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###### Department of State

          - [Public Notice: 12312]

# AGENCY:

U.S. Department of State.

# ACTION:

Notice of meetings and request for comments; invitation to public session.

# SUMMARY:

The U.S. Department of State and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) are providing notice that the Government of the United States and the Government of Oman plan to hold the inaugural meeting of the Subcommittee on Environmental Affairs (Subcommittee), established under the United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and the fourth meeting of the Joint Forum on Environmental Cooperation (Joint Forum), established under the United States-Oman Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Cooperation (MOU), on February 19, 2024, in Muscat, Oman. The purposes of the meetings of these two bodies, respectively, are to review implementation of the Environment Chapter (chapter 17) of the FTA and to review and assess cooperative environmental activities undertaken under the MOU.

# DATES:

The joint public sessions of the Subcommittee and Joint Forum will be held on February 20, 2024, from 12 a.m. to 1:40 a.m. EST (9 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. GST) in Muscat, Oman, with an option to join virtually or in-person. Please contact Anel Gonzalez-Ruiz and Tia Potskhverashvili for the location of this meeting in Muscat, Oman, or to request a link to join virtually. Confirmations of attendance and comments or questions are requested in writing no later than February 14, 2024.

# ADDRESSES:

Written comments or questions should be submitted to both:

                        (1) Anel Gonzalez-Ruiz, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of Environmental Quality, by email to                         *Gonzalez-RuizA@state.gov*                         with the subject line “United States-Oman FTA Subcommittee/MOU Joint Forum Meetings”; and                    

                        (2) Tia Potskhverashvili, Office of the United States Trade Representative, by email to                         *tiapots@ustr.eop.gov*                         with the subject line “United States-Oman FTA Subcommittee/MOU Joint Forum Meetings”.                    

In your email, please include your full name and organization.

                        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-2024-0003.                    

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Anel Gonzalez-Ruiz, (202) 705-5282,                         *Gonzalez-RuizA@state.gov*                         or Tia                               ( print page 6162)                            Potskhverashvili, (202) 395-5414,                         *tiapots@ustr.eop.gov.*

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

                    The U.S. Department of State and USTR invite written comments or questions from the public to be submitted no later than February 14, 2024, regarding implementation of chapter 17 and the MOU, and any topics that should be considered for discussion at the Subcommittee and Joint Forum meetings consistent with their respective purposes. When preparing comments, submitters are encouraged to refer to chapter 17 of the FTA and/or the MOU, as relevant (available at                     *https://www.state.gov/​key-topics-office-of-environmental-quality-and-transboundary-issues/​current-trade-agreements-with-environmental-chapters/​#oman*                     and                     *https://ustr.gov/​trade-agreements/​free-trade-agreements/​oman-fta*). Instructions on how to submit comments are under the heading                     **ADDRESSES**                    .                

Article 17.5 of the FTA provides for the establishment of a Subcommittee on Environmental Affairs to discuss matters related to the operation of chapter 17. Article 17.5 further provides that, unless the Parties otherwise agree, meetings of the Subcommittee shall include a session in which members of the Subcommittee have an opportunity to meet with the public to discuss matters relating to the implementation of chapter 17.

Section II of the MOU establishes a Joint Forum on Environmental Cooperation responsible for, among other things, establishing, reviewing, and assessing cooperative environmental activities under the MOU.

On February 19, 2024, the Subcommittee and Joint Forum will meet in a closed government-to-government session to (1) review implementation of chapter 17 and (2) review activities under the United States-Oman 2018-2021 Environmental Cooperation Plan of Action and future activities under the 2024-2027 Environmental Cooperation Plan of Action, respectively.

                    All interested persons are invited to attend a joint public session on chapter 17 implementation and environmental cooperation under the MOU, beginning at 12 a.m. EST (9 a.m. GST) on February 20, 2024. At the session, the Subcommittee and Joint Forum will welcome questions, input, and information about challenges and achievements in implementation of chapter 17 and environmental cooperation under the MOU. If you would like to attend the public session either in-person, in Muscat, Oman, or virtually, please notify Anel Gonzalez-Ruiz and Tia Potskhverashvili at the email addresses listed under the heading                     **ADDRESSES**                    .                

                    Visit the Department of State website at                     *www.state.gov*                     and the USTR website at                     *www.ustr.gov*                     for more information.                

Robert D. Wing,

Acting Director, Office of Environmental Quality, Department of State.

[FR Doc. 2024-01876 Filed 1-30-24; 8:45 am]

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