Mandate

• Part A. Duties and responsibilities
• Part B. Membership and reporting

PART A. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The International Air Quality Advisory Board (the Board) shall advise the Commission on matters of direct relevance to transboundary aspects of air quality in the United States and Canada. Such matters may be referred to the Board by the Commission in specific requests or identified by the Board and brought to the attention of the Commission with respect to the Boards "alerting and investigative function" under the Reference.



2. The Board shall make suitable arrangements so that it may be currently informed regarding any air quality or deposition problems involving both the United States and Canada, including transport across the international boundary, reception by the biosphere and the development of appropriate monitoring and research strategies.



3. The Board shall undertake such studies as may be necessary or appropriate for the Board to carry out its work under the Reference. With respect to advising the Commission of matters appropriate to draw to the attention of Governments, the Board should first obtain the available relevant information and advise the Commission, to the extent possible of the nature and impact of the problem. With respect to special studies requested by the Commission, the Board shall prepare a study plan for Commission consideration and approval. If funds and resources beyond those available to the Board members from their agencies are needed to implement the plan, the Board shall prepare a specific budget for Commission consideration, approval and, if necessary, the seeking of the required funding.



4. The Board shall keep the Commission informed of the Board's plans and progress, and of any developments, actual or anticipated, which are likely to impede or otherwise affect the carrying out of the Board's responsibilities.



5. To the extent possible and relevant, the Board shall make maximum use of available resources, information, and technical data from the agencies of Canada and the United States, as well as from other sources.



6. If it appears to the Board at any time that its program should be modified, it shall so advise the Commission for its consideration.

PART B. MEMBERSHIP AND REPORTING

1. The International Air Quality Advisory Board shall consist of an equal number of United States and Canadian members who shall be appointed by the Commission. Initially, the Board shall consist of six members, three members from the United States and three members from Canada. The size of the Board may be changed at any time by the decision of the Commission. The members of the Board shall serve at the pleasure of the Commission, but ordinarily for a term of three years, which may be renewed by decision of the Commission. To provide continuity, the terms shall be staggered and the terms of Board members will ordinarily end at the end of the calendar year. The terms of the initial Board members shall be as provided in letters to the current Board members.



2. For purposes of organization, the Board shall be divided into two sections, each with a chairperson. However, in its deliberations and tendering of advice, the Board shall function as a unitary body. Further, all members serve the Commission in their personal and professional capacity rather than as representatives of their agencies or their employers' interests.



3. The Commission shall appoint one Canadian member and one United States member to serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Board. The Chairpersons, together with the Board secretaries, shall be responsible for maintaining adequate liaison between the Board and the Commission and with other IJC committees, as appropriate.



4. At the request of the appropriate Chairperson, the Commission may appoint an alternate member to act in the place and stead of a member whenever the said member is not available to act as a member of the Board, or to attend a specific meeting of the Board. The Commission strongly discourages the frequent use of alternate member practice.



5. Each chairperson may appoint a Secretary, either from among Board membership, or outside its membership, in the latter case without voting status.



6. The Board may establish such committees and working groups as may be required to discharge its responsibilities effectively and may enlist the cooperation of federal, provincial, state departments or agencies in the United States and Canada. The Commission shall be informed of the duties and composition of committees. Unless other arrangements are made, committee members shall be responsible themselves for securing reimbursement of travel and other expenditures.



7. The Board shall report to the Commission twice yearly at designated meetings in the spring and the fall. The Board shall submit written reports to the Commission at least two weeks in advance of the designated meetings, and at such other times as the Commission may request or the Board may desire.



8. The Commission's public information policy shall be communicated separately to the Board. This policy shall emphasize the Commission's desire to open its processes to the public as much as possible. The Board shall not conduct public hearings, but may, if appropriate, open part of its meetings to attendance and comment by persons who are not members of the Board, including the public.



9. Reports to the Commission and other Board records or documents remain privileged between the Board and the Commission. Reports shall normally be available only to the Commission, members of the Board and its committees, and Government officials concerned until released by the Commission. The Board shall inform the Commission if there is any reason for not releasing reports to the public and of any special procedures that may be desirable for public dissemination.



10. If, in the opinion of the Board, there is a lack of clarity or precision in any instruction, directive or authorization received from the Commission, the matter shall be referred to the Commission promptly for appropriate action. The Commission may amend its instructions or issue new instructions to the Board at any time.

Signed this 12 th day of February 1986

D.G. Chance
Secretary
Canadian Section

D.A. LaRoche
Secretary
United States Section

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