[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37836-37837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15489]



[[Page 37836]]

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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Request for Comments Concerning an Environmental Review of the 
Proposed Trade in Services Agreement

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative

ACTION: Notice of intent to conduct an environmental review of the 
proposed Trade in Services Agreement and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), 
through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is initiating an 
environmental review of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) 
currently being negotiated among 23 economies, including the United 
States. The TPSC invites written comments from the public on the topics 
that should be included in the scope of the environmental review, 
including potential positive or negative environmental effects that 
might result from the trade agreement and potential implications for 
U.S. environmental laws and regulations. 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: Environmental Review of Trade 
Agreement (64 FR 63169, November 18, 1999) and its implementing 
guidelines (65 FR 79442, December 19, 2000). Persons submitting written 
comments should provide as much detail as possible on the manner and 
degree to which the subject matter they propose for inclusion in the 
review may raise significant environmental issues that should be 
considered in the context of the negotiations. Public comments on 
environmental issues submitted in response to prior notices (78 FR 
5238, January 24, 2013) and (78 FR 55135, September 9, 2013) requesting 
comments from the public regarding the TiSA will be taken into account 
in preparing the environmental review and do not need to be 
resubmitted.

DATES: Comments should be submitted on or before September 2, 2014, to 
be assured of timely consideration by the TPSC.

ADDRESSES: Public comments should be submitted electronically to 
www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR 2014-0011. If you are unable to 
provide submissions by www.regulations.gov, please contact Ms. Yvonne 
Jamison (202-395-3475) to arrange for an alternative method of 
transmission.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the submission of 
comments in response to this notice should be directed to Ms. Yvonne 
Jamison at (202) 395-3475. Questions concerning the environmental 
review should be addressed to Ms. Leslie Yang at (202) 395-7320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background Information

    On January 15, 2013, USTR notified Congress of the President's 
intent to enter into negotiations for an international services 
agreement with an initial group of 20 trading partners. Twenty-three 
economies are presently participating in TiSA negotiations: Australia, 
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the European Union, Hong Kong, 
Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, 
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, 
Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States. Through a notice in the Federal 
Register and a public hearing (held March 12, 2013, in Washington, DC), 
the TPSC invited the public to provide written comments and/or oral 
testimony to assist USTR in assessing U.S. objectives for the proposed 
agreement (see 78 FR 5238, January 24, 2013). Through a subsequent 
notice in the Federal Register, the TPSC invited the public to provide 
written comments to assist USTR in assessing U.S. objectives regarding 
the participation of Paraguay and Liechtenstein (additions to the 
initial group of TiSA participants) (78 FR 55135, September 9, 2013). 
Additional information about the proposed TiSA can be found at http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/services-investment/services.

2. Environmental Review

    USTR, through the TPSC, will conduct an environmental review of the 
agreement consistent with Executive Order 13141 (64 FR 63169, November 
18, 1999) and its implementing guidelines (65 FR 79442, December 19, 
2000). The purpose of environmental reviews is to ensure that 
policymakers and the public are informed about reasonably foreseeable 
environmental impacts of trade agreements (both positive and negative), 
to identify complementarities between trade and environmental 
objectives, and to help shape appropriate responses if environmental 
impacts are identified. Reviews are intended to be one tool, among 
others, for integrating environmental information and analysis into the 
fluid, dynamic process of trade negotiations. USTR and the Council on 
Environmental Quality jointly oversee implementation of the Executive 
Order and its implementing guidelines. USTR, through the TPSC, is 
responsible for conducting the individual reviews. Additional 
background information and examples of prior environmental reviews are 
available at: http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/environment/environmental-reviews.

3. Requirements for Submissions

    Persons submitting comments must do so in English and must identify 
(on the first page of the submission) ``Comments Regarding the Trade in 
Services Agreement (TiSA) Environmental Review.'' In order to be 
assured of consideration, comments should be submitted by September 2, 
2014. In order to ensure the timely receipt and consideration of 
comments, USTR strongly encourages commenters to make on-line 
submissions, using the www.regulations.gov Web site. To submit comments 
via www.regulations.gov, enter docket number USTR 2014-0011 on the 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 and click on the link entitled ``Comment Now!'' (For 
further information on using the www.regulations.gov Web site, please 
consult the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on ``How to 
Use This Site'' on the left side of the home page).
    The www.regulations.gov Web site allows users to provide comments 
by filling in a ``Type Comment'' field, or by attaching a document 
using an ``Upload File'' field. USTR prefers that comments be provided 
in an attached document. 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 ``Type Comment'' 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. Filers 
submitting comments containing no business confidential information

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should name their file using 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 submission itself. 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.
    As noted, USTR strongly urges submitters to file comments through 
the www.regulations.gov Web site if at all possible. Any alternative 
arrangements must be made with Ms. Jamison in advance of transmitting a 
comment. Ms. Jamison may be contacted at (202) 395-3475. General 
information concerning USTR is available at www.ustr.gov.
    Comments will be placed in the docket and open to public 
inspection, except business confidential information. Comments may be 
viewed on the www.regulations.gov Web site by entering the relevant 
docket number in the search field on the home page.

Douglas Bell,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2014-15489 Filed 7-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F4-P