Clean Production and Toxics

100 years of shared water protection

On January 11, 1909, the United States and Canada entered into the first environmental treaty in the world: the Boundary Waters Treaty. Sunday marks the centennial anniversary of the signing of this historic agreement.

To commemorate the signing —and the hundred years of water cooperation it ushered—the Consulate General of Canada, the United States Consulate General, and the International Joint Commission are hosting Boundary Waters Week from June 5 to 14 in Niagara Falls, New York and Ontario.

With the anniversary of the signing this weekend, they have launched the official website of the centennial celebrations at www.oursharedwaters.com.

During the week in June, communities along the Niagara River and the Boundary Waters Treaty Centennial Committee will host a series of water-themed conferences, festivals, exhibits and events featuring distinguished environmental speakers and dignitaries.  Highlights include a special ceremony on the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls on Saturday, June 13.

To help mark the event, Great Lakes United is hosting several activities during the Boundary Waters Week, including a workshop for activists working on cleaning up toxic hotspots, a tour of environmental hotspots along the Niagara River, and a meeting of the coalition to discuss campaigns for 2009.

In a release, Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter, Honorary Chair of the Boundary Waters Treaty Centennial Committee said, “This summer we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the world’s first environmental agreement, the Boundary Waters Treaty. To this day, this historic accord remains a model of binational governance and a guide for two countries working to protect their shared natural resources for future generations.”

Her comments were supported by Niagara Falls, Ontario, Mayor Ted Salci, who is also an honourary chair of the committee: “Municipalities along the Niagara are pleased to honour this treaty by seeking new ways to protect, preserve and celebrate ‘our shared waters.”

© 2009 Great Lakes News.