Programs and Other Measures. 1. The Parties, in cooperation with State and Provincial Governments, shall continue to develop and implement programs and other measures to fulfil the purpose of this Agreement and to meet the General and Specific Objectives. Where present treatment is inadequate to meet the General and Specific Objectives, additional treatment shall be required. The programs and measures shall include the following:
Programs and Other Measures. The following phosphorus control programs and measures will be developed and implemented by the Parties in cooperation and full consultation with State and Provincial governments to achieve the required reductions in accordance with the plans developed pursuant to Section 4. The Parties recognize that the responsibility for the control on nonpoint sources is shared between the Parties and the State and Provincial governments.
Programs and Other Measures. The following phosphorus control programs and measures will be developed and implemented by the Parties in cooperation and full consultation with State and Provincial governments to achieve the required reductions in accordance with the plans developed pursuant to Section 4. The Parties recognize that the responsibility for the control on nonpoint sources is shared between the Parties and the State and Provincial governments.
(a) Municipal Waste Treatment Facilities
(i) Priority will be given to the continuation and intensification of efforts to ensure that municipal waste treatment facilities discharging more that one million gallons per day achieve an effluent concentration of 1 mg/1 total phosphorus on a monthly average.
(ii) Where necessary, consideration will be given to operating facilities capable of greater phosphorus reduction at higher level of phosphorus removal than that required in 5(a)(i).
(iii) Where necessary, municipal waste treatment facilities designed, built, expanded or modified after October 1, 1983 should allow for later modification to provide for greater removal of phosphorus than that required under 5 (a)(i).
(b) Detergent Phosphorus Limitation Priority will be given to continuing efforts to limit phosphorus in household detergents.
Programs and Other Measures. The following phosphorus control programs and measures will be developed and implemented by the Parties in cooperation and full consultation with State and Provincial governments to achieve the required reductions in accordance with the plans developed pursuant to Section 4. The Parties recognize that the responsibility for the control of nonpoint sources is shared between the Parties and the State and Provincial governments.
(a) Municipal Waste Treatment Facilities
(i) Priority will be given to the continuation and intensification of efforts to ensure that municipal waste treatment facilities discharging more than one million gallons per day achieve an effluent concentration of 1 mg/l total phosphorus on a monthly average.
(ii) Where necessary, consideration will be given to operating facilities capable of greater phosphorus reduction at higher levels of phosphorus removal than that required in 5(a)(i).
(iii) Where necessary, municipal waste treatment facilities designed, built, expanded or modified after October 1, 1983 should allow for later modification to provide for greater removal of phosphorus than that required under 5(a)(i).
(b) Detergent Phosphorus Limitation Priority will be given to continuing efforts to limit phosphorus in household detergents.
(c) Industrial Discharges Reasonable and practical measures will be undertaken to control industrial sources of phosphorus.
(d) Nonpoint Source Programs and Measures Priority management areas will be identified and designated for application of urban and agricultural programs and measures which include:
(i) Urban drainage management control programs where feasible consisting of level I measures throughout the Great Lakes Basin; and level 2 measures where necessary to achieve reductions or where local environmental conditions dictate (Note 1); and
(ii) Agricultural nonpoint source management programs where feasible consisting of level 1 measures throughout the Basin and level 2 measures where necessary to achieve reductions or where local environmental conditions dictate (Note 1). Note 1 Level 1 nonpoint source control options include: Agricultural: adoption of management practices such as: animal husbandry control measures, crop residue management, conservation tillage, no-till, winter cover-crops, crop rotation, strip cropping, vegetated buffer strips along stream and ditch banks, and improved fertilizer management practices. Urban: adoption of management practices such as: erosion controls, use of na...
Programs and Other Measures. An AOC is a geographic area designated by the Parties where significant impairment of beneficial uses has occurred as a result of human activities at the local level. The Parties have designated AOCs and may, after consulting with State and Provincial Governments, Tribal Governments, First Nations, Métis, Municipal Governments, watershed management agencies, other local public agencies, the Public, and the Commission as appropriate, designate additional AOCs based on an evaluation of Beneficial Use Impairments (XXXx). A XXX is a reduction in the chemical, physical or biological integrity of the Waters of the Great Lakes sufficient to cause any of the following:
1. restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption;
2. tainting of fish and wildlife flavour;
3. degradation of fish and wildlife populations;
4. fish tumours or other deformities;
5. bird or animal deformities or reproduction problems;
6. degradation of benthos;
7. restrictions on dredging activities;
8. eutrophication or undesirable algae;
9. restrictions on drinking water consumption, or taste and odour problems;
10. beach closings;
11. degradation of aesthetics;
12. added costs to agriculture or industry;
13. degradation of phytoplankton and zooplankton populations; and
14. loss of fish and wildlife habitat. For each AOC, the Parties, in cooperation and consultation with State and Provincial Governments, Tribal Governments, First Nations, Métis, Municipal Governments, watershed management agencies, other local public agencies, and the Public, shall develop and implement a systematic and comprehensive ecosystem approach to restoring beneficial use. The Parties shall cooperate with State and Provincial Governments to ensure that RAPs are developed, periodically updated, and implemented for each AOC. Each plan shall include:
1. identification of XXXx and causes;
2. criteria for the restoration of beneficial uses that take into account local conditions and established in consultation with the local community;
3. remedial measures to be taken, including identification of entities responsible for implementing these measures;
4. a summary of the implementation of remedial measures taken and the status of the beneficial use; and
5. a description of surveillance and monitoring processes to track the effectiveness of remedial measures and confirm restoration of beneficial uses. A Party shall make RAPs and updated RAPs available to the Commission and the Public. A Party shall remove a XXX designation when th...
Programs and Other Measures. The Parties, in cooperation and consultation with State and Provincial Governments, Tribal Governments, First Nations, Métis, Municipal Governments, watershed management agencies, other local public agencies, and the Public, shall undertake the following lakewide management actions:
1. establish Lake Ecosystem Objectives as a benchmark against which to assess status and trends in water quality and lake ecosystem health;
2. assemble, assess and report on existing scientific information concerning the state of the waters of each Great Lake including current and future potential threats to water quality;
3. identify research, monitoring and other science priorities for the assessment of current and future potential threats to water quality, and for the identification of priorities to support management actions;
4. conduct surveys, inventories, studies and outreach activities as required to support the above assessments;
5. identify the need for further action by governments and the Public to address priority threats to water quality and the achievement of Lake Ecosystem Objectives;
6. develop and implement lake specific binational strategies to address Substance Objectives, such as nutrient objectives developed pursuant to Annex 4, and any other current and future potential threats to water quality that are judged to be best addressed on a lake by lake basis; and
7. develop, within three years of entry into force of this Agreement, an integrated nearshore framework to be implemented collaboratively through the lakewide management process for each Great Lake. The nearshore framework shall:
(a) provide an overall assessment of the state of the nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes;
(b) identify nearshore areas that are or may become subject to high stress due to individual or cumulative impact on the chemical, physical or biological integrity of those areas;
(c) identify areas within the nearshore which, due to their nature, are of high ecological value;
(d) determine factors and cumulative effects that are causing stress or that are threatening areas of high ecological value;
(e) establish priorities for nearshore prevention, restoration and protection measures based on consideration of nearshore and whole-lake factors;
(f) identify and engage appropriate agencies and entities that are developing and implementing prevention, restoration and protection strategies;
(g) include consideration of non-point source runoff, shoreline hardening, climate change impacts, h...
Programs and Other Measures. The Parties shall identify chemicals of mutual concern that originate from anthropogenic sources. The Parties shall mutually determine those chemicals that are potentially harmful to human health or the environment by:
Programs and Other Measures. The Parties, in cooperation and consultation with State and Provincial Governments, Tribal Governments, First Nations, Métis, Municipal Governments, watershed management agencies, other local public agencies, and the Public, shall develop and implement the following programs and other measures to achieve the Lake Ecosystem and Substance Objectives for phosphorus concentrations, loading targets, and loading allocations apportioned by country, established pursuant to this Annex:
1. the Parties shall assess and, where necessary, develop and implement regulatory and non-regulatory programs to reduce phosphorus loading from urban sources including:
(a) programs to prevent further degradation of the Waters of the Great Lakes from wastewater treatment plants located in the Great Lakes basin;
(b) programs to optimize existing wastewater treatment facilities;
(c) programs to ensure that construction and operation of municipal wastewater treatment facilities that discharge one million liquid gallons or more per day achieve a maximum effluent concentration of 1.0 milligram per litre total phosphorus for plants in the basins of Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron, and of 0.5 milligram per litre total phosphorus for plants in the basins of Lakes Ontario and Erie;
(d) more stringent restrictions on phosphorus discharges from wastewater treatments plants may be considered as action plans are developed and implemented; and
(e) new approaches and technologies for the reduction of phosphorus from wastewater, storm water discharge, and other urban sources;
2. the Parties shall develop and implement regulatory and non-regulatory programs to reduce phosphorus loading from industrial discharges, and continue to develop and implement new technologies, as necessary;
Programs and Other Measures. The Parties’ responsibility for implementation of this Annex is expected to rest principally with Transport Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, the United States Coast Guard, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies, as appropriate. These responsible authorities shall meet annually to consider issues of this Annex. The Parties, in cooperation and consultation with State and Provincial Governments, Tribal Governments, First Nations, Métis, Municipal Governments, watershed management agencies, other local public agencies, and the Public, shall adopt programs and measures that:
1. protect the quality of the Waters of the Great Lakes;
2. apply environmental requirements and practices that are protective of the environment and human health, provided that the Parties shall implement this Agreement with due regard for securing the safety of a ship and the passengers and crew, and for saving life on the Waters of the Great Lakes;
3. take into account relevant standards and guidance issued under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO);
4. implement their respective domestic laws and regulations for vessel discharge, taking into account best-available science; and
Programs and Other Measures. The Parties shall develop and implement programs and other measures to eliminate new introductions of AIS through a binational prevention-based approach, informed by risk assessments. This approach takes into account that new species may pose a risk to the Great Lakes, even in the absence of scientific certainty. The Parties, subject to their respective laws and regulations, and in cooperation and consultation with State and Provincial Governments, Tribal Governments, First Nations, Métis, Municipal Governments, watershed management agencies, other local public agencies, and the Public, shall:
1. implement ballast water discharge programs that are protective of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, as provided for in Annex 5, Discharges from Vessels;
2. implement programs to prevent the introduction and spread of AIS by:
(a) conducting proactive, binationally coordinated Risk Assessments on various Pathways such as:
(i) the trade and importation of live organisms for various uses including, but not limited to, aquariums and gardens, bait fish, live fish food markets, and biological supply houses;
(ii) recreation and other resource use including, but not limited to, boating and personal watercraft use, fishing, hunting, diving, and float plane aviation;
(iii) connecting waterways, including intermittent waterways; and
(iv) other Pathways and Vectors, as appropriate;
(b) developing regulations or management strategies informed by these Risk Assessments;
(c) coordinating the implementation of management strategies as appropriate;
(d) undertaking education and outreach efforts;
(e) establishing effective barriers that prevent the spread of AIS while allowing the movement of other ecosystem components (such as water and native species), as informed by Risk Assessments and where economically feasible; and
(f) ensuring that any inter-basin transfer of water includes the appropriate consideration of the potential to introduce AIS;
3. within two years of entry into force of this Agreement, develop and implement an early detection and rapid response initiative that:
(a) develops species watch lists;
(b) identifies priority locations for surveillance;
(c) develops monitoring protocols for surveillance;
(d) establishes protocols for sharing information;
(e) identifies new AIS; and
(f) coordinates effective and timely domestic and, when necessary, binational response actions to prevent the establishment of newly detected AIS.
