Approved September 21, 2004

MINUTES
INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE MEETING
Windsor, ON
June 14, 2004

The International Joint Commission met in executive session at the Great Lakes Regional Office in Windsor, Ontario on June 14, 2004, with Chair Herb Gray in the chair.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

1. The Commission approved the agenda.

12th BIENNIAL REPORT

2. The Commission approved:
   1. the text of the 12th Biennial Report, subject to incorporating Commissioners' comments; and
   2. the release plan and holding a dial-in telephone conference for the release, subject to permitting in-person media participation at any location at which a Commissioner may be present with ground rules established in advance.

GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT REVIEW EARLY ADVICE

3. The Commission deferred discussion of this issue until the next Commissioners' biweekly conference call and tasked staff with preparing a short summary of the issues in advance of the call.

2005 BIENNIAL MEETING

4. The Commission approved:
   1. charging fees for workshops;
   2. the media release;
   3. issuing a separate subsequent announcement of the keynote speaker; and
   4. tasking staff with the development of a selection process for the Scientist of the Biennium.

ALIEN INVASIVE SPECIES (AIS) REPORT CARD

5. The Commission approved:
   1. the concept of issuing grades subject to further refinement; and
   2. a schedule, including Commission review and approval of the final text by mid-July 2004 at the Great Lakes Mayors conference, and the release of the report card prior to the AIS conference in September in Ennis, Ireland.

ST. MARY AND MILK RIVERS

6. The Commission approved:
   1. Option B as the schedule for St. Mary and Milk River public consultations;
   2. the letter to the Governor and Premiers regarding the St. Mary and Milk River public consultations, with minor changes and for signature by the two Chairs; and
   3. having a sign-in sheet at each public consultation, with individuals speaking on a first-come first-served basis.

WATER USES REPORT

7. The Commission agreed to issue Part I of the text under tab 11 in the briefing book without the portions in square brackets as its review of the recommendations in the IJC's 2000 report on protection of the waters of the Great Lakes. The Commission also agreed to consider commenting on Annex 2001 to the Great Lakes Charter when the Council of Great Lakes Governors has issued texts for implementing the Annex.

BASIN COUNCIL INITIATIVE - WATERSHED BOARD REFERENCE

8. The Commission approved the outline of the proposed Second progress report.

BRING-FORWARD SYSTEM

9. The Commission approved the suggested approach for tracking government responses to Commission letters, and approved a specific follow-up letter to governments.

MISSISQUOI BAY REFERENCE

10. The Commission approved:
    1. the appointments to the Task Force of Gerald Potamis as the U.S. Co-Chair, Madeleine Papineau as the Canadian Co-Chair, Eric Smeltzer as a U.S. member, and Martin Mimeault as a Canadian member;
    2. the Task Force Directive in principle, subject to further discussion with the Task Force; and
    3. the press release announcing the appointment of the Missisquoi Bay Task Force, with minor changes.

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TASK FORCE (HPTF)

11. The Commission discussed the upcoming HPTF public meeting, Commissioners' role in the meeting, and the nature of the media announcement.

OTHER BUSINESS

Conferences

1. The Commission approved co-sponsorship of the State of the Strait conference at the University of Windsor on December 2, 2004 ($500 USD each section).
2. The Commission approved one Commissioner presenting at the Transboundary Water Management in Tucson, Arizona on November 16-19, 2004, with additional Commissioner participation to be considered on a biweekly conference call after exploring the potential for a meeting with Commissioners of the International Boundary and Water Commission.

Canadian Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fisheries Commission

• The Commission agreed to task staff with developing options for consideration by Commissioners no later than the October Semiannual meeting.

Appointments

1. The Commission approved the appointment of Colonel Michael Pfenning as Chair of the U.S. Section of the International Rainy Lake Board of Control, and member of the U.S. Section of the International Souris River Board, International Red River Board, all for three-year terms commencing August 1, 2004, and noted his anticipated appointment by the U.S. Government to International Lake of the Woods Control Board;
2. The Commission noted the appointment of Connie Hamilton as Canadian Co-Lead of the Informatics Technical Working Group to the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Study Team.

February Executive Meeting

• The Commission approved the date change of the February Executive meeting to February 15-17, 2005.

Lake of the Woods

• The Commission discussed the current high water situation in, and institutional mechanisms for, the Lake of the Woods and agreed to review a draft alerting letter to governments.

Flathead Lake

• The Commission noted the letter from the City of Fernie to the Province of British Columbia calling for a Commission role concerning coalbed methane exploration near Flathead Lake.