Review of Annex 1 - GLWQA

1. Workshop convened by the Parties Implementation Work Group of the Science Advisory Board of the International Joint Commission 21 March 2001 Review of Annex 1 - GLWQA Doug Spry

2. Is Annex 1 still relevant and useful? management monitor action Assessment Prevention set or set or report or revise revise measurable Remediation objectives judge decide environmental quality acceptable not acceptable after Ont. Min Environ. unpub.

3. Is Annex 1 still relevant and useful? • not in its current form • Specific Objectives are out of date • do not reflect current knowledge base for parameter • do not reflect current state of science in criteria development • S.O. don’t drive management action

4. Improving the Science • develop S.O. for appropriate media (water, sediment, tissue) to protect holistically • make better use of bioavailability • establish natural background concentrations for metals • address uncertainty • address emerging issues - EDCs, mixtures, MWWE • make risk-based? • policy issues of changing the S.O.

5. Improving the Science - PCBs • complex mixtures • congener specific profiles • weathered through time and movement • congener toxicity varies by ~10 000 fold GLWQA 1987 Total PCBs (unspecified) - tissue-based objective Current Canadian EQGs Congener Specific Analysis; TEQs based on 12 congeners - tissue residue guideline - sediment quality guideline

6. Improving the Relevance • use S.O. to drive management action • difficult due to different regulatory frameworks? • recognize “other” S.O. • Indicators for GL Basin Ecosystem Health • e.g. Phosphorus, • Turtle egg and adult tissue residue guidelines • Contaminants in spottailed shiners • action levels for PBTs still appropriate • declare some victories (pesticides < objectives?)

7. management monitor action Assessment Prevention set or set or report or revise revise measurable Remediation objectives judge decide environmental quality acceptable not acceptable Should Annex 1 be revised? • Only if it contributes something • drives management action • SOE reporting to the public

8. Options for Revising Annex 1 S.O. • Adopt S.O. from existing pool of current objectives from the Parties, i.e. CEQG and U.S. GLI • Revise existing Annex 1 to provide guidance on the use of existing “criteria” of the Parties • Revise and develop new objectives using current science • IJC takes ownership of S.O. and develops and uses them in a monitoring and reporting framework to influence the Parties.

9. Is there a role for ecological indicators? • yes, if they are measureable • existing ecosystem objective doesn’t contain measurement endpoints • some newer IGLBEH still lack measurement endpoints

10. Conclusions • Annex 1 Specific Objectives are dated • Current state of science warrants revisions • Amendments are feasible • Should reflect current practices and policies of Parties • Should enhance operation and effectiveness of GLWQA

11. Next Steps • Political will to revise Annex 1 (chemical or ecological objectives) • Resources to do it • Focus on priorities, not laundry list