Trade Policy Staff Committee; Initiation of Environmental Review of Proposed Free Trade Agreement Between the United States and Korea; Public Comments on Scope of Environmental Review, 10999-11000 [E6-2995]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Notices
States intends to begin negotiations with
Korea in May 2006.
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
2. Employment Impact Review
Section 2102(c)(5) of the Trade Act
(19 U.S.C. 3802(c)(5)) directs the
President to ‘‘review the impact of
future trade agreements on United
States employment, including labor
markets, modeled after Executive Order
13141 to the extent appropriate in
establishing procedures and criteria,
report to the Committee on Ways and
Means of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Finance of the
Senate on such review, and make that
report available to the public.’’ USTR
and Labor will conduct the employment
reviews through the TPSC.
The employment impact review will
be based on the following elements,
which are modeled to the extent
appropriate after those in EO 13141. The
review will be: (1) Written; (2) initiated
through a notice in the Federal Register
soliciting public comment and
information on the employment impact
of the FTA in the United States; (3)
made available to the public in draft
form for public comment, to the extent
practicable; and (4) made available to
the public in final form.
Comments may be submitted on
potentially significant sectoral or
regional employment impacts (both
positive and negative) in the United
States as well as other likely labor
market impacts of the FTA. Persons
submitting comments should provide as
much detail as possible in support of
their submissions.
3. Requirements for Submissions
In order to ensure prompt and full
consideration of responses, the TPSC
strongly urges and prefers electronic
(e-mail) submissions in response to this
notice. In the event that an e-mail
submission is impossible, submissions
should be made by facsimile.
Persons making submissions by email should use the following subject
line: ‘‘Employment Impact Review for a
Free Trade Agreement between the
United States and Korea.’’ Documents
should be submitted as WordPerfect,
MSWord, or text (.TXT) files.
Spreadsheets submitted as supporting
documentation are acceptable as
Quattro Pro or Excel files. If any
document submitted electronically
contains business confidential
information, the file name of the
business confidential version should
begin with the characters ‘‘BC-,’’ and the
file name of the public version should
begin with the character ‘‘P-.’’ The ‘‘P’’ or ‘‘BC-’’ should be followed by the
name of the submitter. Persons who
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:43 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
make submissions by e-mail should not
provide separate cover letters;
information that might appear in a cover
letter should be included in the
submission itself. To the extent
possible, any attachments to the
submission should be included in the
same file as the submission itself, and
not as separate files.
Written comments will be placed in a
file open to public inspection pursuant
to 15 CFR 2003.5, except confidential
business information exempt from
public inspection in accordance with 15
CFR 2003.6. Confidential business
information submitted in accordance
with 15 CFR 2003.6 must be clearly
marked ‘‘BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL’’
at the top of each page, including any
cover letter or cover page, and must be
accompanied by a non-confidential
summary of the confidential
information. All public documents and
non-confidential summaries shall be
available for public inspection in the
USTR Reading Room in Room 3 of the
Annex of the Office of the USTR, 1724
F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508.
An appointment to review the file may
be made by calling (202) 395–6186. The
USTR Reading Room is generally open
to the public from 10 a.m–12 noon and
1–4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Appointments must be scheduled at
least 48 hours in advance.
Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. E6–2993 Filed 3–2–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190–W6–P
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Trade Policy Staff Committee; Initiation
of Environmental Review of Proposed
Free Trade Agreement Between the
United States and Korea; Public
Comments on Scope of Environmental
Review
Office of the United States
Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This publication gives notice
that, pursuant to the Trade Act of 2002,
and consistent with Executive Order
13141 (64 FR 63169) (Nov. 18, 1999)
and its implementing guidelines (65 FR
79442), the Office of the United States
Trade Representative (USTR), through
the Trade Policy Staff Committee
(TPSC), is initiating an environmental
review of the proposed free trade
agreement (FTA) between the United
States and Korea. The TPSC is
requesting written comments from the
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10999
public on what should be included in
the scope of the environmental review,
including the potential environmental
effects that might flow from the free
trade agreement and the potential
implications for U.S. environmental
laws and regulations, and identification
of complementarities between trade and
environmental objectives such as the
promotion of sustainable development.
The TPSC also welcomes public views
on appropriate methodologies and
sources of data for conducting the
review. Persons submitting written
comments should provide as much
detail as possible on the degree to which
the subject matter they propose for
inclusion in the review may raise
significant environmental issues in the
context of the negotiation.
DATES: Public comments should be
received no later than March 31, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submissions by electronic
mail: FR0610@ustr.eop.gov.
Submissions by facsimile: Gloria Blue,
Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff
Committee, at (202) 395–6143.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
procedural questions concerning public
comments, contact Gloria Blue,
Executive Secretary, TPSC, Office of the
USTR, 1724 F Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20508, telephone (202) 395–3475.
Questions concerning the
environmental review should be
addressed to Russell Smith or David J.
Brooks, Environment and Natural
Resources Section, USTR, telephone
(202) 395–7320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background Information
On February 2, 2006, in accordance
with section 2104(a)(1) of the Trade Act
of 2002, the United States Trade
Representative, Ambassador Robert
Portman, notified Congress of the
President’s intent to enter into trade
negotiations with the Republic of Korea.
Ambassador Portman outlined specific
U.S. objectives for these negotiations in
the notification letters to Congress.
Copies of the letters are available at:
https://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/
Bilateral/Republic_of_Korea_FTA/
Section_Index.html.
The TPSC also has invited the public
to provide written comments and/or
oral testimony at a public hearing that
will take place on March 14, 2006, to
assist USTR in amplifying and clarifying
negotiating objectives for the proposed
FTA and to provide advice on how
specific goods and services and other
matters should be treated under the
proposed agreement (see 71 FR 6820).
Korea is the world’s tenth largest
economy and our seventh largest goods
E:\FR\FM\03MRN1.SGM
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11000
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Notices
trading partner. Two-way goods trade
between the United States and Korea
has grown significantly in the past
decade, and totaled more than $72
billion in 2005. The increased access to
Korea’s market that an FTA would
provide would further boost trade in
both goods and services, enhancing
employment opportunities in both
countries. An FTA also would
encourage additional foreign investment
between the United States and Korea. A
free trade agreement with Korea would
serve to strengthen our strategic alliance
with Korea and would underscore U.S.
commitment to promote strong
economic relations with East Asia.
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
2. Environmental Review
USTR, through the TPSC, will
perform an environmental review of the
agreement pursuant to the Trade Act of
2002 and consistent with Executive
Order 13141 (64 FR 63169) and its
implementing guidelines (65 FR 79442).
Environmental reviews are used to
identify potentially significant,
reasonably foreseeable environmental
impacts (both positive and negative),
and information from the review can
help facilitate consideration of
appropriate responses where impacts
are identified. Reviews address
potential environmental impacts of the
proposed agreement and potential
implications for environmental laws
and regulations. The focus of the review
is on impacts in the United States,
although global and transboundary
impacts may be considered, where
appropriate and prudent.
3. Requirements for Submissions
In order to facilitate prompt
processing of submissions, USTR
strongly urges and prefers electronic (email) submissions in response to this
notice.
Persons making submissions by email should use the following subject
line: ‘‘FTA between the United States
and Korea Environmental Review’’
followed by ‘‘Written Comments.’’
Documents should be submitted as a
WordPerfect, MSWord, or text (.TXT)
file. Supporting documentation
submitted as spreadsheets are
acceptable as Quattro Pro or Excel. For
any document containing business
confidential information submitted
electronically, the file name of the
business confidential version should
begin with the characters ‘‘BC-’’, and the
file name of the public version should
begin with the characters ‘‘P-’’. The
‘‘P-’’ or ‘‘BC-’’ should be followed by the
name of the submitter. Persons who
make submissions by e-mail should not
provide separate cover letters;
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:43 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
information that might appear in a cover
letter should be included in the
submission itself. To the extent
possible, any attachments to the
submission should be included in the
same file as the submission itself, and
not as separate files.
Written comments submitted in
response to this request will be placed
in a file open to public inspection
pursuant to 15 CFR 2003.5, except
business confidential information
exempt from public inspection in
accordance with 15 CFR 2003.6.
Business confidential information
submitted in accordance with 15 CFR
2003.6 must be clearly marked
‘‘BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL’’ at the top
of each page, including any cover letter
or cover page, and must be accompanied
by a nonconfidential summary of the
confidential information. All public
documents and nonconfidential
summaries shall be available for public
inspection in the USTR Reading Room.
The USTR Reading Room is open to the
public, by appointment only, from 10
a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday. An
appointment to review the file must be
scheduled at least 48 hours in advance
and may be made by calling (202) 395–
6186.
USTR also welcomes and will take
into account the public comments on
environmental issues submitted in
response to a previous notice—the
Federal Register notice dated February
9, 2006 (71 FR 6820)—requesting
comments from the public to assist
USTR in formulating positions and
proposals with respect to all aspects of
the negotiation of an FTA between the
United States and Korea, including
environmental issues. These comments
will also be made available for public
inspection.
General information concerning the
Office of the United States Trade
Representative may be obtained by
accessing its Internet Web site (https://
www.ustr.gov).
Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. E6–2995 Filed 3–2–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190–W6–P
RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Proposed Collection; Comment
Request
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
requirement of Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
which provides opportunity for public
comment on new or revised data
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collections, the Railroad Retirement
Board (RRB) will publish periodic
summaries of proposed data collections.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed information collection is
necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the agency, including
whether the information has practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the RRB’s
estimate of the burden of the collection
of the information; (c) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden related to
the collection of information on
respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Title and Purpose of Information
Collection
Employee Representative’s Status and
Compensation Reports; OMB 3220–
0014. Under Section 1(b)(1)of the
Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the term
‘‘employee’’ includes an individual who
is an employee representative. As
defined in Section 1(c) of the RRA, an
employee representative is an officer or
official representative of a railway labor
organization other than a labor
organization included in the term
‘‘employer,’’ as defined in the RRA, who
before or after August 29, 1935, was in
the service of an employer under the
RRA and who is duly authorized and
designated to represent employees in
accordance with the Railway Labor Act,
or, any individual who is regularly
assigned to or regularly employed by
such officer or official representative in
connection with the duties of his or her
office. The requirements relating to the
application for employee representative
status and the periodic reporting of the
compensation resulting from such status
is contained in 20 CFR 209.10.
The RRB utilizes Forms DC–2a,
Employee Representative’s Status
Report, and DC–2, Employee
Representative’s Report of
Compensation to obtain the information
needed to determine employee
representative status and to maintain a
record of creditable service and
compensation resulting from such
status. Completion is required to obtain
or retain a benefit. One response is
requested of each respondent.
Minor editorial changes are proposed
to Form DC–2a and Form DC–2. The
completion time for Form DC–2 is
estimated at 30 minutes per response.
The RRB estimates that approximately
65 Form DC–2’s are received annually.
The RRB estimates that less than 10
Form DC–2a’s are received annually.
E:\FR\FM\03MRN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 42 (Friday, March 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10999-11000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2995]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Trade Policy Staff Committee; Initiation of Environmental Review
of Proposed Free Trade Agreement Between the United States and Korea;
Public Comments on Scope of Environmental Review
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This publication gives notice that, pursuant to the Trade Act
of 2002, and consistent with Executive Order 13141 (64 FR 63169) (Nov.
18, 1999) and its implementing guidelines (65 FR 79442), the Office of
the United States Trade Representative (USTR), through the Trade Policy
Staff Committee (TPSC), is initiating an environmental review of the
proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and
Korea. The TPSC is requesting written comments from the public on what
should be included in the scope of the environmental review, including
the potential environmental effects that might flow from the free trade
agreement and the potential implications for U.S. environmental laws
and regulations, and identification of complementarities between trade
and environmental objectives such as the promotion of sustainable
development. The TPSC also welcomes public views on appropriate
methodologies and sources of data for conducting the review. Persons
submitting written comments should provide as much detail as possible
on the degree to which the subject matter they propose for inclusion in
the review may raise significant environmental issues in the context of
the negotiation.
DATES: Public comments should be received no later than March 31, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submissions by electronic mail: FR0610@ustr.eop.gov.
Submissions by facsimile: Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade
Policy Staff Committee, at (202) 395-6143.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning
public comments, contact Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, TPSC, Office
of the USTR, 1724 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508, telephone (202)
395-3475. Questions concerning the environmental review should be
addressed to Russell Smith or David J. Brooks, Environment and Natural
Resources Section, USTR, telephone (202) 395-7320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background Information
On February 2, 2006, in accordance with section 2104(a)(1) of the
Trade Act of 2002, the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador
Robert Portman, notified Congress of the President's intent to enter
into trade negotiations with the Republic of Korea. Ambassador Portman
outlined specific U.S. objectives for these negotiations in the
notification letters to Congress. Copies of the letters are available
at: https://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Republic_of_
Korea_FTA/Section_Index.html.
The TPSC also has invited the public to provide written comments
and/or oral testimony at a public hearing that will take place on March
14, 2006, to assist USTR in amplifying and clarifying negotiating
objectives for the proposed FTA and to provide advice on how specific
goods and services and other matters should be treated under the
proposed agreement (see 71 FR 6820).
Korea is the world's tenth largest economy and our seventh largest
goods
[[Page 11000]]
trading partner. Two-way goods trade between the United States and
Korea has grown significantly in the past decade, and totaled more than
$72 billion in 2005. The increased access to Korea's market that an FTA
would provide would further boost trade in both goods and services,
enhancing employment opportunities in both countries. An FTA also would
encourage additional foreign investment between the United States and
Korea. A free trade agreement with Korea would serve to strengthen our
strategic alliance with Korea and would underscore U.S. commitment to
promote strong economic relations with East Asia.
2. Environmental Review
USTR, through the TPSC, will perform an environmental review of the
agreement pursuant to the Trade Act of 2002 and consistent with
Executive Order 13141 (64 FR 63169) and its implementing guidelines (65
FR 79442).
Environmental reviews are used to identify potentially significant,
reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts (both positive and
negative), and information from the review can help facilitate
consideration of appropriate responses where impacts are identified.
Reviews address potential environmental impacts of the proposed
agreement and potential implications for environmental laws and
regulations. The focus of the review is on impacts in the United
States, although global and transboundary impacts may be considered,
where appropriate and prudent.
3. Requirements for Submissions
In order to facilitate prompt processing of submissions, USTR
strongly urges and prefers electronic (e-mail) submissions in response
to this notice.
Persons making submissions by e-mail should use the following
subject line: ``FTA between the United States and Korea Environmental
Review'' followed by ``Written Comments.'' Documents should be
submitted as a WordPerfect, MSWord, or text (.TXT) file. Supporting
documentation submitted as spreadsheets are acceptable as Quattro Pro
or Excel. For any document containing business confidential information
submitted electronically, the file name of the business confidential
version should begin with the characters ``BC-'', and the file name of
the public version should begin with the characters ``P-''. The ``P-''
or ``BC-'' should be followed by the name of the submitter. Persons who
make submissions by e-mail should not provide separate cover letters;
information that might appear in a cover letter should be included in
the submission itself. To the extent possible, any attachments to the
submission should be included in the same file as the submission
itself, and not as separate files.
Written comments submitted in response to this request will be
placed in a file open to public inspection pursuant to 15 CFR 2003.5,
except business confidential information exempt from public inspection
in accordance with 15 CFR 2003.6. Business confidential information
submitted in accordance with 15 CFR 2003.6 must be clearly marked
``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' at the top of each page, including any cover
letter or cover page, and must be accompanied by a nonconfidential
summary of the confidential information. All public documents and
nonconfidential summaries shall be available for public inspection in
the USTR Reading Room. The USTR Reading Room is open to the public, by
appointment only, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday. An appointment to review the file must be scheduled at
least 48 hours in advance and may be made by calling (202) 395-6186.
USTR also welcomes and will take into account the public comments
on environmental issues submitted in response to a previous notice--the
Federal Register notice dated February 9, 2006 (71 FR 6820)--requesting
comments from the public to assist USTR in formulating positions and
proposals with respect to all aspects of the negotiation of an FTA
between the United States and Korea, including environmental issues.
These comments will also be made available for public inspection.
General information concerning the Office of the United States
Trade Representative may be obtained by accessing its Internet Web site
(https://www.ustr.gov).
Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. E6-2995 Filed 3-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W6-P
