State invites Government agencies and the public, 
including NGOs, educational institutions, private sector enterprises, 
and other interested persons, to submit written comments or suggestions 
regarding items for the Plan of Action. In preparing such comments or 
suggestions, we encourage submitters to refer to: (1) The U.S.-Morocco 
Joint Statement on Environmental Cooperation, (2) the 2005-2007 Plan of 
Action, (3) the Free Trade Agreement between the United States and 
Morocco, (4) the 2004 Final Environmental Review of the U.S.-Morocco 
Free Trade Agreement, and (5) the website of the Moroccan Ministry of 
the Environment (French and Arabic) which are all available or linked 
at: http://www.state.gov/g/oes/env/trade/. In the near future, the 
Department of State will be seeking ideas and suggestions for 
environmental cooperation projects with U.S. Free Trade Agreement 
partners Bahrain and Oman through similar Federal Register notices.

DATES: To be assured of timely consideration, all written comments or 
suggestions are requested no later than November 4, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions should be e-mailed 
([email protected]) or faxed ((202) 647-1052) to Alan Lowther, U.S. 
Department of State, Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Science, Office 
of Environmental Policy, with the subject line ``U.S.-Morocco Work Plan 
on Environmental Cooperation.'' For those with access to the Internet, 
comments may be submitted at the following address: http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#home.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Lowther, telephone (202) 647-
6777.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In Paragraph 5 of the U.S.-Morocco Joint 
Statement on Environmental Cooperation, the United States and Morocco 
announced the establishment of a Working Group on Environmental

[[Page 53543]]

Cooperation intended to meet regularly. The mandate of the Working 
Group is to advance environmental protection in Morocco by developing 
cooperative environmental activities that take into account 
environmental priorities and that are agreed to by the two Governments. 
The Working Group will develop a Plan of Action towards meeting this 
goal.
    The 2005-2007 Plan of Action focused on a set of mutually 
identified goals in line with the main themes of cooperation noted 
above. These goals were: (1) Strengthening the capacity to develop, 
implement and enforce environmental laws and regulations, (2) 
encouraging the development of incentives and voluntary mechanisms to 
contribute to the achievement and maintenance of high levels of 
environmental protection, (3) promoting opportunities for public 
participation in environmental protection efforts and improving public 
access to information and access to justice on environmental issues, 
(4) protecting coastal environmental zones and estuaries and preventing 
the over-exploitation of fisheries resources, (5) safeguarding 
important natural resources, such as water, and protected areas in 
Morocco, and (6) promoting the growth of the environmental-technology 
business sector. Some indicative actions undertaken in these areas have 
included workshops on environmental impact assessment and the use of 
economic incentives for environmental decision making. Ongoing work 
includes: Assistance to Morocco on enhanced compliance with the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora 
and Fauna (CITES) through legislation; technical assistance for a plan 
to enforce environmental rules in the textile sector; and development 
of a plan to manage waste from olive oil factories. The United States 
Agency for International Development, the Department of the Interior, 
the Department of Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency, the 
Department of Agriculture and the Trade and Development Agency and 
others have been involved in implementing these activities. The 2009-
2011 Plan of Action seeks to build upon the progress made in the 
previous Plan of Action.
    The Plan of Action to be developed envisions cooperative activities 
in four main priority areas: Institutional and policy strengthening; 
biodiversity conservation and improved management of protected areas; 
improved private sector environmental performance; and environmental 
education, transparency, and public participation in environmental 
decision-making and enforcement.
    Please refer to the State Department Web site at http://www.state.gov/g/oes/env/trade/.

    Dated: October 13, 2009.
Lawrence J. Gumbiner,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. E9-25081 Filed 10-16-09; 8:45 am]
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