January
30,
2004
Mr.
Marco
Gonzalez
Secretariat
for
the
Montreal
Protocol
P.
O.
Box
30552,
Nairobi,
Kenya
Dr.
H.
J.
Banks
10
Beltana
Road
Pialligo,
ACT
2609
Australia
Dr.
Nahum
Marban
Mendoza
Autonomic
University
of
Chapingo
PO
Box
56230
Chapingo,
Mexico
Dear
Mr.
Gonzalez,
Dr.
Banks,
and
Dr.
Mendoza:

The
United
States
submits
the
attached
document
in
response
to
the
recent
questions
from
the
Methyl
Bromide
Technical
Options
Committee
(
MBTOC)
with
respect
to
the
U.
S.
Critical
Use
Exemption
(
CUE)
nomination
in
2005.
We
are
submitting
this
information
electronically,
but
would
be
pleased
to
provide
a
hard
copy
upon
request.

The
United
States
has
sought
to
address
all
of
the
factors
in
Decision
IX/
6.
We
believe
that
we
have
provided
all
of
the
information
requested
by
MBTOC,
but
we
recognize
that
an
immediate
answer
to
a
follow­
up
question
can
sometimes
clear
up
an
issue
in
a
short
time.
Given
the
importance
that
both
MBTOC
and
the
Parties
place
on
ensuring
that
recommendations
are
made
in
a
timely
manner
on
the
basis
of
full
and
correct
information,
I
urge
MBTOC
to
contact
us
should
it
have
questions
regarding
the
attachment.
If
any
such
additional
information
is
needed,
please
contact
John
Thompson
at
the
U.
S.
Department
of
State
(
ThompsonJE2@
state.
gov
or
202­
647­
9799).

Finally,
I
would
note
that
in
our
original
February
2003
CUE
nomination
we
indicated
that
we
expected
existing
stocks
of
methyl
bromide
to
be
depleted
prior
to
2005.
We
still
believe
that
any
stockpiles
held
by
the
applicants
requesting
critical
use
exemptions
for
2005
are
likely
to
be
fully
depleted
by
the
start
of
2005.
At
the
same
time,
however,
it
is
important
to
recognize,
that
like
other
nominating
parties,
it
is
difficult
for
the
United
States
at
this
time
to
determine
the
size
of
stockpiles
that
could
be
held
by
producers
or
distributors
at
the
beginning
of
2005.
That
is
because
the
potential
disposition
of
such
stockpiles
is
outside
of
the
control
of
both
the
nominating
governments
and
CUE
applicants,
in
that
they
could
continue
to
be
held
as
stockpiles
or
be
exported
for
allowable
uses
other
countries.
Thank
you
very
much
for
your
consideration
of
this
supplemental
information
on
the
U.
S.
CUE
nomination.
We
look
forward
to
continuing
to
work
with
you
on
our
nomination
should
additional
information
be
needed.

Sincerely,

Michael
Glover
Acting
Deputy
Assistant
Secretary
for
Environment
United
States
Department
of
State
Attachment:
US
Response
to
MBTOC
Questions:
January
2004
