Annex 2 LAKEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLANS Under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, Annex 2, Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) for open lake waters are to be developed and implemented by the governments of the United States and Canada in cooperation with state and provincial governments. Such plans are to be designed to reduce the loadings of Critical Pollutants in order to restore beneficial uses. The Role of the Parties: The Parties shall classify efforts to reduce Critical Pollutants by their stages of elimination progressing from the definition of the problem selection of remedial measures implementation of remedial programs monitoring of recovery removal of designation of as a Critical Pollutants (when it is no longer likely to cause, singly or in synergistic or additive combination with another substance, impairment of beneficial uses.) The LaMPs are to be submitted to the IJC for review and comment at the following four stages: Stage 1. A definition of the threat to human health or aquatic life, an evaluation of available information on concentration, sources, and pathways of Critical Pollutants and steps to be taken to develop the information needed to determine the schedule of necessary load reductions of Critical Pollutants. Stage 2. A determination of load reductions of Critical Pollutants necessary to meet objectives of the Agreement. Stage 3. An evaluation of remedial measures in place and alternative additional measures to decrease loadings of Critical Pollutants; identification and an implementation plan for additional remedial measures needed to achieve the reduction of loadings; and an identification of the agencies or persons responsible for these remedial measures. Stage 4. A process for evaluation of remedial measure implementation and effectiveness; and a description of surveillance and monitoring to track the effectiveness of remedial measures, including the eventual elimination of Critical Pollutants' contribution to beneficial use impairments. The Role of the Commission The IJC is responsible for reviewing and commenting on Lakewide Management Plans at each of the four stages, as it is submitted by the Parties to the Commission. The Commission, in its evaluative role, shall also review progress in addressing Critical Pollutants and recommend additional Critical Pollutants for designation by the Parties. Completed Reviews The Parties have formally submitted three LaMPs to the IJC. To view the Commission's comments, click one of the following: Lake Superior Stage 2 (Review completed April 2000) Lake Superior Stage 1 (Review completed November 1996) Lake Ontario Stage 1 (Review completed October 1999) Additional LaMPs have been made available to the public but not submitted formally to the IJC for comment; these include LaMPs for Lake Michigan, Lake Erie and the planning initiative for Lake Huron. To view the LaMPs, click on the following links: United States Environmental Protection Agency Environment Canada Last update: