ijc presentation mar 18, 2013
DESCRIPTION
IJC Presentation by Mathew Child for RAP Open House event of March 18, 2013TRANSCRIPT
1 More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters.
Green Community, Clean Waters
Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan Open House March 18, 2013
Matthew Child, Physical Scientist
Great Lakes Regional Office
International Joint Commission
Overview
Context of Great Lakes Cleanup
Role of the International Joint Commission (IJC)
Great Lakes Areas of Concern
How does the experience in other AOCs inform activities in Thunder Bay?
Closing remarks
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters
An Era of Transboundary Pollution Impacts
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 3
Cleveland
Ohio Water
Works Plant,
July 4, 1903
The Hamilton
Ontario Steel &
Iron Company,
1900
Toronto, Ontario 1896
Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909
“It is further agreed that the waters herein
defined as boundary waters and waters
flowing across the boundary shall not be
polluted on either side to the injury of
health or property on the other”.
4 More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters
Transboundary Basins
Over a century of cooperation protecting shared waters
5
Columbia River Basin
St. Mary - Milk River Basin
Souris River Basin
Red River Basin
Rainy River Basin
The Great Lakes and Waterways
Saint. Croix River Basin
Missisquoi Bay Lake Champlain
IJC’s Regulatory Role
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Power Plants
Control Works
References
IJC looks into issues as asked to by the
governments of Canada and U.S.
IJC replies with an independent report and make
recommendations to the governments on these
issues that are often followed.
One of the first references regarding pollution of
boundary waters and the final report was
published in 1918
7 More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters
1960s Reference on Great Lakes Water Quality
8 More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters
The Cuyahoga River on fire in 1969.
Severe Eutrophication of Lake Erie
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters
President Richard Nixon and Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau signing the Great Lakes Water
Quality Agreement (1972)
The purpose of the Agreement is “to restore and
maintain the chemical, physical and biological
integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes basin
ecosystem"
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and Minister of
Environment Peter Kent sign Agreement Protocol
(2012)
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Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI)
1. Restrictions on Fish and Wildlife Consumption
2. Tainting of Fish and Wildlife Flavour
3. Degraded Fish and Wildlife Populations
4. Fish Tumours or Other Deformities
5. Bird or Animal Deformities or Reproductive Problems
6. Degradation of Benthos
7. Restrictions on Dredging Activities
8. Eutrophication or Undesirable Algae
9. Restrictions on Drinking Water Consumption or Taste and Odour Problems
10. Beach Closings
11. Degradation of Aesthetics
12. Added Costs to Agriculture or Industry
13. Degradation of Phytoplankton and Zooplankton Populations
14. Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat
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Progress is Being Made!
5 Areas of Concern
Delisted (Restored)
2 Areas of Concern
in Recovery
Examples of Progress:
Contaminant loads
decreasing
Species recoveries – bald eagle, mayfly, native fishes (e.g., lake sturgeon,
lake whitefish)
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 13
So what does all this mean for
Thunder Bay ???
You Are Not Alone !!!
Most Canadian AOCs are struggling with
impairments related to:
Contaminated sediments
Habitat
Stormwater
…among others
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 14
Contaminated Sediments
BUIs that are Impaired or Require Further Assessment:
Degradation of Benthos (12 of 15 AOCs)
Restrictions to Fish Consumption (12 of 15 AOCs)
Six AOCs have active sediment remediation processes
underway. For example:
Peninsula Harbour – sediment capping complete
St. Clair River – preferred sediment management option will be selected in
2013
Hamilton Harbour – tendering and initiation of remedial works in 2013
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 15
Habitat
BUI that is Impaired:
Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat (12 of 15 AOCs)
Linkage to urban and rural non-point source pollution
Take advantage of existing methods/protocols and
mapping software to maximize investments
Consider all AOC compartments:
Protection of headwater natural areas
Mid- and lower watershed infill naturalization
Shoreline softening and naturalization
Deep water habitat enhancement
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 16
Some Habitat Projects
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 17
Headwater wetland construction in the
Wheatley Harbour AOC
Shoreline restoration in the Detroit River
AOC
Stormwater
BUIs that are Impaired or Require Further Assessment:
Beach advisories (8 of 15 AOCs)
Degradation of Plankton (6 of 15 AOCs)
Degradation of Aesthetics (9 of 15 AOCs)
Local progress with sewage treatment plant upgrades (public
and private), sewer separation, downspout disconnections
Need for traditional methods to be supplemented with Low
Impact Development (LID) approaches
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 18
Some Stormwater Projects
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 19
Green Roofs in the Metro Toronto AOC
Retention Treatment Basin in the Detroit
River AOC
Closing Remarks
Partnerships are key
As broad and diverse as possible
Process is important
Governance
Work planning
Make the RAP relevant
Community based events and activities
Linkage to school programming
Be persistent
Hold yourself and other accountable
Maximize funders’ investments
More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 20
