[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2439-2440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-618]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7292]


Request for Comments and Suggestions for the Agenda of the 
Environmental Affairs Council (Eac) of the Dominican Republic-Central 
America-United States Free Trade Agreement (Cafta-Dr)

ACTION: Notice of CAFTA-DR EAC meeting and request for comments on the 
meeting agenda.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State and the Office of the United States 
Trade Representative (USTR) are providing notice that, as set forth in 
chapter 17 of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free 
Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), the CAFTA-DR governments intend to hold the 
fifth meeting of the Environmental Affairs Council (EAC) in Washington, 
DC on January 27, 2011, at the Organization of American States, 200 
17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20006. The EAC will hold a public 
session in the afternoon, with a reception immediately following.
    During the meeting, the EAC members will present on their 
respective countries' progress in implementing chapter 17 and on the 
impacts of environmental cooperation in their countries. The EAC will 
also receive a presentation from the CAFTA-DR Secretariat for 
Environmental Matters (SEM) and discuss the Organization of American 
States' Second Evaluation Report: Monitoring Progress of the 
Environmental Cooperation Agenda in the CAFTA-DR Countries. For the 
public session of the meeting, the EAC will present the results of the 
above discussion elements with a particular focus on the chapter 17 
obligations and environmental cooperation successes. The public will 
have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss implementation of 
chapter 17 and environmental cooperation with EAC members. In addition, 
the SEM will present on the citizen submissions mechanism established 
under chapter 17. More information on the EAC is detailed below under 
Supplementary Information.
    The Department of State and USTR invite written comments or 
suggestions regarding the EAC meeting agenda and the Environmental 
Cooperation Expo. In

[[Page 2440]]

preparing comments, we encourage submitters to refer to chapter 17 of 
the CAFTA-DR, the Final Environment Review of the CAFTA-DR and the 
Agreement among the CAFTA-DR parties on Environmental Cooperation (ECA) 
(available at http://www.state.gov/g/oes/env/trade/caftadr/index.htm).

DATES: To be assured of timely consideration, all comments or 
suggestions are requested no later than January 20, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions should be submitted to both: 
(1) Rebecca Slocum, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and 
International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of 
Environmental Policy by e-mail to [email protected] with the subject 
line ``CAFTA-DR EAC Meeting'' or by fax to (202) 647-5947; and (2) 
Kelly Milton, Director for International Environmental & Conservation 
Policy, Office of the United States Trade Representative by e-mail to 
[email protected] with the subject line ``CAFTA-DR EAC Meeting'' or 
by fax to (202) 395-9517.
    Persons with access to the Internet will be able to review and 
comment on the notice by going to the Regulations.gov Web site at: 
http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#home, and searching on 
docket ID DOS-2011-0015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Slocum, 202-647-4828 or Kelly 
Milton, 202-395-9590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 17.5 of the CAFTA-DR establishes an 
Environmental Affairs Council (EAC). Article 17.5 requires the EAC to 
meet to review the implementation of, and progress under, chapter 17. 
Article 17.5 further requires, unless the governments otherwise agree, 
that each meeting of the EAC include a session in which members of the 
EAC have an opportunity to meet with the public to discuss matters 
relating to the implementation of chapter 17.
    In Article 17.9 of the CAFTA-DR, the governments 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 that are also reflected in 
Annex 17.9 of the CAFTA-DR. These priority areas include, among other 
things: 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 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.
    The public is advised to refer to the State Department website at 
http://www.state.gov/g/oes/env/ and the USTR Web site at http://www.ustr.gov for further information.

    Dated: January 10, 2011.
Willem H. Brakel, PhD,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-618 Filed 1-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P