MONTRÉAL PUBLIC FORUM October 19-20, 2001 Montréal Québec, Canada Saturday Transcripts Policy Challenges in Restoring the Integrity of the Waters of the Great Lakes Presentations by senior United States and Canadian policy experts. Karen Redman Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment Tracey Mehan U.S. EPA, Assistant Administrator for Water Making Future Progress: Reports by the Governments of Canada and the United States John Mills Director, Ontario Region for Environment Canada Gary Gulezian U.S. EPA, Director of Great Lakes National Programs Office Open Microphone: Public Questions and Comments to the governments, the Commission and to other participants Friday All Day Workshops (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) Workshop on RAPs, ZIPs and LaMPs: Addressing the Threat to Community and Ecosystem What do we do about it, and is there an urgency? These are the questions being asked during this workshop, which addresses the challenges of assessing the impact of pollutants on community health. Health Canada has published reports on the incidences of mortality, morbidity and congenital anomalies for populations living in the 17 Canadian Areas of Concern. Researchers from the United States are collecting comparable data in the eight Great Lakes states. Collectively, these studies raise serious concerns about the impact of persistent toxic substances on human health in the Great Lakes. Come and learn the techniques for telling the story about your own community and contribute your views on the policies and programs necessary to protect human health in the Great Lakes basin. Friday Morning Workshops (8:30 a.m. - noon) Indicators for Societal Responsibility of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (backgrounder ) {PDF file} Workshop participants will discuss possible indicators for practical use in societal responsibility of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem. Information prepared for this session is part of the ongoing process of indicator development by the IJC and the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/solec/ and http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/solec/ ). Proposed societal responsibility indicators will be distributed for facilitated discussion and other indicators, suggested by participants, will be considered. The results of this workshop will contribute to the SOLEC indicator development process in preparation for reporting at SOLEC 2002. Reducing Toxics in Urban Sewage This workshop examines the complex issue of reducing the discharge of various toxic substances into the sewer systems of large cities in the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River basin. Case studies focus on the tough sewer by-law adopted in 2000 by the city of Toronto and the efforts of the Montréal Urban Community to control toxic discharges, such as mercury from dental clinics. The workshop is being organized by STOP, a Montréal-based citizens' environmental organization. The Impacts of Fluctuating Water Levels on the St. Lawrence River Ecosystem There are many concerns and issues arising from the fluctuating water levels of the St. Lawrence River. This workshop addresses the policies and programs that governments and others could consider in mitigating the damaging effects on the environment and society. It provides an overview of water levels in the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River system, with a focus on the St. Lawrence River, and includes an expert panel and general discussion on the impacts of fluctuating water levels. Friday Afternoon Workshops (1:30 - 5 p.m.) Source Water Protection Presented from a research perspective, this workshop provides information and discussion on the policies and protocols of various Great Lake jurisdictions for urban and rural well head protection and the latest research on drinking water treatment. Discussion will include the implications of raw water quality variability, source water quantity issues, and the ecological impacts of nutrients, pesticides and pathogens. The workshop is sponsored by the IJC's Council of Great Lakes Research Managers. Towards Sustainable Navigation In The Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River System Navigation is an important use of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River system. Organized by Saint-Laurent Vision 2000, this workshop addresses environmental issues related to commercial and recreational navigation and trends toward sustainable navigation on the St. Lawrence River. Presentations and discussions address: the integrated management of dredging and sediments; vessel speed and shore erosion; results of an efficient consensus building action with the maritime industry; water level fluctuations; commercial navigation; recreational boating; and the role of St. Lawrence riverside communities. Traditional Ecological Knowledge Based on previous work of the IJC, this workshop addresses the traditional ecological knowledge of North America's aboriginal people. This knowledge provides an important perspective to the greater understanding of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem and to the overall management, protection and restoration of the Great Lakes. Presentations Prepared for Cancelled September 14 Workshops Alien Invasive Species and Biological Pollution in the Great Lakes Basin {PDF file} Presentation by Hugh MacIsaac to have been presented on September 14, 2001. Environmental engineering solutions for ballast water treatment, including strengths and limitations of filtration, heat, UV and ozone {PDF file} Presentation by Allegra Cangelosi to have been presented on September 14, 2001.