[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 24 (Monday, February 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5867-5868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2624]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 7735]


Suggestions for Environmental Cooperation Pursuant to the United 
States-Jordan Joint Statement on Environmental Technical Cooperation

ACTION: Notice of preparation of the 2012-2013 U.S.-Jordan 
Environmental Cooperation Work Program and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department invites the public, including NGOs, educational 
institutions, private sector enterprises and other interested persons, 
to submit written comments or suggestions regarding items for inclusion 
in a new work program for implementing the U.S.-Jordan Joint Statement 
on Environmental Technical Cooperation, which was signed on October 24, 
2000. We encourage submitters to refer to: (1) The U.S.-Jordan Joint 
Statement on Environmental Technical Cooperation; (2) the U.S.-Jordan 
2008-2011 Work Program on Environmental Cooperation; (3) Article 5 
(Environment) of the Agreement Between the United States of America and 
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the Establishment of a Free Trade 
Area (U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement (FTA); and (4) the environmental 
review of the U.S.-Jordan FTA. These documents are available at http://www.state.gov/e/oes/env/trade/jordan/index.htm.

[[Page 5868]]


DATES: To be assured of timely consideration, all written comments or 
suggestions are requested no later than February 29, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions should be emailed 
([email protected]) or faxed ((202) 647-5947) to Tiffany Prather, 
Office of Environmental Policy, Bureau of Oceans and International 
Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, with 
the subject line ``U.S.-Jordan Environmental Cooperation Work 
Program.'' If you have access to the Internet, you may make comments 
electronically by going to http://contact-us.state.gov/app/ask and 
searching on public notice number 7735.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tiffany Prather, telephone (202) 647-
4548.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States and Jordan announced the 
establishment of the U.S.-Jordan Joint Forum on Environmental Technical 
Cooperation (Joint Forum) when they signed the U.S.-Jordan Joint 
Statement on Environmental Technical Cooperation (Joint Statement), on 
October 24, 2000, along with the U.S.-Jordan FTA. The Joint Forum is to 
meet regularly and advance environmental protection in Jordan by 
developing environmental technical cooperation initiatives, which take 
into account environmental priorities, and which are agreed to by the 
two governments. In paragraph 4 of the Joint Statement, the countries 
identify an initial focus of technical cooperation on Jordanian 
environmental quality issues and the development and effective 
implementation of Jordanian environmental laws, as defined in Articles 
5.4 and 18.2(a) of the U.S.-Jordan FTA.
    The Joint Forum has met twice since 2000--in September 2004 and 
March 2009--and issued two plans for implementing the Joint Statement. 
The first--a Plan of Action--focused on implementing a strategic vision 
for Jordan's Ministry of Environment, established in 2002, to promote 
sustainable economic growth and development. The plan outlined 
activities to, among other things, strengthen the Ministry's capacity 
for setting, implementing, and ensuring compliance with environmental 
standards; harness market forces to protect the environment while 
bringing economic benefits; undertake industrial wastewater treatment 
and hazardous waste management for a target region; seek out economic 
benefits of ecotourism; and promote the development of a regional 
network of environmental lawmakers and enforcement officials.
    The second, a Work Program for 2008-2011, identifies long-term 
goals and specifies activities in four priority areas. The long-term 
goals are to achieve: (1) Compliance with obligations in Article 5 
(Environment) of the U.S.-Jordan FTA; (2) improved protection and 
conservation of the environment, including natural resources; (3) 
transparency and meaningful public participation in environmental 
decision-making; and (4) a culture of environmental protection and 
compliance with environmental laws through, among other things, the 
promotion of economic opportunities, voluntary measures to enhance 
environmental performance, and job creation. The priority areas are: 
(1) Institutional and policy strengthening; (2) biodiversity 
conservation and improved management of protected areas; (3) improved 
private sector environmental performance; and (4) environmental 
education, transparency, and public participation in environmental 
decision-making and enforcement.
    For the 2012-2013 Work Program, we anticipate building upon the 
cooperative work initiated under the previous two plans. We are 
requesting suggestions that may be considered for inclusion in the next 
Work Program.
    Disclaimer: This Public Notice is a request for comments and 
suggestions, and is not a request for applications. No granting of 
money is directly associated with this request for suggestions for the 
Work Program. There is no expectation of resources or funding 
associated with any comments or suggestions for the Work Program.

    Dated: January 31, 2012.
George Sibley,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2012-2624 Filed 2-3-12; 8:45 am]
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