Approved August 11, 2006

MINUTES
INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE MEEETING
Windsor, Ontario
June 7-8, 2006

The International Joint Commission met in Executive Session in Windsor, Ontario on June 7-8, 2006 and met with its Boards and Task Forces and with governments and invited presenters, on June 7-9, 2006, with Chair Dennis Schornack in the chair.

1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
   Commissioners approved the agenda with the addition of the following items under Other Business:
   
   
   1. Devils Lake
   2. Centennial of the Boundary Waters Treaty
   
   
2. APPOINTMENTS
   Commissioners approved the reappointment of Deborah Swackhamer as a U.S. Member of the Great Lakes Science Advisory Board for a three-year term.
   
   
3. POTENTIAL TWINNING BETWEEN GREAT LAKES AND LAKE VICTORIA ORGANIZATIONS
   Commissioners approved provision as required of up to US$4,000, to be shared by both Sections of the Commission, for local accommodation of participants in a joint Great Lakes Fisheries Commission - International Joint Commission workshop tentatively scheduled for August 29-31, 2006 at the Ohio State University's Stone Biological Laboratory, Put-in-Bay, Ohio, to scope issues and develop key elements for a twinning proposal.
   
   
4. 13^th BIENNIAL REPORT
   Commissioners provided initial reactions to a first draft of a 13^th Biennial Report and requested that staff prepare a considerably shorter second draft for their review.
   
   
5. GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT REVIEW ADVICE
   Commissioners discussed in detail a draft report providing advice to the two federal governments on their review of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and provided staff with guidance for inclusion in a subsequent draft.
   
   
6. 2007 GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT BIENNIAL MEETING
   Commissioners approved Chicago, Illinois, as the location for the Commission's 13^th Biennial Meeting, which is proposed to be held early summer 2007.
   
   
7. LAKE ONTARIO - ST LAWRENCE RIVER STUDY
   Commissioners discussed consultations with governments, received a report on a May 18-19 Adaptive Management Workshop, and agreed to:
   1. formally disband the Study Board and Public Interest Advisory Group, with the retention of the two Co-Chairs as Study Directors until some future point to be determined later.
   2. acknowledge each comment received on the Study Board's report during the 60-day comment period, but not to post on the Commission's website. (Note: Commissioners later revisited the latter point and agreed to post all submissions subject to deleting information for privacy considerations.)
   3. decline an invitation to a meeting of the International Water Levels Coalition.
   
   
8. OTHER BUSINESS
   
   1. Health Professionals Task Force Work Plan and Budget. Commissioners approved the 2006-2007 workplan and associated budget of the Health Professionals Task Force.
   2. Oswego River Area of Concern. Commissioners noted plans for a July 25, 2006 meeting and requested that staff work out Commission attendance and roles.
   3. Devils Lake. Commissioners noted the status of a preliminary report by the Board, and likely schedule for further progress, to provide scope and cost information regarding monitoring questions; agreed that the preliminary report could be provided informally to governments; and agreed that a final report would be provided formally under cover of a letter from the Commission.
   4. Centennial of the Boundary Waters Treaty. Commissioners were briefed on a meeting with Professor Stephen Brooks, who is working with Professor Barry Rabe to pursue a history of the Boundary Waters Treaty and the International Joint Commission, noting that the approach is evolving, will take a broader focus than originally envisioned, and is not expected to require funding from the Commission.

Decisions made during discussion/appearances of Boards/Task Forces reporting at the June meeting on Thursday, June 8, 2006.

9. INTERNATIONAL ST. CROIX RIVER BOARD
   Commissioners agreed to issue a letter from the Commission to New Brunswick Power to request reports previously requested by the Board but not received concerning potential dam safety concerns. (Note: Commissioners later reconsidered the nature of letters required when it became apparent that copies of correspondence provided by New Brunswick Power to the Board constituted the report in question and that no more comprehensive documentation existed.) Commissioners also requested that staff inform them whether or not the Commission's mandate extends into the estuary in the St. Croix River.