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Chicago, Illinois, November 2, 2005

Key points presented at the public meeting

Welcome by David Ullrich on behalf of Mayor Richard Daley

• The mayor remains committed to the Great Lakes and supports the governments' efforts to assure that the efforts under the Agreement to clean up the Lakes are successful.

Public

• At all levels of government, our system for implementing environmental improvements is seriously flawed. Indeed, it is dysfunctional. Studies are completed and there is general agreement regarding the nature of the problem, but there are always objections to all potential solutions. This results in stalemate, and the do-nothing alternative becomes the preferred option. We need a process that involves everyone, but one that results in a solution that allows projects to be completed.
  
  
• It is important that the Agreement incorporate an ecosystem approach founded upon the precautionary principle. The burden of proof should be shifted to proponents of new projects.
  
  
• The Agreement needs provisions that enable the federal and state governments to enforce standards.
  
  
• The precautionary principle needs to be firmly imbedded in the Agreement. If something might cause harm, alternatives should be considered.
  
  
• The Agreement needs to set quantitative guidelines for the removal of toxics from the system. Sunsetting is the key.
  
  
• The IJC should take a stand on mercury.
  
  
• The five key issues are: global warming, non-point pollution, alien invasive species, chemical contaminants and urban sprawl.
  
  
• The US and Canada need to work together as stewards of the Great Lakes. There is concern that the Agreement is teetering on the edge of irrelevance.
  
  
• The Agreement needs to the precautionary force on many issues, e.g., zero discharge for persistent toxic substances and stopping the introduction of alien invasive species.
  
  
• The Agreement must not just prevent new stresses on the Lakes but also drive restoration of the basin ecosystem.
  
  
• The Agreement must demand accountability.
  
  
• The Agreement should define the working relationship between the US and Canada in their joint and individual efforts to protect and restore the resource and include a vision, mission, and goals that are jointly agreed to by the US and Canada.
  
  
• It should cover both the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence and be a full ecosystem agreement, rather than just a water quality agreement.
  
  
• It needs to establish the appropriate roles for federal, state, provincial, regional, local, and tribal governments.
  
  
• It should require agreed upon indicators of ecosystem health.
  
  
• The Agreement needs to include reporting and accountability mechanisms so that progress can be tracked and corrective action taken, where needed, but duplicative and burdensome reporting should be avoided.
  
  
• It is essential that the Agreement provide for full and open public participation in all aspects of implementing the Agreement.
  
  
• The Agreement should create an information management system that will include updated, accurate, understandable information that is readily available and from which the public, technical, and senior policy community can determine whether the ecosystem is getting healthier or not.
  
  
• Include an advisory board structure with clearly defined responsibilities and authority, and without duplication of effort.
  
  
• We need to take the long view on issues related to water.
  
  
• The Regional Collaboration worked well in bringing key groups together to develop a strategy to address essential issues, but the Interagency Task Force opposed the strategy because of the high cost. The cost of clean up and redevelopment after Hurricane Katrina has put many important initiatives on hold. Emergencies must be dealt with, but this can leave ongoing chronic problems unfunded.
  
  
• We should be critical of governments for not cleaning up the Areas of Concern.

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