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USTR Starts CAFTA Environmental Review

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Nov. 22 announced the initiation of an environmental review on the proposed U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement and asked for public comments on the scope of the review (67 Fed. Reg. 70,475 (Nov. 22, (2002)). The United States has proposed negotiating a free trade agreement with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) requested comments on what should be included in the review, including potential environmental effects that might arise from the FTA and implications for U.S. environmental laws and regulations. Written comments, due Jan. 15, should provide as much detail as possible on the degree to which the subject matter proposed for inclusion may raise significant environmental issues in the context of the negotiation.

Submissions by electronic mail should be sent to: FR0053@ustr.gov. Submissions by fax should be sent to: Gloria Blue, executive secretary, TPSC, at (202) 395-6143. Commenters should refer to the notice for submission requirements.

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