[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 204 (Wednesday, October 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63208-63209]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25174]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 8920]


Meeting on United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement Environment 
Chapter Implementation, Working Group on Environmental Cooperation, and 
Public Session

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Announcement of meetings; solicitation of suggestions; 
invitation to public session.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State and the Office of the United States 
Trade Representative (USTR) are providing notice that the governments 
of the United States and Kingdom of Morocco (the governments) intend to 
hold a meeting to review implementation of the Environment Chapter of 
the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a meeting of the 
United States-Morocco Working Group on Environmental Cooperation 
(Working Group), and a public session in Rabat, Morocco, on October 28, 
2014, at the Ministry of Environment, to discuss implementation of the 
Environment Chapter and Joint Statement on Environmental Cooperation. 
During the meetings, the governments will review and discuss 
implementation of the Environment Chapter of the FTA. The governments 
will also discuss how the United States and Morocco can strengthen 
Morocco's capacity to protect and conserve the environment, highlight 
past bilateral environmental cooperation, review activities under the 
2010-2012 Plan of Action, and develop a 2014-2017 Plan of Action. The 
Department of State and USTR invite the members of the public to submit 
written suggestions on items to include on the meeting agenda or in the 
2014-2017 Plan of Action.
    The Department of State and USTR also invite interested persons to 
attend a public session where the public will have the opportunity to 
ask about implementation of both the Joint Statement and the 
Environment Chapter of the United States-Morocco FTA.

DATES: The public session will be held on October 28, 2014, in Rabat, 
Morocco at the Ministry of Environment. Suggestions on the meeting 
agenda and/or the 2014-2017 Plan of Action should be provided no later 
than October 26, 2014, to facilitate consideration.

ADDRESSES: Those interested in attending the public session should 
email Geoff Finger at [email protected] to find out the time of the 
session. Suggestions on the meeting agenda and/or the 2014-2017 Plan of 
Action should be emailed to [email protected] or faxed to Geoff Finger 
at (202) 647-5947, with the subject line ``United States-Morocco 
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-2014-0025.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Environment Chapter of the FTA includes 
obligations on each Party to ensure that its environmental laws and 
policies provide for and encourage high levels of environmental 
protection, effectively enforce its environmental laws, and provide 
opportunities for public participation on matters related to the 
implementation of the chapter. In the Joint Statement, the governments 
of the United States and Morocco (1) recognize ``the importance of 
protecting the environment while promoting sustainable development in 
concert with the expanded bilateral trade and investment ties 
accompanying the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (`FTA')'' 
and (2) indicate their intent ``to pursue efforts to enhance bilateral 
environmental cooperation. . . .'' The governments express their 
intention to undertake cooperative environmental activities pursuant to 
the Joint Statement. In paragraph 5 of the Joint Statement, the 
governments establish the Working Group to coordinate and review 
environmental cooperation activities. As envisioned in the Joint 
Statement, the Working Group will endeavor to develop a Plan of Action, 
review and assess cooperative environmental activities pursuant to the 
Plan of Action, recommend ways to improve such cooperation, and 
undertake such other activities as may seem appropriate to the 
governments. The Plan of Action is a tool to establish goals, 
objectives, and areas for cooperation, including short-, medium-, and 
long-term bilateral and/or regional projects and activities. Through 
this notice, the United States is soliciting the views of the public 
with respect to the 2014-2017 Plan of Action.
    In February 2010, the governments established the 2010-2012 Plan of 
Action for environmental cooperation with the following primary 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 Environmental 
Performance; and (4) Environmental Education, Transparency and Public 
Participation in Environmental Decision-Making and Enforcement. The 
governments intend to adopt a 2014-2017 Plan of Action at the meetings, 
which the United States expects will build upon the cooperative work 
initiated in the 2010-2012 Plan of Action.
    Members of the public, including NGOs, educational institutions, 
private sector enterprises, and all other interested persons are 
invited to submit written suggestions regarding items for inclusion in 
the meeting agendas or in the new Plan of Action. Please include your 
full name and identify any

[[Page 63209]]

organization or group you represent. We encourage submitters to refer 
to:
     United States-Morocco Joint Statement on Environmental 
Cooperation;
     2010-2012 Plan of Action Pursuant to the United States-
Morocco Joint Statement on Environmental Cooperation;
     Chapter 17 of the United States-Morocco Free Trade 
Agreement; and
     Final Environmental Review of the United States-Morocco 
Free Trade Agreement.
    These documents are available at: http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/morocco/index.htm.

    Dated: October 17, 2014.
Deborah Klepp,
Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues, 
U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2014-25174 Filed 10-21-14; 8:45 am]
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