82 FR 44868 - Request for Comments Concerning an Environmental Review of the Proposed Renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 185 (September 26, 2017)

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is initiating an environmental review relating to the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a free trade agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The TPSC invites written comments on the topics that should be included in the scope of the environmental review, including potential positive or negative environmental effects that might result from the trade agreement and potential implications for U.S. environmental laws and regulations. The TPSC also welcomes comments on appropriate methodologies and sources of data for conducting the review. We will take comments on environmental issues we received in response to the notice published in the Federal Register on May 23, 2017, requesting comments on NAFTA negotiating objectives into account in preparing the environmental review and you do not need to resubmit these comments.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 26, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44868-44869]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20526]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

[DOCKET NUMBER USTR-2017-0013]


Request for Comments Concerning an Environmental Review of the 
Proposed Renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), 
through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is initiating an 
environmental review relating to the renegotiation of the North 
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a free trade agreement between 
the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The TPSC invites written 
comments on the topics that should be included in the scope of the 
environmental review, including potential positive or negative 
environmental effects that might result from the trade agreement and 
potential implications for U.S. environmental laws and regulations. The 
TPSC also welcomes comments on appropriate methodologies and sources of 
data for conducting the review. We will take comments on environmental 
issues we received in response to the notice published in the Federal 
Register on May 23, 2017, requesting comments on NAFTA negotiating 
objectives into account in preparing the environmental review and you 
do not need to resubmit these comments.

DATES: We must receive your comments by November 27, 2017.

ADDRESSES: We strongly prefers electronic submissions made through the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments in section 3 below. The docket 
number is USTR-2017-0013. For alternatives to on-line submissions, 
please contact Yvonne Jamison, Trade Policy Staff Committee, at (202) 
395-3475.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct questions about submission of 
comments to Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475. Direct substantive 
questions to Sarah Stewart at (202) 395-7320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Background

    On May 18, 2017, following consultations with relevant 
Congressional committees, USTR informed Congress that the President was 
entering into negotiations with Canada and Mexico with respect to the 
NAFTA. Through a notice in the Federal Register (82 FR 23699) and a 
public hearing held on June 27-29, 2017, in Washington, DC, the TPSC 
invited the public to provide comments and testimony to assist USTR in 
assessing U.S. objectives for the proposed agreement. You can find a 
description of the U.S. negotiating objectives for the NAFTA on the 
USTR Web site: https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/Releases/NAFTAObjectives.pdf.

2. Environmental Review

    Section 105(d)(1)(A) of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade 
Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015, 19 U.S.C. 4201, requires 
environmental reviews of trade agreements consistent with Executive 
Order 13141 (64 FR 63169, Nov. 18, 1999) and the implementing 
guidelines (65 FR 79442, Dec. 19, 2000). The purpose of environmental 
reviews is to ensure that policymakers and the public are informed 
about reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts of trade agreements 
(both positive and negative), to identify complementarities between 
trade and environmental objectives, and to help shape appropriate 
responses if environmental impacts are identified. Reviews are one of 
the tools we use to integrate environmental information and analysis 
into the fluid, dynamic process of trade negotiations. USTR and the 
Council on Environmental Quality jointly oversee implementation of the 
Executive Order and its implementing guidelines. USTR, through the 
TPSC, is responsible for conducting the individual reviews. You can 
find additional background information and examples of prior 
environmental reviews on the USTR Web site: https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/environment/environmental-reviews.

3. Requirements for Submissions

    Persons submitting comments must do so in English and must identify 
(on the first page of the submission) ``Comments Regarding the NAFTA 
Environmental Review.'' In order to be assured of consideration, you 
must

[[Page 44869]]

submit comments by November 27, 2017. In order to ensure the timely 
receipt and consideration of comments, USTR strongly encourages 
commenters to make on-line submissions using the www.regulations.gov.
    To submit comments via www.regulations.gov, enter docket number 
USTR 2017-0013 on the home page and click ``search.'' The site will 
provide a search-results page listing all documents associated with 
this docket. Find a reference to this notice and click on the link 
entitled ``Comment Now!'' For further information on using the 
www.regulations.gov Web site, please consult the resources provided on 
the Web site by clicking on ``How to Use Regulations.gov'' on the 
bottom of the home page. We will not accept hand-delivered submissions.
    The www.regulations.gov Web site allows users to submit comments by 
filling in a ``Type Comment'' field or by attaching a document using an 
``Upload File'' field. USTR prefers that you submit comments in an 
attached document. USTR prefers submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or 
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If you use an application other than those two, 
please indicate the name of the application in the ``Type Comment'' 
field.
    For any comments submitted electronically containing business 
confidential information, the file name of the business confidential 
version should begin with the characters ``BC''. Any page containing 
business confidential information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS 
CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top of that page. Filers of submissions 
containing business confidential information also must submit a public 
version of their comments that we will place in the docket for public 
inspection. The file name of the public version should begin with the 
character ``P''. The ``BC'' and ``P'' should be followed by the name of 
the person or entity submitting the comments. Filers submitting 
comments containing no business confidential information should name 
their file using the name of the person or entity submitting the 
comments.
    Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic 
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a 
cover letter in the submission itself. Similarly, to the extent 
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in 
the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files.
    As noted, USTR strongly urges submitters to file comments through 
www.regulations.gov. You must make any alternative arrangements in 
advance of transmitting a comment by contacting Yvonne Jamison at (202) 
395-3475. General information concerning USTR is available at 
www.ustr.gov.
    We will place comments in the public docket except business 
confidential information. You can view comments on the 
www.regulations.gov Web site by entering the relevant docket number in 
the search field on the home page.

Edward Gresser,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of the United States Trade 
Representative.
[FR Doc. 2017-20526 Filed 9-25-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3290-F7-P