Great Lakes Water Quality Board
Summary of Discussion for 166th Meeting
By Teleconference
December 11, 2006
| U.S. Members Present | |
| Gary Gulezian (Co-chair) | U.S. EPA, Chicago, IL |
| Lori Boughton | PA Dept. of Environmental Protection, Erie, PA |
| Suzanne Hanson | MN Pollution Control Agency NE Region, Duluth, MN |
| Ken DeBeaussaert | MI Department of Environmental Quality, Lansing, MI |
| Sandra LeBarron | NYSDEC, Watertown, NY |
| David Ullrich | Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, Chicago, IL |
| George Elmaraghy (for J. Koncelik) | Ohio EPA, Columbus, OH |
| Tom Easterly | Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management, Indianapolis, IN |
| Russ Rasmussen (for T. Ambs) | Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources, Madison, WI |
| Canadian Members Present | |
| Pradeep Kharé (Co-Chair) | Environment Canada, Downsview, ON |
| Alec Denys | Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough, ON |
| Craig Mather | Aurora, ON |
| Louise Lapierre | Min. Du Develop. De l'Environnment et des Parcs, Quebec, QC |
| Scott Duff (for C. Lalonde) | Ont. Ministry of Environment, Peterborough, ON |
| Rachel Melzer (for J. Smith) | Ont. Ministry of Environment, Toronto, ON |
| Observers Present | |
| Ashi Kumar | Environment Canada, Toronto, ON |
| Karen Vigmostad | IJC, Windsor, ON |
| Joel Weiner | IJC, Ottawa, ON |
| Mary Weston | IJC, Windsor, ON |
| Judy Beck | US EPA, Chicago, IL |
| Dan O'Riordan | US. EPA, Chicago, IL |
| Secretary | |
| John E. Gannon | International Joint Commission, Windsor, ON |
4.0 WQB 2005-2007 Priorities
4.1 Urbanization
Gannon summarized progress to date on this priority. This is a joint activity of the WQB, Science Advisory Board, International Air Quality Advisory Board, International Air Quality Advisory Board, and the Health Professionals Task Force. This was a new priority during this planning cycle; except for the SAB that had previously been working on land use issues for several years. The WQB's role is urban wastewater and stormwater management and the effects of urbanization on Great Lakes water quality.
The Commission is highly interested in the multi-board urbanization report. It is anticipated that the report may influence the content of the IJC 14th Biennial Report on Great Lakes Water Quality and the IJC Biennial Meeting in June. The Commission is looking for a draft of the report and discussions about its findings at its Semi-Annual meeting in April in Washington, D.C.
Action Item: Draft letter on the biennial meeting from WQB Co-chairs to the Commission for review and comment.
4.2 Lake Erie Adaptive Management Case Study – Completing WQB Advice on Linking Watersheds and LaMPs
This case study is intended to "tie loose ends" and complete the WQBs advice to the Commission on improving the linkages between jurisdictional watershed planning and LaMPs. Following the March 2005 WQB Watershed Approaches Workshop, the Board decided to focus on the Lake Erie LaMP because of their emphasis on the watershed approach and their desire to accelerate implementation of the LaMP. Subsequently, the WQB held the Lake Erie Critical Leaders Dialogue in March 2006 in Erie, PA and WQB member, Lori Boughton, hosted the Lake Erie AOC Summit in Erie, PA in July, 2006. As the shallowest of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie is often the first one to exhibit ecosystem changes, and therefore, serves as an early warning to what may happen in the other Great Lakes.
The WQB entered into dialogue with the Lake Erie LaMP Work Group and on organizing the Lake Erie Millenium Network on organizing a Workshop to determine "no regrets" management actions that could be taken to implement the nutrient goals of the LaMP. This will involve dialogue with nutrients experts and agency/governmental units that link the land with the lake.
Action Item: Secretary will keep the Board informed on development of workshop location and dates when they are determined.
4.4 Other Business
The WQB issued a 2001 report on invasive species in the Great Lakes for the ballast water pathway. It was planned to do an update on this report, emphasizing all pathways. Gannon noted that the GLC Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species Panel recently circulated a draft booklet on invasive species, emphasizing all pathways of introduction. Gannon sought WQB advice on how to proceed considering possible redundancy. After some discussion, it was determined that the WQB can still provide value-added by focusing its report on policy, implications and foregoing educational aspects covered by the panel's booklet.
Action Item: Secretary to proceed with AIS report.
The AIS discussion turned to the electric barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Shipping Canal for preventing invasive Asian Carps from entering the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River system. Recent media releases indicated that maintenance on the existing the temporary barrier and construction of the permanent barrier was primarily a budget issue. The Board expressed concern about this matter and noted that the Commission several years ago became involved when there was similar budget problem on construction and maintenance of the original temporary barrier. It was noted there should be a federal solution to this matter and, therefore, it is timely for the WQB to write a letter to the Commission urging action.
Action Item: Secretary to draft letter from WQB Co-chairs to the Commission on the Asian Carp barrier for review and comment.
5.0 IJC Activities
5.3 2007-2009 Priorities
Gannon noted that all Agreement boards/council should begin thinking now about priority activities for consideration by the Commission for approval. It was further noted that the Commission continues to be interested in the boards/council in undertaking fewer activities and doing them thoroughly. Moreover, they continue to encourage collaboration on activities among boards/council as appropriate.
Action Item: Secretary was requested to send WQB members a list of priorities for the last three biennial cycles.
