### 52099 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 169 / Tuesday, September 2, 2014 / Notices

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers 59002 and 59008).

James E. Rivera, Associate Administrator, for Disaster
Assistance.

[FR Doc. 2014–20662 Filed 8–29–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 8025–01–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF STATE**

**[Public Notice: 8857]**

**Renewal of the Charter of the International Telecommunication**  **Advisory Committee on (ITAC)**

**SUMMARY :**  This notice announces the renewal of the charter for the International Telecommunication Advisory Committees (ITAC). In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 5 U.S.C. Appendix) and the general authority of the Secretary of State and the Department of State set forth in Title 22 of the United States Code, in particular Sections 2656 and 2707, the charter of the International Telecommunication Advisory Committee has been extended until August 8, 2016.

The ITAC consists of members of the telecommunications industry, ranging from network operators and service providers to equipment vendors, members of academia, members of civil society, and officials of interested government agencies. The ITAC provides views and advice to the Department of State on positions on international telecommunications and information policy matters. This advice has been a major factor in ensuring that the United States was well prepared to participate effectively in the international telecommunications and information policy arena.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Please contact Franz Zichy at 202–647–
5778, zichyfj@msn.com

.

Dated: August 27, 2014. Franz J.G. Zichy, Electronic Engineer, Office of International Communications and Information Policy, Department of State.

[FR Doc. 2014–20799 Filed 8–29–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4710–07–P DEPARTMENT OF STATE** 

**[Public Notice 8856]**

**Meeting of the United States-Jordan Joint Forum on Environmental**  **Technical Cooperation and Request for Comments on the Meeting Agenda and**  **the 2014–2017 Work Program**

**AGENCY :**  Department of State.

**ACTION :**  Announcement of meeting; solicitation of comments; invitation to public session.

**SUMMARY :**  The Department of State is providing notice that the governments of the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (the governments) intend to hold the Joint Forum on Environmental Technical Cooperation (Joint Forum) and a public session in Amman, Jordan, on September 8, 2014, at the Royal Scientific Society, Hashemite Auditorium.

The governments created the JointForum pursuant to the United StatesJordan Joint Statement on Environmental Technical Cooperation (Joint Statement) in support of the United States-Jordan Free Trade Agreement (FTA), both signed on October 24, 2000. During the Joint Forum, the governments will discuss how the United States and Jordan can cooperate to protect the environment, review past bilateral environmental cooperation, and commit to a 2014– 2017 Work Program on Environmental Technical Cooperation (Work Program). The Department of State invites members of the public to submit written comments on items to include on the meeting agenda or in the 2014–2017 Work Program.

The Department of State also invites interested persons to attend a public session to learn more about the work of the Joint Forum and the new Work Program and provide advice or comments on its implementation.

**DATES :**  The public session will be held on September 8, 2014, in Amman, Jordan at the Royal Scientific Society, Hashemite Auditorium. Comments on the Joint Forum meeting agenda and/or the 2014–2017 Work Program should be provided no later than September 4, 2014, to facilitate consideration.

**ADDRESSES :**  Those interested in attending the public session should email Geoff Finger at FingerGT@ state.gov. Comments on the Joint Forum meeting agenda and/or the 2014–2017 Work Program should be emailed to FingerGT@state.gov or faxed to Geoff Finger at (202) 647–5947, with the subject line ‘‘United States-Jordan Environmental Cooperation.’’ Those with access to the internet can view and comment on this notice by going to: http://www.regulations.gov/#!home and searching on docket number DOS–

2014–0021.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Geoff Finger, (202) 647–4828.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  The United States and Jordan announced the establishment of the Joint Forum when they signed the Joint Statement on October 24, 2000, along with the FTA. The Joint Forum meets regularly and advances environmental protection in Jordan by developing environmental technical cooperation initiatives, which take into account environmental priorities, and which are agreed to by the governments. In paragraph 4 of the Joint Statement, the countries identified an initial focus of technical cooperation on Jordanian environmental quality issues and the development and effective implementation of Jordanian environmental laws, as defined in Articles 5.4 and 18.2(a) of the FTA.

The Joint Forum has met three times since 2000: In 2004, 2009, and 2012, and issued three documents to implement the Joint Statement. The United States anticipates the 2014–2017 Work Program will build upon this prior cooperation. The September 2004 Plan of Action focused on implementing the strategic vision of Jordan’s Ministry of Environment, established in 2002, to promote sustainable economic growth and development. The plan outlined activities to, among other things, strengthen the Ministry’s capacity for setting, implementing, and ensuring compliance with environmental standards; harness market forces to protect the environment while bringing economic benefits; undertake industrial wastewater treatment and hazardous waste management for a target region; seek out economic benefits of ecotourism; and promote the development of a regional network of environmental lawmakers and enforcement officials. During the second Joint Forum in March 2009, the governments agreed on the 2008–2011 Work Program, which largely continued the previous areas for cooperation. In March 2012, the governments issued the most recent Work Program for 2012– 2013 with the following priority areas of cooperation: (1) Institutional and policy strengthening for effective implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, including natural resource-related laws; (2) biodiversity conservation and improved management of protected areas and other ecologically important ecosystems; (3) improved private sector


### 52100 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 169 / Tuesday, September 2, 2014 / Notices

environmental performance; and (4) environmental education, transparency, and public participation in environmental decision-making and enforcement.

Members of the public, including non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, private sector enterprises, and all other interested persons, are invited to submit written comments regarding items for inclusion in the meeting agenda or in the new Work Program. Please include your full name and identify any organization or group you represent. We encourage submitters to refer to:

• United States-Jordan Joint Statement on Environmental Technical Cooperation;

• United States-Jordan 2012–2013 Work Program on Environmental Technical Cooperation;

• United States-Jordan 2008–2011 Work Program on Environmental Technical Cooperation;

• Article 5 of the United States-Jordan Free Trade Agreement; and

• Environmental Review of the United States-Jordan Free Trade Agreement.

These documents are available at: http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/ jordan/index.htm.

Dated: August 27, 2014. Deborah Klepp, Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues, U.S. Department of
State.

[FR Doc. 2014–20805 Filed 8–29–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4710–09–P**

**OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE** 

**Request for Comments and Notice of Public Hearing Concerning Russia’s**  **Implementation of Its WTO Obligations**

**AGENCY :**  Office of the United States Trade Representative.

**ACTION :**  Request for comments and notice of public hearing concerning Russia’s implementation of Its obligations as a Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

**SUMMARY :**  The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) will convene a public hearing and seek public comment to assist the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in the preparation of its annual report to Congress on Russia’s implementation of its obligations as a Member of the WTO.

**DATES :**  Written comments are due by 11:59 p.m., Friday, September 26, 2014. Persons wishing to testify orally at the hearing must provide written notification of their intention, as well as a summary of their testimony, by 11:59 p.m., Friday, September 26, 2014. The hearing will be held on Friday, October 10, 2014, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in Rooms 1 & 2, 1724 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20508.

**ADDRESSES :**  Written comments and notifications of intent to testify should be submitted electronically via the
Internet at www.regulations.gov. If you are unable to provide submissions at www.regulations.gov, please contact Yvonne Jamison, TPSC, at (202) 395– 3475, to arrange for an alternative method of transmission.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For procedural questions concerning written comments, please contact Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395–3475. All other questions regarding this notice should be directed to Betsy Hafner, Deputy Assistant United States Trade Representative for Russia and Eurasia, at (202) 395–9124.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  1. Background

Russia became a Member of the WTO on August 22, 2012, and on December 21, 2012, following the termination of the application of the Jackson-Vanik amendment to Russia and the extension of permanent normal trade relations to the products of Russia, the United States and Russia both filed letters with theWTO withdrawing their notices of nonapplication and consenting to have the WTO Agreement apply between them. In accordance with section 201(a) of the Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitskiy Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112–208), USTR is required to submit, by December 21 of each year, a report to Congress on the extent to which Russia is implementing the WTO Agreement, including the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. The Report must also assess Russia’s progress on acceding to the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). In addition, to the extent that USTR finds that Russia is not implementing fully the WTO Agreement or is not making adequate progress in acceding to the ITA or the GPA, USTR must describe in the report the actions it plans to take to encourage Russia to improve its implementation and/or increase its accession efforts. In accordance with section 201(a), and to assist it in preparing this year’s report, the TPSC is hereby soliciting public comment.

The terms of Russia’s accession to the WTO are contained in the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization and the Protocol on the Accession of the Russian Federation to the WTO (including its annexes) (Protocol). The Report of the Working Party on the Accession of the Russian Federation (Working Party Report) provides detail and context to the commitments listed in the Protocol. The Protocol and Working Party Report can be found on USTR’s Web page, http:// www.ustr.gov/webfm

lsend/3224 or on the WTO Web site, http:// docsonline.wto.org (document symbols: WT/ACC/RUS/70, WT/MIN(11)/2, WT/ MIN(11)/24, WT/L/839, and WT/ACC/ RUS/70/Add.1, WT/ACC/RUS/70/ Add.2.
2. Public Comment and Hearing

USTR invites written comments and/ or oral testimony of interested persons on Russia’s implementation of the commitments made in connection with its accession to the WTO, including, but not limited to, commitments in the following areas: (a) Import regulation (e.g., tariffs, tariff-rate quotas, quotas, import licenses); (b) export regulation; (c) subsidies; (d) standards and technical regulations; (e) sanitary and phytosanitary measures; (f) trade-related investment measures; (g) taxes and charges levied on imports and exports; (h) other internal policies affecting trade; (i) intellectual property rights (including intellectual property rights enforcement); (j) services; (k) rule of law issues (e.g., transparency, judicial review, uniform administration of laws and regulations); and (l) other WTO
commitments.

Written comments must be received no later than 11:59 p.m., Friday, September 26, 2014.

A hearing will be held on Friday, October 10, 2014, in Rooms 1 & 2, 1724 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20508. Persons wishing to testify at the hearing must provide written notification of their intention by 11:59 p.m., September 26, 2014. The intent to testify notification must be made in the ‘‘Type Comment’’ field under docket number USTR–2014–0016 on the www.regulations.gov Web site and should include the name, address and telephone number of the person presenting the testimony. A summary of the testimony should be attached by using the ‘‘Upload File’’ field. The name of the file should also include who will be presenting the testimony. Remarks at the hearing should be limited to no