THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Great Lakes United supports an Aquafund concept in the United States and Canada to fund the im lementation of research programs, prioritization and mapping of toxic hot spots, 2 emonstration cleanup projects, and ermanent cleanup activities for contaminated sediment areas in our waterways; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that such a concept or program, established in each country, must address the coordination of air, water, and land use issues on a watershed basis; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that time is of the essence in developing practical funding mechanisms for such programs and that such mechanisms be devised by the two federal governments in consultation with Great Lakes United, its member organizations, and other interested citizens' groups; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that no such funding mechanism be approved that includes any scheme that could be interpreted as a "license to pollute" by direct dischargers; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that positive incentives to prevent future pollution and to encourage waste minimization and source reduction be built into any legislation or regulation; AND

Et Cetera

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Great Lakes United publicly circulate the followin criteria for reviewing RAPs to the IJC, the government agencies responsible for preparing the plans, member groups and others interested and involved with RAPs:

1. Was the public participation process used in the preparation of the remedial action plan adequate? If not, what additional actions are necessary?
2. Was the public involved in the identification of impaired uses and problems?
3. Was the public involved in choosing preferred remedial strategies?
4. How will the public be involved in ensuring the implementation of the remedial action plan?
5. How will the public be involved in decisions made regarding the completion of remedial actions and the decision that all beneficial uses have been restored?
6. Were the public's concerns and recommendations adequately responded to?
7. Are the remediation objectives clear and consistent with the general and specific objectives of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement?
8. Have the geographic boundaries of the area of concern been appropriately and clearly defined?
9. In cases where the Area of Concern crosses an international border, has an international RAP been prepared?
10. Have impaired uses (both human and non-human) been identified?
11. Have the problems causing the impaired uses been described well? Is the data adequate to do this?
12. If the data is not adequate, what additional studies are necessary? Who will do them? When? Funding?
13. Have the contributions of each point and non-point source been assessed and compared to each other to determine the relative source loading?
14. Have the adverse effects on all ecosystem components been identified?
15. Have all appropriate remedial strategies been described?
16. Have the remedial strate ies been described completely, including any negative effects that could result from their implementation?
17. Has the choice for preferred remedial strategies been based on ecological Found? (i .e. the preferred strategies shoul be effective but not further disrupt the ecosystem).
18. Will the proposed remedial strategies be effective in achieving the objectives of the remedial action plan? Are the proposed remedial strategies consistent with the general and specific objectives of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement?
19. Is there a schedule for implementation and completion of remedial measures?
20. Have the agencies responsible for remediation been identified and accepted responsibility?
21. Are there adequate funds and staff resources set aside for implementation of the remedial strategies?
22. Is there an adequate monitoring process outlined to measure the effectiveness of the remedial strategies and to ensure that remediation is completed?
23. Is there an adequate process set up to measure any adverse effects of the remedial strategies?

FURTHER, BE IT RESOLVED, that Great Lakes United believes that all of the above criteria should be answered affirmatively for RAPs to be judged complete; AND,

FURTHER, BE IT RESOLVED, that Great Lakes United request the Water Quality Board of the IJC to establish and publicize clear listing and delisting criteria for Areas of Concern; AND

FURTHER, BE IT RESOLVED, that Great Lakes United advises that otwithstanding complex environmental problems, RAPs be constructed and review with a bias for immediate action; AND

FURTHER, BE IT RESOLVED, that Great Lakes United recommends that implementation of RAPs be part of the annual agreements between the states and US EPA to implement the Clean Water Act and between Ontario and Canada to implement the Canada Ontario Agreement.

Background on the need for Annex-based reforms.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Great Lakee United at its Annual Meeting in Mackinaw City on May 16-18, 1986, commends Governor lllenchard and the Michigan Water Remources Commission for proposing to classify Michigan's waters of the Great Lakes as "outstanding national resource waters" for purposes'of U.S. EPA's water quality standards regulations;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Great Lakes United calls upon Governor Blanchard and the Michigan Water Resources Commission to eliminate the exception in proposed rule 1098(3) which would allow new or increased pollutant diacharges into the connecting channels or tributaries of the Great Lakes within Michigan's boundaries even if these discharges adversely affect Great Lakes water quality;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Great Lakes United calls upon the Michigan Water Resourcee Commission immediately to promulgate proposed rule 1098 designating Michigan's waters of the Great Lakes as "outstanding national resource waters," mended as suggested herein, as a revision to Michigan's water quality standards;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Great Lakes United calls upon the other Great Lakes states immediately to revise their water quality standards to classify the open waters of the Great Lakes located within their boundaries as "outstanding national resource waters" for purposes of the U.S. BPA's water quality standard regulations.

THEREFORE Great Lakes United urges that the US Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada reconfirm their commitment to clean up the AOCs, and that the US EPA and Environment Canada commit the necessary federal dollars to complete and implement the RAPs;

That the federal governments recognize that the same economic and corporate forces that led to degradation of water quality in the AOCs and also caused significant damage to the surrounding communities so that the US EPA and Environment Canada target substantial resources for clean up and sustainable redevelopment of surrounding communities, including assessment of health impacts and support health services;

That to request their commitment to full public participation in all aspects of the RAPs, the U.S. EPA and Environment Canada should provide funding for paid independent facilitators and community organizers, as well as resources tb facilitate public participation, such as travel funding and childcare;

That the U.S. EPA and Environment Canada provide funding tor the independent technical advisors and consultants to be selected to be selected by the public advisory committees;

That the U.S. EPA and Environment Canada enter negotiations with Great Lakes United and other environmental public interest groups to develop a basin-wide strategy to complrte and fully implement the Remedial Action Plans.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, Great Lakes United urges the revision of the existing Great Lakes Basin Compact of 1955, with emphasis on powers to regulate diversion issues or endorses the establishment of a new compact with theee powers;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Great Lakes United encourage the International Joint Commiseion to exercise ite authority over Lake Michigan as part of the international Great Lakes system by applying the provieions of the Boundary Waters Treaty; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT a Great Lakee Management plan be developed which demonstrates that existing water resources must remain within the baein states to address current and projected economic and environmental needs.

Notes from a presentation at Great Lakes United's 2001 workshop, "Extended Producer Responsibility and the Automotive Industry". In this presentation the cost of recycling mercury from cars is discussed.

Be it therefore resolved that Great Lakes United call on the Government of the Province of Ontario to 1) introduce Advanced Renewable Tariffs as a mechanism to foster the rapid development of farmer-, cooperative-, and locally owned renewable power projects and 2) direct the Lieutenant Governor in Council to: Define qualifying projects by capacity, technology, and form of ownership or capital structure
Institute Advanced Renewable Tariffs that guarantee a minimum price for a minimum term to qualifying projects. Set allowable charges and requirements applicable to transmitters and distributors for evaluating, connecting to, and providing service to qualifying projects, and Direct transmitters and distributors to 1) issue standard contracts for interconnection written in clear language, and 2) guarantee the right of interconnection within a maximum of three months from receipt of a request for interconnection.

Forty-one citizens’ groups from throughout the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin submit the following comments at this the critical final stage of public consultation of the renegotiation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA).

Comments on the Great Lakes Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement.