Approved

MINUTES

INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION

EXECUTIVE MEETING

Windsor, Ontario

June 10, 2003

The International Joint Commission met in executive session at the Commission’s Great Lakes Regional Office in Windsor, Ontario, June 10, 2003 with Chair Herb Gray in the chair.

COMMISSIONERS

Herb Gray                                           Chair, Canadian Section

Dennis Schornack                               Chair, U.S. Section

Robert Gourd                                      Commissioner, Canadian Section

Irene Brooks                                       Commissioner, U.S. Section

Allen Olson                                        Commissioner, U.S. Section

HEADQUARTERS’ STAFF

Murray Clamen                                  Secretary, Canadian Section

Jim Chandler                                      Acting Secretary and Legal Adviser, U.S. Section

Helen Kay Austin                               Ecologist, U.S. Section 

Edward Bailey                                    Engineering Adviser, Canadian Section

Frank Bevacqua                                  Public Information Officer, U.S. Section

Lisa Bourget                                       Engineering Adviser, U.S. Section

Nick Heisler                                       Special Adviser to the Chair, Canadian Section

James Houston                                   Environmental & Informatics Adviser, Canadian Section

Rudy Koop                                         Research Adviser, Canadian Section

Fabien Lengellé                                  Public Affairs Adviser, Canadian Section

Ann MacKenzie                                 Economics Adviser, Canadian Section

Tom McAuley                                    Engineering Adviser, Canadian Section

John Nevin                                         Policy Adviser, U.S. Section

Russ Trowbridge                                Adviser, U.S. Section

Michael Vechsler                               Legal Adviser, Canadian Section

GREAT LAKES REGIONAL OFFICE STAFF 

Gail Krantzberg                                  Director

Jennifer Day                                       Public Information Officer

Peter Boyer                                         Social Scientist

Marty Bratzel                                     Physical Scientist

Mark Burrows                                    Physical Scientist

Michael Gilbertson                             Physical Scientist

Doug Alley                                         Physical Scientist

John Gannon                                      Physical Scientist

John McDonald                                  Senior Engineer

Richard Delisle                                   Administrative Officer

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

1.         Commissioners approved the modified agenda (covered below) noting those items that had already been dealt with on the June 4, 2003 conference call and added the following items under Other Business:

            a.         CEC Meeting Washington, DC June 24-25, 2003

            b.         Chair Gray Report on Poland Meetings May 27-28, 2003 

            c.         Draft Resolution Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Mayors Conference June 16, 2003 St. Catharines, Ontario

APPOINTMENTS

2.         The Commission approved the appointment of Col. Gary Johnston as the Alternate U.S. Member of the International Lake Superior Board of Control and as the Alternate U.S. Chair of the International Niagara Board of Control and the International St. Lawrence River Board of Control, all effective July 9, 2003, with the St. Lawrence appointment effective until February 2007.

2003 BIENNIAL FORUM

3.         The Commission:

            a.         agreed to schedule a briefing for Commissioners on Wednesday, September 17, 2003 at the Marriott Courtyard in Ann Arbor;

            b.         agreed to formally invite the Council of Great Lakes Industries, Great Lakes Commission, Council of Great Lakes Governors, Great Lakes United, as well as the two federal governments to participate;

            c.         approved the invitation letter to the presenters.

GLWQA PRIORITIES

4.         The Commission reviewed the process for discussion of 2003-2005 priorities with the GLWQA Board Co-chairs on June 11 and agreed that the GLRO Director would facilitate the discussion and that the suggested grid for evaluating priorities might be helpful.

ANNEX 2 TASK FORCE

5.         The Commission agreed that the Task Force should have one more meeting and be directed to focus on a workplan and that lead Commissioners would report back concerning the continuance of the Task Force following the meeting.

INDICATORS

6.         The Commission agreed that staff would continue to work in conjunction with SOLEC to organize an event(s) on indicators.

SCIENTIST OF THE BIENNIUM AWARD

7.         Commissioners noted the 12 nominations for the award and agreed that the Nominating Committee would forward the names of the top candidates to Commissioners for decision by the end of June/early July.

AREA OF CONCERN REPORT REVISIONS

8.         Commissioners approved the staff proposal for modifying the AOC report matrix and clickable map and agreed that the GLRO Director would transmit this to BEC.

BASIN COUNCIL INITIATIVE

9.         Commissioners received an update on consultations in the Red and St. Croix River Basins to establish a Basin Council (ref. Watershed Board) and agreed that Commissioners Blaney, Olson and Brooks should convene a conference call on June 10 with the Co-chairs of the Commission’s International Red River Board to explore next steps. There was general agreement to proceed carefully with a clear commitment to the guidelines set out in the IJC and the 21^st Century report in preparing a “road map” or strategy that is responsible and can be used by future Commissions. It was agreed to delay contact with Governors and Premiers until the road map is better articulated and funding is available.

DUCK LAKE

10.       The Commission approved the general direction being undertaken by staff to review the Duck Lake Orders (not conducting studies concerning internal Duck Lake water level management) and that one Public Hearing in Creston, B.C., coupled with prior outreach, would provide the public with convenient opportunity to be heard, as required by the Boundary Waters Treaty.

ST. MARY-MILK RIVERS

11.       The Commission considered the request from the State of Montana to review the St. Mary-Milk Order under Article VI of the Boundary Waters Treaty and

            a.         approved the draft letter to the two governments, copying the state and provinces, informing them that the IJC is exploring whether or not to review the 1921 Order;

            b.        agreed that staff should contact key government officials in both countries to explore potential issues and concerns with a view towards beginning to frame the scope of such a review.

IJC WEBSITE

12.       The Commission viewed a demonstration of the new IJC website and approved the proposed look and navigation structure, subject to reviewing the website one more time before its public release. The Commission also authorized the Canadian Section entering into a second Memorandum of Understanding with PWGSC that would cover the second phase of the redevelopment plan.

OTHER BUSINESS

13.       The Commission:

            Oral report on AIS Activities

            a.         Received an oral report from Chair Schornack on the recent Chicago Mayor’s Conference, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal fish dispersal barrier and the Asian Carp rapid response team.

Letter from Canadian Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fisheries Commission (CCRIFC) with respect to the IJC’s Grand Coulee Order

            b.         The Commission agreed that:

                        (i)        The Secretary to the Canadian Section would acknowledge receipt of the CCRIFC’s request as set out in the staff draft;

                        (ii)       The Secretaries would inform the Canadian and United States governments respectively of the CCRIFC’s request, as set out in the staff drafts, with the letter to the Canadian government inviting that government’s views with respect to the status of the CCRIFC and the Aboriginal communities referred to in the CCRIFC’s request; and

                        (iii)      IJC staff, working with the members of the IJC’s International Columbia River Board of Control and such other experts as may be appropriate, would provide the Commission with an estimate of the resources that would be needed to address the issues raised in the CCRIFC’s request.

            Great Lakes Water Levels Media Call

            c.         The Commission agreed not to conduct such a media call this year.

Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Meeting, Washington DC June 24-25, 2003

            d.         Commissioners agreed not to pursue a meeting with the CEC Council of Ministers this year.     

            Resolution for the International Association of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Mayors

            e.         At the suggestion of the Mayor of Windsor, Commissioners reviewed a draft resolution on the need for an IJC Reference on aquatic invaders that the Mayor of Windsor could submit to the above conference June 16 in St. Catherines.

            Chair Gray’s Meetings in Poland May 27-28, 2003

            f.         Commissioners received an oral report from Chair Gray on the meetings he had with the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and the Ministry of Environment to discuss, amongst other matters, transboundary river basins and environmental issues.

                        _____________________                              _____________________

                        Murray Clamen                                              Jim Chandler 

                        Secretary                                                         Acting Secretary

                        Canadian Section                                            U.S. Section

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