Report Released on Sediment Management Workshop

In a report released today, the International Joint Commission's (IJC) Great Lakes Water Quality Board (GLWQB) and Sediment Priority Action Committee (SedPAC) review scientific methodologies and sediment management experiences brought together by participants at a workshop held in Windsor in December 1998. Participants examined and exchanged tools that are used to interpret environmental data for sediment management actions. The intent of the report is to provide decision-makers with advice on methods to make decisions on site-specific management strategies for contaminated sediment.

During the 1997-1999 biennial cycle, the IJC directed the GLWQB and SedPAC to develop guidance for making decisions on the management of contaminated sediment. They were also charged with compiling and disseminating information on the benefits of contaminated sediment remediation. The Windsor workshop and subsequent report are a result of this research.

The International Joint Commission is a binational Canada-United States organization established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 to help the two governments prevent and resolve disputes over use of waters along the U.S. and Canada border. Under the 1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the Commission assesses progress by the two countries to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem. Additional information about the IJC is available on the Internet at www.ijc.org(.)

Contacts: Gail Krantzberg Toronto, ON (416)314-7973 Ontario Ministry of Environment Griff Sherbin Etobicoke, ON (416)621-7295 Sediment Priority Action Committee David Cowgill Chicago, IL (312)353-3576 United States Environmental Protection Agency Michael Zarull Burlington, ON (905)336-4783 National Water Research Institute, Canada Centre for Inland Waters