[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 18 (Monday, January 28, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 5854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01692]



[[Page 5854]]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 8164]


Notification of the First Meetings of the U.S.-Korea FTA 
Environmental Affairs Council and ECA Environmental Cooperation 
Commission and Request for Comments on the Meeting Agendas

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice of the first meetings of the Environmental Affairs 
Council established pursuant to the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement and 
the Environmental Cooperation Commission established under the U.S.-
Korea Environmental Cooperation Agreement and request for comments on 
the meetings' agendas.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State and the Office of the United States 
Trade Representative (``USTR'') are providing notice that the United 
States and the Republic of Korea (hereinafter ``Korea'') intend to hold 
the first meetings of the Environmental Affairs Council (the 
``Council'' or ``EAC'') and of the Environmental Cooperation Commission 
(the ``Commission'' or ``ECC'') in Washington, DC, on February 14, 
2013. The United States and Korea established the Council pursuant to 
Chapter 20 (Environment) of the United States-Korea Free Trade 
Agreement (``FTA'') and the Commission pursuant to Article 3 of the 
United States-Korea Environmental Cooperation Agreement (``ECA'').
    During the Council meeting, the United States and Korea 
(collectively the ``Parties'') will discuss their respective 
implementation of and progress under the Environment Chapter (Chapter 
20) of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. During the Commission 
meeting, the Parties will discuss plans for ongoing and future 
environmental cooperation and will develop an environmental cooperation 
Work Program for the 2012-2015 period. All interested persons are 
invited to attend a public session where they will have the opportunity 
to ask questions and discuss implementation of Chapter 20 and U.S.-
Korea environmental cooperation with Council and Commission Members. 
The public session will be held at 2:00 p.m., February 14, 2013, at the 
Department of State in room 1105 of the Harry S. Truman Building, 2201 
C Street NW., Washington, DC 20520. To attend the public session, 
please contact Deborah Grout for pre-clearance procedures. For further 
information please contact Deborah Grout or Leslie Yang (contact 
information below).
    The Department of State and USTR also invite interested agencies, 
organizations, and members of the public to submit written comments or 
suggestions regarding the meeting agendas. In preparing comments or 
suggestions, we encourage submitters to refer to: (1) The United 
States-Korea Environmental Cooperation Agreement; (2) Chapter 20 
(Environment) of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement; and (3) 
the Environmental Review of the United States-Korea Free Trade 
Agreement. These documents are available at http://www.state.gov/e/oes/env/trade/c49687.htm.

DATES: The Council and Commission meetings will be held February 14, 
2013 in Washington, DC. To be assured of timely consideration, all 
written comments or suggestions for the agenda are requested no later 
than February 6, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions should be submitted to both: 
(1) Deborah Grout, International Relations Officer, U.S. Department of 
State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific 
Affairs, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues by 
email to [email protected] with the subject line ``U.S.-Korea EAC/ECC 
Meetings'' or fax to 202-647-5947; and (2) Leslie Yang, Director for 
International Environmental Policy, Office of the United States Trade 
Representative by email to [email protected] with the subject 
line ``U.S-Korea EAC/ECC Meetings'' or by fax to (202) 395-9517. If you 
have access to the Internet you can view and comment on this notice by 
going to: http://www.regulations.gov/#!home and searching on docket 
number DOS-2013-0002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Grout, International Relations 
Officer, (202) 647-6777 or Leslie Yang, Director for International 
Environmental Policy, (202) 395-3167.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 20.6.1 of the United States-Korea 
FTA establishes an Environmental Affairs Council (the ``Council''), 
which oversees implementation of Chapter 20 (Environment). Article 
20.6.2 further provides that meetings of the Council shall include a 
public session, unless the Parties otherwise agree.
    The United States and Korea established the U.S.-Korea 
Environmental Cooperation Commission when they signed the U.S.-Korea 
ECA, negotiated in concert with the FTA, on January 23, 2012. In 
Articles 3 and 4 of the ECA, the Governments state that they plan to 
meet to develop and update, as appropriate, a Work Program for 
Environmental Cooperation. The Work Program will identify and outline 
environmental cooperation priorities, on-going efforts, and 
possibilities for future cooperation.
    Please refer to the Department of State Web site at http://www.state.gov/e/oes/env/trade/index.htm and the USTR Web site at 
www.ustr.gov for more information.
    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 
meeting agendas. There is no expectation of resources or funding 
associated with any comments or suggestions for the agendas.

    Dated: January 18, 2013.
George N. Sibley,
Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2013-01692 Filed 1-25-13; 8:45 am]
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