[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 117 (Thursday, June 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34952-34953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15003]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 9171]


Notification of the Next CAFTA-DR Environmental Affairs Council 
Meeting

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice of the CAFTA-DR Environmental Affairs Council Meeting 
and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State and the Office of the United States 
Trade Representative are providing notice that the parties to the 
Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement 
(CAFTA-DR) intend to hold the ninth meeting of the Environmental 
Affairs Council (Council) established under Chapter 17 (Environment) of 
that agreement in Guatemala City, Guatemala on July 9-10. The Council 
will meet on July 9 to review implementation of Chapter 17 of CAFTA-DR 
and the CAFTA-DR Environmental Cooperation Agreement (ECA). All 
interested persons are invited to attend the Council's public session 
beginning at 9:30 a.m. on July 10 at Universidad del Valle de 
Guatemala. During the Council meeting, Council Members will present the 
progress made and challenges in implementing Chapter 17 obligations and 
the impacts of environmental cooperation in their respective countries. 
The Council will also receive a presentation from the CAFTA-DR 
Secretariat for Environmental Matters (SEM). More information on the 
Council is included below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. All 
interested persons are invited to attend a public session where they 
will have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss implementation of 
Chapter 17 and the Environmental Cooperation Agreement with Council 
Members. At the public session, the Council hopes to receive input from 
the public on current environmental challenges and ideas for future 
cooperation. The Department of State and Office of the United States 
Trade Representative also invite written comments or suggestions 
regarding topics to be discussed at the meeting. In preparing comments, 
we encourage submitters to refer to Chapter 17 of the CAFTA-DR, the 
Final Environmental Review of the CAFTA-DR, and the Agreement among the 
CAFTA-DR countries on Environmental Cooperation (ECA) (all documents 
available at http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/caftadr/index.htm).

DATES: The public session of the Council will be held on July 10, 2015, 
from 9:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala. We 
request comments and suggestions in writing no later than June 26, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions should be submitted to both:
    (1) Eloise Canfield, 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

[[Page 34953]]

line ``CAFTA-DR EAC Meeting'' or by fax to (202) 647-5947; and
    (2) Laura Buffo, Director for Environment and Natural Resources, 
Office of the United States Trade Representative by email to 
[email protected] with the subject line ``CAFTA-DR EAC Meeting'' 
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-XXXX-
XXXX.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eloise Canfield, (202) 647-4750 or 
Laura Buffo, 202-395-9424

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 17.5 of the CAFTA-DR establishes an 
Environmental Affairs Council (the Council) and requires it to meet 
annually unless the CAFTA-DR parties otherwise agree to oversee the 
implementation of, and review progress under, Chapter 17. Article 17.5 
further requires, unless the parties otherwise agree, that each meeting 
of the Council include a session in which members of the Council have 
an opportunity to meet with the public to discuss matters relating to 
the implementation of Chapter 17. In Article 17.9, the parties 
recognize the importance of strengthening capacity to protect the 
environment and to promote sustainable development in concert with 
strengthening trade and investment relations and state their commitment 
to expanding their cooperative relationship on environmental matters. 
Article 17.9 also references the ECA, which sets out certain priority 
areas of cooperation on environmental activities that are also 
reflected in Annex 17.9 of the CAFTA-DR. These priority areas include, 
among other things: Reinforcing institutional and legal frameworks and 
the capacity to develop, implement, administer, and enforce 
environmental laws, regulations, standards and policies; conserving and 
managing shared, migratory and endangered species in international 
trade and management of protected areas; promoting best practices 
leading to sustainable management of the environment; and facilitating 
technology development and transfer and training to promote clean 
production technologies.
    If you would like to attend the public session, please notify 
Eloise Canfield at the email addresses listed above under the heading 
ADDRESSES. Please include your full name and identify any organization 
or group you represent. In preparing comments, we encourage submitters 
to refer to:
     Chapter 17 of the CAFTA-DR,
     The Final Environmental Review of CAFTA-DR, and
     The ECA.
    These documents are available at: http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/caftadr/index.htm. Visit http://www.state.gov and the USTR Web 
site at www.ustr.gov for more information.

    Dated: June 15, 2015.
Deborah Klepp,
Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues, 
U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2015-15003 Filed 6-17-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P