[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39976-39977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-16341]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Trade Policy Staff Committee; Public Comments on Environmental 
Review of Proposed United States-Jordan Free Trade Agreement

ACTION: Notice of initiation of environmental review and request for 
comments on scope of review.

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SUMMARY: This publication gives notice that pursuant to Executive Order 
13141 (64 FR 63169) the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), 
through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is initiating an 
environmental review of the proposed United States-Jordan free trade 
agreement notified in the Federal Register on June 15, 2000 (65 FR 
37594). The TPSC is requesting written comments from the public on what 
should be included in the scope of the review, including the potential 
environmental effects that might flow from the free trade agreement and 
the potential implications for out environmental laws and regulations. 
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. Jordan has indicated that it plans to 
perform its own environmental review of the free trade agreement, a 
process the U.S. Agency for International Development is prepared to 
support with technical assistance if requested by the government of 
Jordan.

DATES: Comments about the scope of the review should be submitted on or 
before July 17, 2000 to be assured of timely consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For procedural questions concerning public 
comments, contact Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, TPSC, Office of the 
USTR, 600 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508 (202) 395-3475. All 
other questions regarding the review should be addressed to Mary 
Latimer, Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative for Environment and 
Natural Resources, Office of the USTR (202) 395-7230 or Adam Shub, 
Director for Middle Eastern Affairs, Office of the USTR (202) 395-3320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 6, 2000, President Clinton agreed 
with Jordan's King Abdullah II to negotiate a bilateral free trade 
agreement. In the negotiations, the United States and Jordan will seek 
to eliminate duties and commercial barriers to bilateral trade in U.S.- 
and Jordanian-origin goods and also expect to address trade in 
services, trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights, trade-
related environmental and labor matters, and other issues. The TPSC 
requested written comments from the public to assist USTR in 
formulating negotiating objectives for the agreement in the Federal 
Register on June 15, 2000 (65 FR 37594).
    USTR has requested that the U.S. International Trade Commission 
conduct a detailed study of the potential economic impacts of the free 
trade agreement on the United States. Two-way trade in goods between 
the United States and Jordan totaled $307 million in 1999, consisting 
of $276 million in U.S. exports to Jordan and $31 million in Jordanian 
exports to the United States. Jordan's top exports to the United States 
in 1999 were aircraft and aircraft parts sent to the United States for 
repair, jewelry made of precious metals, apparel including mens and 
boys suits, capets, and antiques over 100 years old. Top U.S. exports 
to Jordan in 1999 were wheat, aircraft parts, rice, and corn.

Written Comments

    Persons submitting written comments should provide twenty (20) 
copies no later than noon July 17, 2000, to Gloria Blue at the address 
listed above. Written comments submitted in connection with this 
request, except for information granted ``business confidential'' 
status pursuant to 15 CFR 2003.6, will be

[[Page 39977]]

available for public inspection in the USTR Reading Room (Room 101) at 
the address noted above. An appointment to review the file may be made 
by calling Brenda Webb at (202) 395-6186. The Reading Room is open to 
the public from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday 
through Friday.
    Business confidential information will be subject to the 
requirements of 15 CFR 2003.6. Any business confidential material must 
be clearly marked as such on the cover letter or page and each 
succeeding page, and must be accompanied by a non-confidential summary 
thereof. If the submission contains business confidential information, 
twenty (20) copies of a public version that does not contain 
confidential information must be submitted. A justification as to why 
the information contained in the submission should be treated 
confidentially must be included in the submission. In addition, any 
submissions containing business confidential information must be 
clearly marked ``Confidential'' at the top and bottom of the cover page 
(or letter) and each succeeding page of the submission. The version 
that does not contain confidential information should also be clearly 
marked, at the top and bottom of each page, ``public version'' or 
``non-confidential.''

Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 00-16341 Filed 6-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M