Great Lakes Water Quality Board - 178^th Meeting
Summary of Discussion
July 25 – 26, 2011
Ralph Metcalfe Federal Building,
Room 1932B - Chicago, IL

1. Welcome and Introductions (Co-Chairs)

The Board Co-Chairs welcomed everyone to the 178^th meeting of the Great Lakes Water Quality Board after an extended period between meetings.  Members and participants introduced themselves. 

2. Review and Approval of Agenda (Co-Chairs)

The agenda was reviewed and approved with the addition of opening comments from the U.S. Co-Chair of the Commission, Lana Pollack.

3. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Negotiations – Update (Co-Chairs)

The Board Co-Chairs jointly provided a briefing on the status of the negotiations.  Board members were informed that Plenary 3 had recently been completed.  Relevant details of the Agreement were briefly presented which included information related to Annexes that are under consideration.  Forums to gather comments from the public will be held September 8^th and 13^th in Toronto and Chicago respectively. 

4. WQB Membership (Co-chairs)

At the time of the meeting there were 6 official vacancies on the Board and a number of members that were also up for renewal.  The group discussed membership in relation to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement negotiations and the potential change in the Board membership profile.  It was decided that in light of the current state of negotiations there was no reason not to proceed with new appointments and renewals.  Term appointments of three years were also discussed.

ACTION ITEM: IJC staff to go ahead with renewals and new appointments.

5. 2009 – 2011 Priority Cycle (All)

The Board Co-Chairs provided an update on the status of the 2009 – 2011 Priority Cycle.  Board members were informed that the current cycle is coming to an end and that at the time of the meeting all of the Work Group reports had been completed and submitted for editing.  Reports were completed in the following areas: Fish Consumption, Nearshore Framework, Chemicals of Emerging Concern, Aquatic Invasive Species, Harmful and Nuisance Algae, and Beaches and Recreational Water Quality.  The reports will undergo copy and layout editing before being published in August which will allow the public a chance to review the documents prior to the October Biennial meeting.  Each Work Group will hold a session at the Biennial meeting to receive feedback on the reports which will be used as the basis for the Commission’s next Biennial Report.

The Board was briefed by members of each Work Group, as listed below, on their findings as well as recommendations. 

• Fish Consumption – David Carpenter, Great Lakes Science Advisory Board member
• Nearshore Framework – Sharon Bailey, Board member
• Chemicals of Emerging Concern – Ted Smith, U.S. EPA
• Aquatic Invasive Species – Eric Boysen, Board member
• Harmful and Nuisance Algae – John Wilson, IJC
• Beaches and Recreational Water Quality – David Ullrich, Board member

Discussion focused on the role of the Board in relation to the reports and how it could best serve the Commission.  It was decided that the Board would review all Work Group reports following the Biennial Meeting in October.  With a focus on policy, the Board will identify recommendations that it will support and bring forward to the Commission.

ACTION ITEM: Following the Biennial Meeting the Water Quality Board will review all Work Group reports and identify policy recommendations it will support and bring forward to the Commission by the end of the year.

6. Path Forward: 2011 – 2013 Priority Cycle (All)

Correspondence between the Commission and the Board regarding the 2011 – 2013 Priority Cycle was discussed.  The Board had previously decided to focus on identifying and recommending priorities to the Commission to be addressed under the current and/or an amended Agreement and delay developing a work plan until it is finalized.

During the discussion, Commissioners requested that the Board contribute to the Priority Cycle at the appropriate times.  This would include the conclusion of the cycle where the Board can assist the Commission in making specific and practical policy recommendations based on the best available science.  In terms of going forward, Commissioners requested that the Board identify priorities for the next cycle which incorporate the principles of prevention (forward thinking), adaptive management, sustainable development and identifying a better suite of indicators.  It was requested that recommended priorities be submitted to the Commission by August 22, 2011.

Commission representatives also informed the Board that staff members are working on an indicator paper that will be presented for discussion and feedback at the Biennial meeting.  This report is being developed as the Commission is determined to report on the state of the Great Lakes.  Commissioners requested that the Board review the paper once it has been presented and provide comments at its earliest convenience.

ACTION ITEM:  Following the Biennial Meeting the Water Quality Board will review the Commission’s Indicator Discussion Paper and provide comments by the end of the year.

Members decided to identify potential priorities that will focus on developing explicit policy recommendations which will be of use to the Commission going forward.  The following potential priorities were identified during the discussion:

• Non-Point Source Pollution: Phosphorus and Bacterial Sources
• Address policy issues related to agriculture from a strategic and resource perspective
• Aquatic Invasive Species: Jurisdictional review and ballast water
• Coordinate and promote binational consistency in terms of policy related to the Asian carp issue and possibly ballast water regulations
• Mining Impacts
• A re-emerging issue for certain states and ON that could have large environmental impacts especially when considering current policy and regulatory mechanisms
• Low Probability and High Impact Issues e.g. Pipeline & Nuclear Regulation
• Examine interagency policies and regulations on a binational level related to issues such as pipelines and nuclear waste
• Nearshore Framework
• Continue governance aspect of the work of the Nearshore Framework Work Group focusing on binational coordination/alignment of existing programs at the local, state/provincial, federal level.
• Indicators
• Review optimal suite of indicators and provide recommendations on how to make them operational in cooperation with other Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement entities.
• Community Involvement
• Using the nearshore as the focus, attempt to engage the public and address prevention and preservation rather than legacy issues and mitigation
• Examine possibility of using an “Integrated Coastal Zone Approach” to manage land use and identify areas that should be preserved through community involvement
• Water Quantity
• Examine the relationship between water quantity and quality in an ecosystem context in relation to current policies on a binational level.

The following were also identified as possible priorities that could be addressed by the Great Lakes Science Advisory Board:

• Indicators
• Scientific study of the optimal suite of indicators
• Chemicals of Emerging Concern
• Continue work from the 2009-2011 Priority Cycle
• Fish Consumption
• Continue work from the 2009-2011 Priority Cycle

During the discussion it was decided that the list of potential priorities would be compiled and circulated via email to members.  Members will be given the opportunity to provide further input on rationale and content for priorities that they are interested in recommending to Commissioners.  Once the list is completed and redistributed, members will rank potential priorities in order of importance and return via email.  A ranked list of potential priorities will be compiled for recommendation and will be sent to Commissioners by August 22^nd as requested.

ACTION ITEM:  The list of potential priorities discussed during the meeting will be compiled and circulated to Board members for ranking.  The resultant ranked list of recommended priorities will be submitted to the Commission by August 22, 2011.

7. Next Meeting and Meeting Schedule (Co-Chairs)

It was decided that the next meeting of the Water Quality Board will be held following the Binational Executive Committee meeting in Toronto on December 7^th and 8^th, 2011. Items to be discussed will include the Commission’s indicator discussion paper and policy recommendations related to the 2009 – 2011 Priority Cycle.

There was also some discussion regarding holding the following meeting in April in conjunction with the Commission’s Spring Semi-Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.  However, the exact date of the Semi-Annual was unknown at the time of the meeting.

ACTION ITEM:  Confirm date of the Commission’s Spring Semi-Annual meeting in Washington, D.C. and forward to Board members as a possible date for a Water Quality Board meeting.