Trade Policy Staff Committee; Initiation of Environmental Review of Panama Free Trade Negotiations; Public Comments on Scope of Environmental Review

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This publication gives notice that, pursuant to authority delegated by the President in Executive Order 13277 (67 FR 70305) and consistent with Executive Order 13141 (64 FR 63169) and its implementing guidelines (65 FR 79442), the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is initiating an environmental review of the proposed United States-Panama Free Trade Agreement. The TPSC is requesting written comments from the public on what should be included in the scope of the environmental review, including the potential environmental effects that might flow from the free trade agreement and the potential implications for U.S. environmental laws and regulations, and identification of complementarities between trade and environmental objectives such as the promotion of sustainable development. The TPSC also welcomes public views on appropriate methodologies and sources of data for conducting the review. 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 ne