Tag Archives: IJC

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The H2O highway

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-classics-st-lawrence-seaway-connects-mid-america-to-sea

‘The 63rd navigation season on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System was launched on March 22nd during an official opening ceremony.

“Moving goods by water through the Seaway ensures trade is flowing freely between the U.S.
and Canada while also reducing emissions,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
“After 62 years of operation, the binational Seaway System remains a model of international
cooperation and partnership and showcases how we can work together to address the challenges
of climate change.”

Keep reading….

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Lake Ontario: Property owners updated on funding

https://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/featured/2018/04/21/132346/lake-ontario-property-owners-updated-on-funding

Problem was, officials assigned to dole out the funding soon realized the damage totals of claims filed far exceeded the $45 million total the state initially allocated, Welch said.
“Wouldn’t you know (it), that funding was $45-50 million short,” he said.
In response, after months of delay, state officials with the governor’s office began to allocate additional monies this year, Welch said. First came a combined state Assembly-Senate $10 million funding allocation in January, followed by an additional $40 million this spring as the state budget process moved along, bringing the entire total to more than $90 million – the amount initially requested, Welch pointed out.
“With the extra $50 million, it should cover everyone’s expenses. (So) what’s the issue (as to the delays)?” he asked.

Look like IJC could rectify this somehow with the state of NY.

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U.S., Canada slow to tackle Great Lakes chemical pollution, says report | MLive.com

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/01/ijc_tap_great_lakes_report.html

“In November, the IJC issued a 25-page report advising both governments take decisive steps to protect human health and the environment by reducing polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the lakes. The brominated flame retardants, which are bioaccumulative and found in many products, have been in use since the 1970s and exposure has been linked to cancers, reproductive health, thyroid, neurobehavioral and developmental disorders.”

US and Canada efforts towards cleaning up PCBs and other toxic chemicals in Au Sable river and Lake Huron.

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USGS Release: Protecting Water in the Red River: There’s a Map for That (3/14/2016 5:50:23 PM)

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4472#.VujiACMpDqB

Introduction of a new tool to help managers make critical water decisions concerning the Red river Basin between to USA and Canada. Read on:

“Understanding the facts makes it easier to achieve cooperative solutions to complex problems such as managing nutrient pollution,” said IJC U.S. Section Chair Lana Pollack. “A geographic display of information can be a powerful aid to understanding the facts.”

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Feds: B.C. mines won’t go before international commission

http://www.ktoo.org/2015/09/16/feds-b-c-mines-wont-go-international-commission/

“The department, in responoce to our inquiry, says it’s concerned about British Columbia mining’s impacts on Alaskans, including Native groups, commercial fishermen and the tourism industry. It added that it had shared those concerns with senior levels of Canada and British Columbia’s governments.

But State Department officials say they do not anticipate referring the issue to the International Joint Commission at this time. Instead, they’re relying on increased cooperation between Alaska and British Columbia.”

We have this successful transboundary organization, the IJC, why does the federal government refuse to use?

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Concerned Alaska Native, First Nation representatives attend Seabridge Gold annual meeting – Alaska Journal of Commerce – Breaking News 2015 – Anchorage, AK

http://www.alaskajournal.com/Alaska-Journal-of-Commerce/Breaking-News-2015/Concerned-Alaska-Native-First-Nation-representatives-attend-Seabridge-Gold-annual-meeting/

“We’ve come to Toronto to ask Seabridge whether it will publicly support an International Joint commission review,” Olsen said in a press release. “We’re deeply concerned about the unprecedented downstream risks to our people, who rely on the health of our rivers for their livelihoods. As with the Pebble Mine, the long-term risks outweigh the rewards.”

Mining project in British Columbia will impact tribal lands an rivers and livelihood …..possible IJC review. Touch on link to read more.

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Historic 2011 US and Canada flooding prompts water study – Washington Times

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/17/historic-2011-us-and-canada-flooding-prompts-water/

Excerpt from WashingronTimes on historic flooding:
IJC Future steps could include recommendations for flood control structures, such as a dam that was begun in the 1930s in Quebec but was never finished.

Low-lying areas around the lake in Vermont and New York were inundated by the spring runoff that kept the lake above flood stage for more than two months in 2011.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/17/historic-2011-us-and-canada-flooding-prompts-water/#ixzz3aS5dC7cc 
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

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Higher outflows and field data collection this summer

http://m.sootoday.com/content/news/details.aspx?c=90655

“The International Lake Superior Board of Control, under authority granted to it by the International Joint Commission, expects to increase the Lake Superior outflow for the month of May.

The increased outflow is expected to exceed the capacities of the hydropower plants on the St. Marys River in May, and therefore the excess will be released through the control structure at the head of the St. Marys Rapids.

“The outflow of Lake Superior will be adjusted over the next several months to accommodate expected maintenance at the hydropower plants, and to reduce the potential for adverse consequences of high and fluctuating flows in the St. Marys Rapids.”

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Gov’t Urged to Fund Basin Plan: IJC | Rainy River Record

http://www.rainyriverrecord.com/node/20766

It also follows two periods of public review and feedback, and builds upon considerable co-operative work and planning that has been undertaken in the basin in recent years.” The Plan of Study identifies five themes of concern, and strongly recommends funding for 32 projects and activities to support a balanced approach to water quality management, in response to concerns by governments, researchers, local residents and indigenous peoples about the basin’s ecosystem health.

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Counties pan lake-level management plan

http://m.thedailynewsonline.com/mobile/news/article_c3948f74-8cbd-11e4-8507-dbaf0fe7aad8.html

Johnson told her colleagues that IJC Plan 2014 would negate the benefits from dredging completed this fall by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredging of the Oak Orchard Harbor.

The dredging removed more than 10 years of sediment from a federal channel actively used by boating, sport-fishing and recreation activities. Allowing for higher-highs and lower-lows in lake levels would wash that maintenance away, Johnson said.

“Dredging our harbors cost well over $1 million, and yet the federal government-appointed IJC has put forth a plan that would devastate our harbors,” said Johnson, who  cited estimates of $3.5 million in damages to shoreline protection systems. “This is government at its worst.”

Negotiations continue….

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