Approved March 16, 2007

MINUTES

INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION EXECUTIVE MEEETING
Ottawa, Ontario
February 6 -7, 2007

The International Joint Commission met in Executive Session at the Canadian Section office in Ottawa, Ontario, February 6 -7,2007, with Herb Gray in the chair.

1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

   Commissioners approved the agenda with the addition under "Other Business" of Asian Carp and Devils Lake Monitoring.

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

   Commissioners continued their discussion of issues related to the review of the Orders and Regulation Plan and agreed on essential elements of a package that staff were asked to assemble for consideration at the April semi-annual meeting or sooner if parts were completed beforehand.

3. IJC APPLICATIONS AND REFERENCES ON THE WEB

   Commissioners received an update on providing Applicationsand References on the IJC website and agreed to review this item at the semi-annual meeting in April.

4. MAJOR COMMISSION INITIATIVES FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS

   Commissioners considered the staff draft of major Commission initiatives for the next two years and agreed that it should be redrafted to indicate the priority of these initiatives.

5. 13^th BIENNIAL REPORT ON GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY

   Commissioners reviewed previously developed plans for release of the 13th Biennial Report on February 8 in Chicago and for the briefing to Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) boards/council/task force members by conference call and agreed the material was satisfactory.

6. GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT BIENNIAL MEETING

   Commissioners discussed plans for the June 2007 meeting in Chicago, including sessions for the meeting, and approved:

   1. the overall working agenda;
   2. a fee for Friday's Great Lakes Conference of USD $100 (CD $120), which would include a sit-down lunch;
   3. descriptions of meeting sessions for publicity activities with changes to reflect the following guidance:
      • Agreement Review Session: asked staff to consider whether it should be moderated and to propose a moderator, possibly a faculty member,
      • Science Award: hold after lunch on Thursday and change "will talk about" to "will give a presentation on"
      • Town Hall: Commissioner Blaney will serve as moderator, and
      • Effective Urban Policy and other sessions: asked staff to use more neutral language about how cities impact water quality;
   4. the addition of a session on Asian carp and the electric fish dispersal barrier;
   5. asking staff to develop a proposal using polling as a marketing tool, not to use e-polling at the meeting itself;
   6. not posing a question concerning the possibility of this being the last Commission's Biennial Meeting;
   7. a Biennial Meeting flyer with the Chicago skyline; and
   8. a letter inviting William Clay Ford, Jr., to be the keynote speaker.
   
   
7. GOVERNMENTS' GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT REVIEW

   Commissioners considered the final report of the Governments' Governance and Institutions Workshop and a draft letter to the Binational Executive Committee (BEC)and agreed to send a letter to the BEC commenting on the process that included language previously sent to the co-conveners and to forward this letter to higher-level government officials.

8. 14^th BIENNIAL REPORT ON GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY

   Commissioners considered a proposed approach for DC reports on Great Lakes water quality, including a 2007 summary report and 2008 biennial report, and approved the proposed approach, including modest resources ($45,000) to complete the work.

9. NEW PROCESS FOR 2007-2009 PRIORITIES WORK FOR GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT WORK

   Commissioners considered a proposed improved process for determining priorities for Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement work and approved the proposed approach, including scheduling an extra Commission executive meeting in September 2007 and designating Commissioners for each selected priority initiative.

10. AIR QUALITY
    
    
    1. Canada-U.S. Air Quality Agreement
       Commissioners approved extending the deadline to obtain public comment on the Parties' 2006 Progress Report of the Air Quality Committee from February 28,2007 to March 31, 2007 and approved organizing invitational meetings in Vancouver and Seattle to obtain further comment.
       
       
    2. International Air Quality Advisory Board Energy Initiative
       Commissioners received a status report from Ann McMillan (Canadian Co-chair) and Harold Garabedian (U.S. member) and approved adding a day to the workshop, asking North Dakota and Saskatchewan to be partners with the DC, and asking staff to explore the feasibility of asking a national reporter(s) to participate in the workshop and any field trips.
    
    
11. INTERNATIONAL UPPER GREAT LAKES STUDY

    Commissioners approved revised terms of reference for the Public Interest Advisory Group (PIAG), a revised Public Participation Guidance(PPG) document, and the appointment of Jim Bredin as a U.S. member of the Study Board and confirmed that the Commission's practice regarding travel support applies for the International Upper Great Lakes Study.

12. ST. MARY AND MILK RIVERS

    Commissioners approved a response to any media inquiries, considered next steps for further Commission action on the review of administrative measures for apportionment, and agreed that Commissioners Blaney and Olson should meet with the Governor of Montana and the Premier of Alberta and report back to the Commission.

13. RAINY RIVER RULE CURVE MONITORING

    Commissioners considered the concerns raised by the International Rainy Lake Board of Control regarding monitoring the impacts of the new Rule Curve and approved a reply to the Board establishing a Plan of Study team to develop a long-term plan to address this matter. Commissioners received a briefing on the current drought conditions in the Rainy basin and the possibility that a Supplementary Order and associated communications plan would need to be approved by Commissioners.

14. INTERNATIONAL ST. CROIX RIVER BOARD

    Commissioners considered the International St. Croix River Board's request by letter from the Co-chairs dated January 12, 2007 to change the Board's name to the "St. Croix River Watershed Board," approved the request in concept as an indication that the Board should be considered the Commission's first watershed board, and asked staff to draft a letter to governments and a reply to the Board, to include the matter for discussion with governments at the April semi-annual meeting, and to plan subsequent appropriate recognition of this anticipated step.

15. OSOYOOS LAKE SCIENCE FORUM

    Commissioners received an update on plans for the Forum, tentatively to be held in the Fall of 2007, and noted that the overall approach, including partnership efforts, was consistent with the Commission's Watershed Initiative.

16. OTHER BUSINESS
    
    
    1. Asian Carp
       Commissioners approved a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Rice requesting her strong support for urgent action to keep Asian carps from invading the Great Lakes.
       
       
    2. Devils Lake
       Commissioners discussed the letter from the International Red River Board dated January 30, 2007, and its Aquatic Ecosystem Committee dated January 23,2007, concerning funding for the proposed spring 2007 parasite/pathogen monitoring activity and approved the U.S. Section contacting the U.S. Department of State and the Council on Environmental Quality and the Canadian Section sending a letter to Foreign Affairs Canada, alerting them to the need for funding for this spring's work.