Approved March 3, 2006

MINUTES
INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE MEETING
Ottawa, Ontario
February 7 - 9, 2006

The International Joint Commission met in Executive Session at the Canadian Section office in Ottawa, Ontario February 7 - 9, 2006, with Herb sGray in the chair.

1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

• Commissioners approved the agenda with the addition of the following items deferred from the February 3 conference call:
  1. IJC 2005 Annual Report
  2. IAQAB Report
  3. Appointments

2. IJC 2005 ANNUAL REPORT

• Commissioners agreed that staff should continue to incorporate comments from Commissioners and provide a redraft as soon as possible.

3. IAQAB REPORT ON SECOND CLEAN AREAS WORKSHOP

• Commissioners agreed with the International Air Quality Advisory Board (IAQAB) recommendation that the report should not be sent to the parties; that the IAQAB Secretary and the Commission Secretaries should discuss disposition of the report, including printing; and that the Report should be posted on the board's website.

4. APPOINTMENTS

• The Commission approved the reappointment of Dr. Harvey Shear as interim Canadian co-chair of the Council of Great Lakes Research Managers for up to a one-year term while seeking a replacement, due to Dr. Shear's retirement from the Canadian public service, through nominations from government of Canada departments.

5. ROSENBERG INTERNATIONAL WATER POLICY FORUM AND IJC PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Commissioners noted:
  1. an invitation to participate in the 2006 International Forum to be held in Banff in September and agreed, after discussion with the Chair of the Rosenberg Advisory Committee, to accept the invitation and that all Commissioners will participate; and
     
     
  2. a proposal, developed through the UN Water for Life Decade, to develop public service announcements for various issues and organizations.

6. REVIEW OF IJC MISSION STATEMENT, PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIC PLAN

• Commissioners reviewed the June 1998 Strategic Plan which incorporated a Mission Statement and Guiding Principles and agreed that the Mission Statement and Guiding Principles are still relevant but that the Strategic Plan should be set aside.

7. GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT (GLWQA) REVIEW

• Commissioners discussed issues suggested by staff as requiring Commission direction and agreed that staff should:
  1. begin to develop text on these issues for consideration by Commissioners;
  2. provide a written report on the upcoming Binational Executive Committee (BEC) Meeting as well as a summary of the purpose/structure of BEC; and
  3. provide copies of the Science Advisory Board report on the January 2006 Wingspread Conference.

8. 13^th BIENNIAL REPORT ON GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY

• Commissioners discussed options for the 13^th Biennial Report and agreed that:
  1. staff should continue work on a separate special report on urbanization, timing unspecified but likely early in 2007, drawing on the ongoing work of the boards;
  2. the 13^th Biennial Report should be short (about 5 pages), well-written, and devoted exclusively to accountability;
  3. staff should develop a process for releasing both the above reports to ensure appropriate attention and distribution (such as Commissioners meeting with senior federal officials in both countries, followed by media boards in major media markets the next day, and followed by meetings with state, provincial officials and mayors.);
  4. Commissioners Blaney and Olson would be the lead Commissioners for the 13^th biennial report; and
  5. Assignment of lead Commissioners for the separate special report on urbanization will be revisited later.

9. AREAS OF CONCERN (AOCs) AND REMEDIAL ACTION PLANS (RAPs)

• Commissioners received an update on the status of AOCs, RAPs, and Lakewide Area Management Plans (LaMPs) and agreed that staff should provide periodic updates on the status of the AOCs/RAPs.

10. AGENCY FOR TOXICS SUBSTANCES DISEASE REGISTRY (ATSDR) PRESENTATION ON U.S. AOCs

• Commissioners received a presentation from representatives of the ATSDR on their draft report on potential health effects in U.S. AOCs and agreed that staff should lay out next steps to follow with respect to release of the report, such as a public relations plan and a possible letter to governments.

11. RAINY AUTHORITIES

• Commissioners received a briefing on IJC authorities in the Rainy/Namakan/Lake of the Woods watersheds and agreed staff should provide an update on the peaking and ponding issue, including an update on any current views of the First Nations and considering what inferences, if any, can be drawn from the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River study, and recommend a strategy for proceeding.

12. LAKE ONTARIO - ST. LAWRENCE RIVER (LOSLR) STUDY

• Commissioners continued their discussion of issues on which they would need information to help them reach consensus on possible changes to the Commission's existing regulatory regime.

13. OTHER BUSINESS

• Commissioners discussed seeking a briefing on Flathead Basin issues in conjunction with its April semi-annual meeting in Seattle, and agreed that Commissioner Blaney would contact the provincial government to ask whom the Commission should invite.