PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

February 5, 2001

IJC invites comment on progress under Canada-U.S. Air Quality Agreement

The International Joint Commission (IJC ) invites public comment on the 2000 Progress Report of the U.S. and Canadian governments' Air Quality Committee. The report describes progress by the United States and Canada to reduce transboundary air pollution under the Canada-United States 1991 Agreement on Air Quality.

The purpose of the Agreement is to establish a practical and effective instrument to address shared concerns on transboundary air pollution. The 2000 Progress Report reviews acid rain control programs; monitoring; prevention of air quality deterioration; visibility protection; notification, assessment and mitigation of significant transboundary air pollution; and scientific information exchange.

The report also describes cooperation between Canada and the United States on ground-level ozone and particulate matter. In December 2000, after the Progress Report had gone to press, the two countries announced that a new Ozone Annex to the Agreement had been brought into force. The Annex sets targets for reducing smog-producing emissions in both countries. The full text of the Ozone Annex can be found at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/air/ozone-annex_e.shtml

Under the terms of the 1991 Agreement, the governments established a bilateral Air Quality Committee which reports on progress under the Agreement every two years. The 2000 Progress Report of the Air Quality Committee is available at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/can_us/qual/2000/aqa_2000_e.pdf

Under the Agreement, the Governments assigned the International Joint Commission the responsibility of inviting comments on each progress report of the Air Quality Committee. Please send comments for receipt by April 30, 2001 to either address below:

Secretary, Canadian Section 234 Laurier Avenue West 22 nd floor Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6K6 Fax 613.993.5583 Commission@ottawa.ijc.org

Secretary, United States Section 1250 23 rd Street NW Suite 100 Washington, DC 20440 Fax 202.736.9015 Commission@washington.ijc.org

For more information, cntact:

Fabien Lengellé	Ottawa, Ontario	(613) 995-0088
Frank Bevacqua	Washington, D.C.	(202) 736-9024