Department of State June 23, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 https://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/ caftadr/index.htm). Instructions on how to submit comments are under the heading ADDRESSES.