Annex 2
Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) are designed to restore the beneficial use impairments in the Areas of Concern
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT?
The Role of the Parties
As specified in Annex 2, a main responsibility of the Parties is to cooperate with State and Provincial Governments to classify Areas of Concern by their stage of restoration progressing from:
the definition of the problems and causes,through the selection of remedial measures,to the implementation of remedial programs,the monitoring of recovery, and,when identified beneficial uses are no longer impaired and the area restored, the removal of its designation as an Area of Concern.
As described in Annex 2 of the Agreement, The Parties, in cooperation with State and Provincial Government, shall ensure that the public is consulted in all actions undertaken pursuant to this Annex.Public consultation should be carried out where the Parties are involved with such activities as: selecting remedial actions; monitoring programs; determination of indicators of the restoration of beneficial use impairments; etc.The Role of the Commission
The Remedial Action Plans shall be submitted to the Commission for review and comment at three stages:
- Stage 1: when a definition of the problem has been completed
- Stage 2: when remedial and regulatory measures are selected
- Stage 3: when monitoring indicates that identified beneficial uses have been restored
Annex 2 of the Agreement also details general principles for RAPs that include:
- RAPs shall embody a systematic and comprehensive ecosystem approach to restoring and protecting beneficial uses in Areas of Concern; and
- the Parties, in cooperation with State and Provincial Governments, shall ensure that the public is consulted in all actions undertaken pursuant to this Annex.
IJC Reviews of Remedial Action Plans
Click on the following to view some current, on-line examples of IJC's Stage Reviews
IJC's role in Stage 3 of the RAP Process
Once the Party submits a Stage 3 RAP, the IJC will perform its independent review and will evaluate:
- the remedial measure implementation and effectiveness;
- the description of surveillance and monitoring processes to track the effectiveness of remedial measures and;
- the eventual confirmation of the restoration of the identified beneficial use impairments.
Figure 1: A Generalized process for IJC review of Stage 3 RAP
The Status Assessment Process
In 1996, after more than ten years of reviewing and assisting in development of Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) and expressing concern with overall progress in development and implementation of cleanup and prevention strategies in some Areas of Concern (AOCs), the IJC adopted an initiative of status assessments to examine progress toward restoration of beneficial uses in individual AOCs in an attempt to enhance the restoration process.
Status assessments were intended to:
- examine progress toward restoration and protection of beneficial uses;
- assess program implementation relative to remedial and preventive actions; and
- identify and make recommendations on specific activities that could be taken to overcome obstacles and make measurable progress in restoring uses in the area.
These status assessments are not comprehensive environmental audits, but assessments of ongoing efforts and activities of the responsible governments and organizations. Objectives of the status assessment process include collecting information on and transferring successful methods and experiences among different AOCs, and facilitating constructive interaction among various agencies and organizations that may have limited opportunity to exchange ideas.
St. Lawrence River (Cornwall, Ontario / Massena, New York) || PDF Français : HTML || PDF
Niagara River , June 2002
Hamilton Harbour , December 1999
St. Marys River , February 1999
Detroit River , October 1997
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