ETTAC Charter

The Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee (ETTAC) advises the Environmental Trade Working Group (ETWG) of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC), through the Secretary of Commerce, on the development and administration of programs to expand U.S. exports of environmental technologies, goods, services and products. Below is the ETTAC’s 2024-2026 charter.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES TRADE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
2024-2026 CHARTER

1. Committee’s Official Designation (Title): Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee (Committee)

2. Authority: The Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary) established the Committee pursuant to Section 2313(c) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 4728(c), and in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (FACA), 5 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq.

3. Objectives and Scope of Activities: The Committee shall advise and guide the Environmental Trade Working Group (ETWG) of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC), through the Secretary, on the development and administration of programs to expand U.S. exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services and products that comply with United States environmental, safety, and related requirements.

4. Description of Duties: The Committee functions solely as an advisory committee in accordance with the provisions of FACA and pursuant to Section 2313(c) of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 4728(c). In particular, the Committee shall advise on:

a. all matters concerning trade policy development and negotiations relating to U.S. environmental technologies exports;

b. the effect of U.S. Government policies, regulations and programs, and foreign governments’ policies and practices on the export of U.S. environmental products, technologies, and services;

c. the competitiveness of U.S. industry and its ability to compete for environmental technologies, products and services opportunities in international markets, including specific problems in exporting, and provide specific recommendations regarding U.S. Government and public/private actions to assist environmental technologies companies in expanding their exports;

d. the identification of priority environmental technologies, products and services markets with high immediate returns for U.S. exports, as well as emerging markets with a longer-term potential for U.S. exports;

e. strategies to increase private sector awareness and effective use of U.S. Government export promotion programs, and recommendations on how U.S. Government programs may be more efficiently designed and coordinated;

f. the development of complementary industry and trade association export promotion programs, and greater or more effective coordination of U.S. Government efforts with private sector organizations’ environmental technologies industry export promotion efforts; and

g. the development of U.S. Government programs to encourage U.S. producers of environmental technologies, products and services to enter new foreign markets, in connection with which the Committee may advise on how to gather, disseminate, and promote awareness of information on environmental exports and related trade issues.

5. Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports: The Committee shall report to the TPCC ETWG, through the Secretary, on its activities and recommendations.

6. Support: The International Trade Administration, Industry and Analysis unit’s Office of Energy and Environmental Industries shall provide support for the Committee.

7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years: The estimated annual operating cost of the Committee is approximately $57,617, which includes 0.40 person years of staff support. Members of the Committee will not be compensated for their services or reimbursed for their travel expenses.

8. Designated Federal Officer: The Assistant Secretary for Industry and Analysis shall designate a Designated Federal Officer (DFO) from among the employees of the Office of Energy and Environmental Industries. The DFO will approve or call all of the Committee’s and subcommittees’ meetings, prepare and approve all meeting agendas, attend all Committee and subcommittee meetings, adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public interest, and chair meetings when directed to do so by the Secretary or his/her designee.

9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings: The Committee shall, to the extent practicable, meet approximately four times a year. Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the Secretary or his/her designee.

10. Duration: Continuing.

11. Termination: This charter will terminate two (2) years from the date of its filing with the standing committees of the Senate and U.S. House of Representatives having legislative jurisdiction of the agency, unless terminated earlier or renewed by proper authority.

12. Membership and Designation: The Committee shall consist of approximately 35 members appointed by the Secretary in accordance with applicable Department of Commerce guidance and based on the members’ ability to carry out the objectives of the Committee. Members shall represent U.S. environmental technologies manufacturing and services companies, U.S. trade associations, U.S. private sector organizations, States or associations representing the States, and civil society groups involved in the promotion of exports of environmental technologies products and services.

Members of the Committee are selected, in accordance with applicable Department guidelines, based on their ability to carry out the objectives of the Committee as set forth above and in a manner that ensures that the Committee is balanced in terms of points of view, industry subsector, geography, and company size. The diverse membership of the Committee assures perspectives reflecting the breadth of the Committee’s responsibilities, and, where possible, the Department of Commerce will also consider the ethnic, racial, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity and various abilities of the United States population.

The Secretary shall appoint to the Committee at least one individual representing each of the following:

a. environmental businesses, including small businesses;

b. trade associations in the environmental sector;

c. private sector organizations involved in the promotion of environmental exports, including products that comply with U.S. environmental, safety, and related requirements;

d. States (as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 4721(j)(5)) and associations representing the States; and

e. other appropriate interested members of the public, such as labor representatives.

Members shall serve in a representative capacity, expressing the views and interests of a U.S. entity or organization, as well as its particular sector; they are, therefore, not Special Government Employees (SGEs) as defined in Title 18 of United States Code, section 202(a). Each member of the Committee must be a U.S. citizen and must not be registered as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Members shall not reference or otherwise utilize their membership in the Committee in connection with public statements made in their personal capacities without a disclaimer that the views expressed are their own and do not represent the views of the Committee, ITA, the Department, or the U.S. Government.

Members shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary from the date of appointment to the Committee to the date on which the Committee’s charter terminates. The DFO shall designate the Committee Chair and Vice Chair. The Chair and Vice Chair shall serve in those positions at the pleasure of the Secretary from the date of designation to the date on which the Committee’s charter terminates.

13. Subcommittees: ITA will establish such subcommittees or working groups from among the Committee members as may be necessary. Participation in topical subcommittees or working groups is compulsory. Subcommittees and working groups must report back to the Committee and must not provide advice or work products directly to any Federal official or agency.

14. Recordkeeping: The records of the Committee, formally and informally established subcommittees, or other subgroups of the Committee, will be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 6.2, or other approved agency records disposition schedule. Subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, records presented to or prepared for or by the Committee are available for public inspection. The Office of Energy and Environmental Industries shall maintain all files mandated by the FACA and the Department’s policies on advisory committee management.

Filed on August 6, 2024.