[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 57 (Thursday, March 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14479-14481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-6653]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Request for Comments Concerning an Environmental Review of the 
Proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

ACTION: Notice of intent to conduct an environmental review of the 
proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement and request 
for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This publication gives notice that the Office of the United 
States Trade Representative (USTR), through the Trade Policy Staff 
Committee (TPSC), is initiating an environmental review of the proposed 
Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement (TPP) between the United 
States and the other countries currently involved in TPP negotiations. 
The TPSC is requesting written comments from the public on what should 
be included in the scope of the environmental review, including the 
potential environmental effects that might flow from the trade 
agreement and the potential implications for U.S. environmental laws 
and regulations. The TPSC is also requesting identification of 
potential

[[Page 14480]]

complementarities between trade and environmental objectives such as 
the promotion of sustainable development. 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 (64 FR 63169) (Nov. 18, 1999) and 
its implementing guidelines (65 FR 79442). Persons submitting written 
comments should provide as much detail as possible on the degree to 
which the subject matter they propose for inclusion in the review may 
raise significant environmental issues in the context of the 
negotiation. Public comments on environmental issues submitted in 
response to a previous notice (74 FR 66720) requesting comments from 
the public to assist USTR in formulating positions and proposals with 
respect to all aspects of the negotiation of a Trans-Pacific 
Partnership Trade Agreement will be taken into account in preparing the 
environmental review and do not need to be resubmitted.

DATES: Written comments are due by June 1, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submissions via on-line: http://www.regulations.gov. For 
alternatives to on-line submissions, please contact Gloria Blue, 
Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), at (202) 395-
3475.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning 
written comments, please contact Gloria Blue at the above number. All 
other questions regarding the environmental review of the TPP trade 
agreement should be directed to David Brooks, Environment and Natural 
Resources Section, USTR, at (202) 395-7320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background Information

    On December 14, 2009, USTR notified Congress of the President's 
intent to enter into negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 
regional, Asia-Pacific trade agreement. The United States is entering 
into negotiations with the Trans-Pacific Partnership countries 
(Singapore, Chile, New Zealand, Brunei Darussalam, Australia, Peru and 
Vietnam) with the goal of shaping a high-standard, 21st century, 
regional agreement that will have broad-based membership. Through 
notices in the Federal Register and a public hearing (held March 4, 
2009 in Washington, DC), the TPSC invited the public to provide written 
comments and/or oral testimony to assist USTR in amplifying and 
clarifying negotiating objectives for the proposed TPP and to provide 
advice on how specific goods and services and other matters should be 
treated under the proposed agreement (see 74 FR 4480; 74 FR 66720). 
Additional information about the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership 
Free Trade Agreement can be found at http://www.ustr.gov/tpp.

2. Environmental Review

    USTR, through the TPSC, will conduct an environmental review of the 
agreement consistent with Executive Order 13141 (64 FR 63169) and its 
implementing guidelines (65 FR 79442). Environmental reviews are used 
to identify potentially significant, reasonably foreseeable 
environmental impacts (both positive and negative), and information 
from the review can help facilitate consideration of appropriate 
responses where impacts are identified. Reviews address potential 
environmental impacts of the proposed agreement and potential 
implications for environmental laws and regulations. The focus of the 
review is on impacts in the United States, although global and trans-
boundary impacts may be considered, where appropriate and prudent.
    Environmental reviews were conducted for bilateral free trade 
agreements concluded with a number of TPP negotiating partners. 
Environmental reviews for the U.S.-Singapore FTA, the U.S.-Chile FTA, 
the U.S.-Australia FTA and the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement are 
available on the USTR Web site: http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/environment/environmental-reviews. These reviews provide background 
information on the FTA partner, information on trade-related 
environmental issues in the context of the bilateral free trade 
agreement, as well as information on the approach to conducting 
environmental reviews.

3. Requirements for Submissions

    Persons submitting comments must do so in English and must identify 
(on the first page of the submission) the ``United States-Trans-Pacific 
Partnership Trade Agreement.'' In order to be assured of consideration, 
comments should be submitted by June 1, 2010.
    In order to ensure the timely receipt and consideration of 
comments, USTR strongly encourages commenters to make on-line 
submissions, using the http://www.regulations.gov Web site. Comments 
should be submitted under the following docket: USTR-2010-0010. To find 
the docket, enter the docket number in the ``Enter Keyword or ID'' 
window at the http://www.regulations.gov 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 
by selecting ``Notices'' under ``Document Type'' on the search-results 
page, and click on the link entitled ``Submit a Comment.'' (For further 
information on using the http://www.regulations.gov Web site, please 
consult the resources provided on the website by clicking on the 
``Help'' tab.)
    The http://www.regulations.gov Web site provides the option of 
making submissions by filling in a comments field, or by attaching a 
document. USTR prefers submissions to be provided in an attached 
document. If a document is attached, it is sufficient to type ``See 
attached'' in the ``Type comment & Upload File'' field. 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 ``Comments'' 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 or reply 
comments. Filers submitting comments containing no business 
confidential information should name their file using the character 
``P'', followed by 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 comments themselves. 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.
    USTR strongly urges submitters to file comments through http://www.regulations.gov, if at all possible. Any alternative arrangements 
must be made with Ms. Blue in advance of transmitting a comment. Ms. 
Blue should be contacted at (202) 395-3475.

[[Page 14481]]

General information concerning USTR is available at http://www.ustr.gov.

Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2010-6653 Filed 3-24-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W0-P