Approved November 18, 2005

MINUTES
INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE MEETING
Fall Semi-Annual Meeting
Ottawa, Ontario
October 18-21, 2005

The International Joint Commission met in Executive Session at the Canadian Section office in Ottawa, Ontario on October 18, 2005, and met with Boards and the Governments on October 19-21 with Chair Herb Gray in the chair.

Dr. Karen Vigmostad was welcomed to the IJC as the new Great Lakes Regional Office Director.

1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

• Commissioners approved the agenda, with the addition of the following:
  1. St. Croix Liquid Natural Gas Proposal
  2. Update on ATSDR work on AOCs
  3. IJC's mission statement and principles
  5. Flathead Basin Commission meeting invitation (under Conferences/Meetings)

2. IJC CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE

• Commissioners:
  1. received an oral update on efforts toward a history of the Boundary Waters Treaty (consideration of proposals), a commemorative stamp (reply from the US Postal Service and previous letter from Canada Post), and watershed mapping,
  2. approved pursuing one proposal and agreed that lead Commissioners Blaney and Olson and the two Secretaries should meet with the authors to discuss their proposal in more detail and develop an implementation plan for the Commission prior to consideration by the full Commission, and
  3. agreed a major conference should also be considered to mark the Centennial, to which the President, Prime Minister and the U.S. and Canadian Ambassadors would be invited, and asked staff to flesh out possible ideas.

3. PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS FOR THE GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT (GLWQA) REVIEW

• Commissioners:
  1. received an oral status report on public consultations under the Reference, reviewed the consultation briefing package, and discussed the first public consultation meeting held on October 16 in Montreal, and
  2. approved staff recommendations on placing display ads in newspapers for the consultation meetings, including placing a notice in the Canada Gazette and US Federal Register.

4. GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT REVIEW ("REVIEW")

• Commissioners:
  1. received an oral update on progress in developing Commission advice to governments and agreed that staff should provide options at the December Executive meeting,
  2. discussed a draft interim report of the Health Advisory Group on "Human Health and the Review" and agreed noted that a revised document should would be provided to Commisionersavailable in November or December, and
  3. agreed that all IJC Boards and Groups providing advice to the Commission on the Review could post their advice on the website with the caveat that it is their advice to the Commission not the Commission's advice to governments.

5. REPORT ON GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY PRIORITIES FOR 2003-05

• Commissioners approved:
  1. the draft report subject to edits and preparing an Executive Summary of the full report,
  2. translating the Executive Summary and the full report into French, and
  3. the cover design and the release plan (but with no media event) including not printing the report but making it available on the IJC's website, and making the executive summary available prior to the IJC's November 29 web dialogue on the Review.

6. GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY PRIORITIES FOR 2005-07

• Commissioners discussed the proposed priorities for 2005-07 and agreed to discuss them with the GLWQA Boards at the Roundtable on Wednesday and consider a final proposal for approval at the Commission's December Executive meeting, except for the Wingspread conference proposal, which was approved.

7. SPILLS REPORT

• Commissioners noted that lead staff were addressing additional information received from governments and agreed they should provide a revised draft for the December Executive meeting.

8. CANADA-U.S. AIR QUALITY AGREEMENT

• Commissioners approved the draft Synthesis Comments Report subject to editorial changes and the proposed communications plan, and agreed to raise with governments on Friday the view of some of the public that the IJC should have a more meaningful role under this Agreement perhaps similar to that which the Commission has under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Review (GLWQA).

9. U.S. GREAT LAKES REGIONAL COLLABORATION

• Commissioners received an update on the U.S. Great Lakes Regional Collaboration noting the final document will be released on December 12, 2005 in Chicago.

10. RED RIVER BOARD

• Commissioners received an update on the Comprehensive Flood Mitigation Plan (CFMP) proposal and agreed to await finalization of a Devils Lake Agreement before pursuing a meeting with the Governors/Premier to endorse the Plan.

11. INTERNATIONAL ST. LAWRENCE RIVER BOARD OF CONTROL - REQUEST FOR COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT

• Commissioners noted that four candidates are being interviewed for short-term communications assistance to the Control Board, that two Control Board members are involved in the selection process, and that a successful candidate should be in place shortly.

12. UPPER LAKES PLAN OF STUDY

• Commissioners agreed:
  1. to transmit the Final Plan of Study to governments seeking their approval for funds resources to proceed with implementation of the Plan, and
  2. to release it to the public by posting on our the Commission's website shortly following public consultations on the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement review.

13. CONFERENCES/MEETINGS

• Commissioners reviewed invitations/opportunities to participate in the following:
  1. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Conference of the Parties (COP) being hosted November 29-December 9 in Montreal
  2. International Symposium "Changing Great Lakes of the World", February 20-22, 2006, Tanzania
  3. Fourth World Water Forum, March 2006, Mexico
  4. 14^th International Invasive Species Conference, May 2006, Miami, and
  5. Flathead Basin Commission Meeting, December 7, 2005, Kalispell, Montana
  
  
  
• and agreed:
  1. to reschedule the December executive meeting to Dec 12 - 14 in Chicago, and that Commissioners would attend the GLRC meeting in Chicago Dec 12,
  2. Chair Schornack would attend the Flathead Basin Commission meeting,
  3. up to 3 Commissioners and one/two staff would attend each of the Tanzania and Mexico conferences
  4. to apply for observer status at the COP in Montreal, and
  5. to address the Invasive Species conference in Miami separately is aas a domestic, not international, not an international event.

14. OTHER BUSINESS

• A. St. Croix Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) Proposals
  • Commissioners noted that their International St. Croix River Board is monitoring LNG proposals for the IJC.
• B. Update on ATSDR work on AOCs
  • Commissioners agreed to arrange a meting with the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to discuss their work on Areas of Concern (AOCs).
• C. IJC's Mission Statement and Guiding Principles
  • Commissioners agreed to discuss the IJC's Mission Statement and Guiding Principles at the Commission's December Executive meeting.

Decisions made during discussion/appearances of Boards/Task Force/Council reporting at the Fall semi-annual meeting on Wednesday, October 19 and Thursday, October 20.

15. HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TASK FORCE

• Commissioners agreed to the new terms of reference for five years subject to examining membership, and requested that a proposed budget and membership be prepared for the December Executive meeting.

16. INTERNATIONAL LAKE ONTARIO-ST. LAWRENCE RIVER STUDY BOARD

• Commissioners confirmed a December 5, 2005 detailed briefing in Washington, DC, open to the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Study Board, International St. Lawrence River Board of Control and Public Interest Advisory Group.

17. INTERNATIONAL ST. LAWRENCE RIVER BOARD OF CONTROL

• Commissioners agreed to extend the authority for peaking and ponding for two years on an interim basis or until a new Order of Approval is approved by the Commission, whichever comes first, and to so notify the Board and the Power Entities.

18. BOUNDARY WATERSHEDS MAPPING GROUP [US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (USGS), NATURAL RESOURCES CANADA (NRCan) AND ENVIRONMENT CANADA]

• Commissioners asked lead staff to develop combined cost estimates for a complete set of digital watershed maps at the different proposed scales, including a "coffee table-type" book.

19. INTERNATIONAL RAINY RIVER WATER POLLUTION BOARD AND THE INTERNATIONAL RAINY LAKE BOARD OF CONTROL

• Commissioners asked lead staff for a recommendation on meeting with the hydropower companies regarding peaking and ponding during the spawning season.