[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 121 (Thursday, June 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 40937]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14927]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 9614]


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 tenth meeting of the Environmental 
Affairs Council (the Council) established under Chapter 17 
(Environment) of that agreement in San Salvador, El Salvador, on July 7 
and 8, 2016. The Council will commemorate the tenth anniversary of 
CAFTA-DR by highlighting the many environmental accomplishments of the 
past ten years and charting a course for the future. On July 7, the 
Council will meet 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 9:00 a.m. on July 8 at the Hotel Sheraton Presidente in 
San Salvador.
    During the July 7 Council meeting, Council members will present the 
progress made and challenges in implementing Chapter 17 obligations as 
well as the outcomes achieved through 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 the July 8 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 session will also 
offer the opportunity to hear directly from beneficiaries of the CAFTA-
DR Environmental Cooperation Program and explore environmental progress 
in CAFTA-DR countries through a number of side events and interactive 
presentations. If you would like to attend the public session, please 
notify Neal Morris and Laura Buffo at the email addresses listed under 
the heading ADDRESSES. Please include your full name and identify any 
organization or group you represent.
    The Department of State and Office of the United States Trade 
Representative also invite written comments or suggestions to be 
submitted before July 1, 2016 regarding topics to be discussed at the 
Council 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 CAFTA-DR Environmental Cooperation Agreement 
(ECA) (documents available at http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/caftadr/index.htm). Instructions on how to submit comments are under 
the heading ADDRESSES.

DATES: The public session of the Council will be held on July 8, 2016, 
from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Hotel Sheraton Presidente in San 
Salvador, El Salvador. We request comments and suggestions in writing 
no later than July 1, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions should be submitted to both:
    (1) Neal Morris, 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 ``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 for 
docket number DOS-2016-0045.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neal Morris, (202) 647-9312, or Laura 
Buffo, (202) 395-9424

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 17.5 of the CAFTA-DR establishes an 
Environmental Affairs Council (the Council) and, unless the CAFTA-DR 
parties otherwise agree, requires it to meet annually 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. These priority areas include, 
among others: 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 commercial 
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. 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 17, 2016.
Robert Wing,
Acting Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary 
Issues, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2016-14927 Filed 6-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-09-P