MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR RELEASE November 5, 1996

Contact

Windsor/Detroit	Bruce Kirschner	519-257-6710 or 313-226-2170
Ottawa	Geoff Thornburn	613-995-2984
Washington, D.C.	Frank Bevacqua	202-736-9024

INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION ANNOUNCES ASSESSMENT OF DETROIT RIVER AREA OF CONCERN

The International Joint Commission will launch a new approach to assessing U.S. and Canadian Great Lakes restoration activities with a Status Assessment of the Detroit River Area of Concern. Status Assessments, or indepth examinations of specific Areas of Concern and open lake waters, will be a major focus of the Commission's new strategic plan to assess the Remedial Action Plans and Lakewide Management Plans that are required by Annex 2 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

On November 6, Commissioners will be at the Detroit River to discuss the Commission's new Annex 2 Strategic Plan. Please join us at the time and place below to interview Commissioners near the river, or in the event of bad weather, at the Commission's 8th floor office:

Commissioner interviews
2:00-3:00 p.m. on Wednesday November 6, 1996
Meet in building lobby at 100 Ouellette Avenue, Windsor, Ontario

The first Status Assessment will examine technological and institutional issues influencing work to restore the Detroit River Area of Concern and provide opportunities for the public to interact with Commissioners. The first two consultations of the Status Assessment, both open to the public, will be at the following times and places:

Commission meeting with the Binational Public Advisory Council
7:00-9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 1996
Jefferson room in Tower 300 of the Renaissance Center, Detroit, Michigan

Commission meeting with Nongovernmental Organizations
6:30-9:00 pm on Thursday, November 14, 1996
Dieppe Room A, Cleary International Center, Windsor, Ontario

The Commission's Great Lakes Science Advisory Board is also inviting the public to participate in a meeting on "Issues of scientfic relevance to the development and implementation of the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan" at the time and place below:

Science Advisory Board Public Meeting
7:00-10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 20, 1996
River Place Hotel, 1000 River Place, Detroit, Michigan

The International Joint Commission was established under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 to prevent and resolve disputes over use of waters along the U.S. and Canada boundary. Under the 1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the Commission assess progress by the two countries to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem.

URL:http://www.ijc.org/rel/news/detpub.html