The International Joint Commission

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1 The International Joint Commission Lana Pollack United States Chair Chemical Challenges in the Great Lakes Great Lakes Green Chemistry Network Webinar December 4, 2012 More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters. Manistique Harbor, (Brian Callahan, Luxgnos Photography) 1

2 Coast to coast graphic More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters shared waters More than a century of cooperation protecting 2

3 What Happens on the Land Happens on the Water More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 3

4 Cuyahoga River on Fire More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 4

5 Nixon & Trudeau Signing GLWQA.1972 More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 5

6 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Timeline More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 6

7 Signing the Updated Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 7

8 Annex on Chemicals of Mutual Concern An annex has been established to address chemicals of mutual concern; Opportunities for coordination of existing, and development of new domestic water quality standards, objectives, criteria and guidelines; promoting the use of safer chemical substances and the use of technologies that reduce or eliminate the use and release of chemicals of mutual concern; the science to support the decisions is part of this annex, but unlike the prior Agreement, the 2012 Agreement lacks any specific binational numbers. More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 8

9 More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 9

10 PCB & DIOXIN LEVELS IN HERRING GULL EGGS 40 sum PCB 2,3,7,8-TCDD 20 sum PCBs (µg/g, wet weight) ,3,7,8-TCDD (ρg/g, wet weight) 0 0 Year More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 10

11 PCBs in Great Lakes Trout PCB concentration (ppb or ng/g) Michigan Superior Huron Erie Ontario More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters

12 More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters

13 Percent reduction in legacy contaminants in sediment* Ontario Erie St. Clair Huron Superior Parameter %Reduction %Reduction %Reduction %Reduction %Reduction Mercury PCBs Dioxins 70 NA NA NA NA HCB NA NA Total DDT NA Lead *Estimated percentage declines in sediment contamination since peak levels based on comparing surface sediments with maximum concentrations in sediment cores. More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters

14 CEC Concentrations in Sediment Vary by Depth More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 14

15 Lake Erie Phosphorus Loading More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 15

16 LAKE ERIE and HARMFUL ALGAE More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 16

17 Interactions Among Physical, Chemical and Biological Integrity More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 17

18 Ice Cover Decline More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 18

19 IJC 16 th Biennial Report Findings Summary Chemical Integrity (7 indicators) Mostly favourable or stable results; Leveling off or even reversal of reductions in toxic chemicals and nutrient loading over past decade. Physical Integrity (2 indicators) Reduced ice cover and rising surface water temperatures Biological Integrity (5 indicators) Mixed results with recent progress reflecting strengthened ballast water standards Performance (2 indicators) 33 of 255 Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) removed in U.S. 54 of 154 BUIs removed in Canada Progress is linked to focus, effort and expenditures More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 19

20 IJC 16 th Biennial Report Recommendations: Chemical Integrity Governments should invest in educating consumers and provide incentives that encourage them to purchase more environmentally friendly products and services, and practice safer disposal of products (e.g., take-back programs) that contain CECs. State and provincial governments should be monitoring and reporting on persistent bioaccumulative toxic CECs (in addition to legacy PBTs). Governments should develop and implement best management practices to reduce DRP runoff from agricultural lands. The states of Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin should work with USEPA to complete phosphorus TMDLs for the respective water bodies of western Lake Erie, Saginaw Bay and Green Bay. Canada should implement programs comparable to the TMDL program at either the federal or provincial level More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 20

21 IJC 16 th Biennial Report Recommendations: Indicators Governments select a limited number of core chemical, biological and physical indicators related to the objectives of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Governments must improve and more consistently monitor and report on the status of indicators in order to support setting goals or targets. Although there has been significant achievement since 1987, the evidence equally cries out for a renewed commitment to protect and restore the Great Lakes. More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 21

22 For more information, visit: More than a century of cooperation protecting shared waters 22