[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52099-52100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20805]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 8856]


Meeting of the United States-Jordan Joint Forum on Environmental 
Technical Cooperation and Request for Comments on the Meeting Agenda 
and the 2014-2017 Work Program

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Announcement of meeting; solicitation of comments; invitation 
to public session.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State is providing notice that the 
governments of the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 
(the governments) intend to hold the Joint Forum on Environmental 
Technical Cooperation (Joint Forum) and a public session in Amman, 
Jordan, on September 8, 2014, at the Royal Scientific Society, 
Hashemite Auditorium.
    The governments created the Joint Forum pursuant to the United 
States-Jordan Joint Statement on Environmental Technical Cooperation 
(Joint Statement) in support of the United States-Jordan Free Trade 
Agreement (FTA), both signed on October 24, 2000. During the Joint 
Forum, the governments will discuss how the United States and Jordan 
can cooperate to protect the environment, review past bilateral 
environmental cooperation, and commit to a 2014-2017 Work Program on 
Environmental Technical Cooperation (Work Program). The Department of 
State invites members of the public to submit written comments on items 
to include on the meeting agenda or in the 2014-2017 Work Program.
    The Department of State also invites interested persons to attend a 
public session to learn more about the work of the Joint Forum and the 
new Work Program and provide advice or comments on its implementation.

DATES: The public session will be held on September 8, 2014, in Amman, 
Jordan at the Royal Scientific Society, Hashemite Auditorium. Comments 
on the Joint Forum meeting agenda and/or the 2014-2017 Work Program 
should be provided no later than September 4, 2014, to facilitate 
consideration.

ADDRESSES: Those interested in attending the public session should 
email Geoff Finger at [email protected]. Comments on the Joint Forum 
meeting agenda and/or the 2014-2017 Work Program should be emailed to 
[email protected] or faxed to Geoff Finger at (202) 647-5947, with the 
subject line ``United States-Jordan Environmental Cooperation.'' Those 
with access to the internet can view and comment on this notice by 
going to: http://www.regulations.gov/#!home and searching on docket 
number DOS-2014-0021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Geoff Finger, (202) 647-4828.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States and Jordan announced the 
establishment of the Joint Forum when they signed the Joint Statement 
on October 24, 2000, along with the FTA. The Joint Forum meets 
regularly and advances environmental protection in Jordan by developing 
environmental technical cooperation initiatives, which take into 
account environmental priorities, and which are agreed to by the 
governments. In paragraph 4 of the Joint Statement, the countries 
identified 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 FTA.
    The Joint Forum has met three times since 2000: In 2004, 2009, and 
2012, and issued three documents to implement the Joint Statement. The 
United States anticipates the 2014-2017 Work Program will build upon 
this prior cooperation. The September 2004 Plan of Action focused on 
implementing the strategic vision of 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. During the second Joint Forum in March 2009, the 
governments agreed on the 2008-2011 Work Program, which largely 
continued the previous areas for cooperation. In March 2012, the 
governments issued the most recent Work Program for 2012-2013 with the 
following priority areas of cooperation: (1) Institutional and policy 
strengthening for effective implementation and enforcement of 
environmental laws, including natural resource-related laws; (2) 
biodiversity conservation and improved management of protected areas 
and other ecologically important ecosystems; (3) improved private 
sector

[[Page 52100]]

environmental performance; and (4) environmental education, 
transparency, and public participation in environmental decision-making 
and enforcement.
    Members of the public, including non-governmental organizations, 
educational institutions, private sector enterprises, and all other 
interested persons, are invited to submit written comments regarding 
items for inclusion in the meeting agenda or in the new Work Program. 
Please include your full name and identify any organization or group 
you represent. We encourage submitters to refer to:
     United States-Jordan Joint Statement on Environmental 
Technical Cooperation;
     United States-Jordan 2012-2013 Work Program on 
Environmental Technical Cooperation;
     United States-Jordan 2008-2011 Work Program on 
Environmental Technical Cooperation;
     Article 5 of the United States-Jordan Free Trade 
Agreement; and
     Environmental Review of the United States-Jordan Free 
Trade Agreement.
    These documents are available at: http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/jordan/index.htm.

    Dated: August 27, 2014.
Deborah Klepp,
Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues, 
U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2014-20805 Filed 8-29-14; 8:45 am]
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