Final November 8, 2004

MINUTES
INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION
COMMISSIONERS CONFERENCE CALL
October 13, 2004
11:00 am EST

The International Joint Commission met in executive session by conference call on October 13, 2004 with Chair Herb Gray in the chair.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

1. Commissioners approved the items covered below as the agenda for the conference call.

MINUTES

2. Commissioners approved the Minutes of the September 21, 2004 Executive Meeting in Ennis, Ireland and deferred consideration of the Minutes of their September 8, 2004 Conference Call to the October 19, 2004 Executive Meeting.

APPOINTMENTS

3. The Commission approved the appointment of:
   
   International Niagara Board of Control, Canadian Section
   Mr. Rob Messervey as a member replacing Mr. David de Launay for an unspecified term.
   
   Council of Great Lakes Research Managers, U.S. Section
   Dr. Steven Colman as a member replacing Dr. Thomas Johnson for a three-year term.
   
   Great Lakes Water Quality Board, U.S. Section
   Gary Gulezian as a temporary member and Acting Co-chair replacing Tom Skinner pending consultations with EPA on a full-time U.S. Co-chair.

BRING-FORWARD SYSTEM

4. Commissioners agreed to defer consideration of this item to the Executive Meeting on October 19 and requested that the relevant background documents be provided.

2004 IJC ANNUAL REPORT

5. Commissioners discussed the format and quality of the 2004 Annual Report and agreed that it would be similar to the 2003 Report and that a mock-up should be provided by staff for Commission approval at the December 2004 Executive meeting.

IJC POLICIES AND PRACTICES

6. Commissioners approved a revision to the IJC policy on conflict of interest from outside activities.

GREAT LAKES REGIONAL OFFICE (GLRO) DIRECTOR'S REPORT

7. Commissioners noted the various activities of the GLRO as recorded in the report and deferred more detailed discussions and questions for the October 19 Executive Meeting.

U.S. GREAT LAKES REGIONAL COLLABORATION

8. Commissioners received an update on the U.S. Great Lakes Regional Collaboration.

GREAT LAKES COMPONENT OF THE EARTH OBSERVING SYSTEM

9. Commissioners agreed to raise the issue of governmental support for this system during the Commission's semiannual meeting with governments on October 22, 2004.

GREAT LAKES COMMISSION (GLC) ANNUAL MEETING AND STATE OF THE LAKES ECOSYSTEM CONFERENCE (SOLEC)

10. Commissioners received an oral report from staff who attended the GLC and SOLEC meetings, October 4-8, in Toronto, Ontario and noted their individual experiences at the events they attended.

LAKEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLANS (LaMPs)

11. Commissioners received an update on the status of LaMP reviews and agreed that:
    
    1. IJC legal advisers should provide an opinion on whether the current reporting on LaMPs by the governments, which is not in accordance with the GLWQA, could be done without amending that Agreement,
       
       
    2. staff should provide a summary overview of the LaMP updates submitted by governments based on the executive summaries and not the detailed documents, and
       
       
    3. staff should continue with their review of the Lake Ontario LaMP.

CANADA-U.S. AIR QUALITY AGREEMENT

12. Commissioners discussed the process and options for soliciting comment on the Governments' 2004 Progress Report of the Air Quality Committee and approved the proposed process and the draft letter to governments subject to editorial changes. (Note: subsequently it was agreed that the revised letter would not be sent.)

GRAND COULEE DAM

13. Commissioners received a status report on the request from the Canadian Columbia River Inter-tribal Fisheries Commission and noted that the IJC's Columbia Board had been asked to reply with any information they might have by December 1, 2004.

INTERNATIONAL SOURIS RIVER BOARD

14. Commissioners considered the proposed action plan for expansion of the Board's mandate and agreed to decide this matter following the semiannual meeting with governments on October 22, 2004.

GULF OF MAINE SUMMIT (OCTOBER 27 - 29, 2004)

15. Commissioners received a status report on IJC involvement in the Summit and noted that the IJC's International St Croix River Board would be meeting with other international organizations on October 25 to explore potential areas of collaboration, followed by a Board meeting on October 26.