MEETING RECORD FOR THE 128th MEETING OF THE
GREAT LAKES SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD
Embassy Suites Hotel, 1250 22nd Street N.W., Washington, D.C.
April 8, 2003, 10:30 AM - 5 PM
MEMBERS PRESENT
Isobel Heathcote (Canadian Co-chair). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Michael J. Donahue (United States Co-chair). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Great Lakes Commission, Ann Arbor, MI
William Bowerman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Clemson University, Pendleton, SC
John Braden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
Milton Clark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . United States Environmental Protection Agency, Chicago, IL
Glen Fox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa/Hull, ON
Allan Jones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Burlington, ON
Judith Perlinger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
Joan Rose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
David Stonehouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Evergreen, Toronto, ON
Deborah Swackhamer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Jay Unwin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Kalamazoo, MI
MEMBERS ABSENT
Scott Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . National Water Research Institute, Burlington, ON
David Carpenter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY
Maxine Cole. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .First Nations, Akwesasne, ON
Donald Dewees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Donna Mergler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Quebec, Montreal, PQ
Ross Upshur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Toronto, ON
INVITEES/OBSERVERS
Douglas Alley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .International Joint Commission, Windsor, ON
H. Kay Austin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . International Joint Commission, Washington, DC
Douglas Bondy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .International Joint Commission, Windsor, ON
Marty Bratzel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . International Joint Commission, Windsor, ON
Michael Gilbertson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . International Joint Commission, Windsor, ON
Gail Krantzberg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .International Joint Commission, Windsor, ON
Ann MacKenzie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .International Joint Commission, Ottawa, ON
SECRETARY
Peter Boyer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .International Joint Commission, Windsor, ON
1. Welcome and Introductions
Dr. Donahue called the meeting to order and recognized two new U.S. members of the Board, Drs. Perlinger and Rose. Brief self introductions then followed from each board member.
2. Approval of the Agenda
The agenda was accepted by the board as presented.
3. Approval of the minutes of the 127th Meeting
The secretary confirmed that the minutes had been approved electronically, and had been posted on the web in accordance with IJC policy.
4. Review of SAB Section of the 2001 - 2003 Priorities Report
Dr. Donahue suggested that the review of the report proceed from the recommendations to the supporting text for each section, by Work Group. He asked for suggestions for organization. The secretary suggested that the report did not need to be organized according to the Board Work Groups and alternatively could be organized by the IJC priorities and other SAB activities. He added that such an approach would communicate more effectively that the report was a report of the Board as a whole. This concept was adopted by all of those present.
Other highlights under the discussion of recommendations included:
□ Workgroup on Ecosystem Health
● Fish and Wildlife Health Effects and Exposure Study
unclear, parallel U.S. health monitoring program needs to be emphasized, question - in all AOC’s or only where persistent toxic substances are a problem? Glen Fox to rewrite.
● Great Lakes Fisheries Retrospective
more specificity needed, the relevance for other lakes was queried.
□ Workgroup on Parties Implementation
● The Impact of Urban and Urbanizing Development on Great Lakes Water Quality
(#1) recommendation needs to be more action oriented - too easy to dismiss as already being done. David Stonehouse to redraft.
(#2) too general - after the information is gathered, then what is to be done? Some ideas - education process introducing best practices, consistency with coastal planning processes, federal authority in spending, some examples of implementation methods.
(#3) need to include reference to Parties commitment under the GLWQA, needs more action orientation. Work Group to redraft the recommendations.
□ Workgroup on Emerging Issues
● Expert Consultation on Emerging Issues in the Great Lakes in the 21st Century
(#1) More action required e.g. indicate that the Parties “establish” bilateral mechanisms rather than simply ensuring their adequacy.
(#2) Refer to earlier SAB recommendation on the review of the Agreement from 1997 - 99 - open to revision as needed, emphasize the aspect of strengthening the level of commitment and accountability.
(#3) Require a coherent policy, use Statscan example, major new investment needed.
(#4) develop capacity for regional governance under a revised Agreement.
Other strong ideas - ecological forecasting.
- binational, multi year intensive study.
Highlights of the discussion of text details was as follows:
• Section 2.0, Introduction: move section on PCBs elsewhere in the report. Dr. Clark to revise to include greater scientific detail; focus introduction on an overview of the priority activities and their linkages. Dr. Donahue to amend
• Section 3.1, Ecosystem Approach to the Health Effects of Mercury in the Great Lakes Basin: Clarify mercury consensus statement and board adoption of it.
• Delete section 3.4, The Public Health Implications of Hazardous Substances in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
• Section 3.5, Waterborne Pathogens in the Great Lakes: Existing and Emerging Monitoring Program. Joan Rose provided several examples of improvements that are necessary for section 3.5 and indicated that she would redraft it and submit it for review as part of the next iteration of the report.
• Section 4.1, The Impact of Urban and Urbanizing Development on Great Lakes Water Quality.
- Dr. Donahue commented that the message should be one of incremental progress, but since the problem is outpacing our progress, we’re falling behind.
- refer to the GHK work in the introduction to section 4.1
Following the review, it was agreed that each work Group would be responsible for the overall revision to each section of the Report. A schedule for production and review was agreed upon as follows:
• April 24th - submission of all revised text and recommendations to the secretary
• April 28th - Secretary forwards Draft 2 to the SAB for further review
• May 8, 2PM- 3:30 PM EST, SAB Conference call for final review and adoption of its report
5. 2003 - 2005 SAB Candidate Priorities
The secretary reviewed the candidate priorities based upon Work Group input of March 31, 2003. He indicated that the next step would be for the various Boards to discuss their ideas at a planning meeting and to recommend a set according to IJC criteria, that could ultimately form the basis for board work plans and for IJC budgetary commitments for 2003 - 2005.
6. Other Business
SAB Appointments
• Dr. Jones moved that Dr. Andren be appointed as non Board member of the Work Group on Emerging Issues for a term of three years, with seconding by Dr. Bowerman. The motion was approved by all of those present.
• Mr. Stonehouse nominated Dr. Swackhamer to serve as SAB liaison to the Council of Great Lakes Research Manager, with seconding by Dr. Heathcote. The motion was approved by all of those present.
• Dr. Bowerman nominated Dr. Perlinger to serve as liaison to the International Air Quality Advisory Board, with seconding by Dr. Swackhamer. The motion was approved by all of those present.
7. Future Meetings
#129 May 8th, 2003; to be conducted as a conference call for purposes of final review and adoption of the SAB report
#130 September 18, 2003; 1PM - 5PM, a SAB public meeting on the occasion of the IJC Biennial Meeting, Ann Arbor, Michigan
#131 November 6 - 7, 2003 ACCEPTED; Windsor, Ontario
#132 February 5 - 6, 2004, ACCEPTED; Windsor, Ontario
#133 May 12 - 13, 2004, ACCEPTED; location to be determined.
8. Adjournment
There being no further business of the Board, Dr. Braden moved that the meeting be adjourned, with seconding by Dr. Bowerman. The motion was approved by all of those present.