Mandate

Directive to the International Rainy River Water Pollution Board

1. By letters dated December 13, 1965, the Governments of Canada and the United States approved the recommendations contained in the Commission’s report to the Governments, dated February 24, 1965, and authorized the Commission to establish and maintain continuing supervision over water quality in the Rainy River.
2. The Commission established the “International Rainy River Water Pollution Board” on January 18, 1966, to assist it in complying with the Reference from the two Governments by reporting on progress to address pollution in the Rainy River on the basis of the Water Quality Objectives as approved by the Governments in 1965. In addition, the Board is requested to report on any other water quality problems that may come to its attention.
3. The Board’s duties shall be:
   1. on behalf of the Commission, to maintain continuing supervision over the waters of the Rainy River in relation to pollution;
   2. to carry out such inspections, evaluations and assessments from time to time as the Board considers necessary or desirable to ascertain the extent to which the Water Quality Objectives for the Rainy River are being met;
   3. to identify other water quality problems, caused by pollutants for which Water Quality Objectives have not been established, through a process based on comparisons of monitoring data with alert levels selected by the Board as the most stringent water quality guidelines being used by local, state, provincial or federal agencies for such pollutants;
   4. to notify the Commission of (i) instances where the Water Quality Objectives are not being met and of actions being taken by those responsible for sources of pollution and by the regulatory agencies to meet these Water Quality Objectives, and of (ii) other issues based on alert levels as noted above in (c);
   5. to review the quality of the waters of the Rainy River from time to time and recommend such amendments and additions to the Water Quality Objectives as might be appropriate.
4. The Board shall consist of a United States Section and a Canadian Section, each having two members. The Commission shall appoint one member of each section to be the Chair of that Section.
5. At the request of any member, the Commission may appoint an alternate member to act in the place and stead of such member wherever the said member, for any reason, is not available to act as a member of the Board. Unless otherwise provided for by the Commission, an alternate member may act as Chair of a section with the unanimous consent of the Board.
6. The Chairs of the two sections shall be joint Chairs of the Board and shall be responsible for maintaining proper liaison between the Board and the Commission and between their respective sections of the Board and corresponding sections of the Commission.
7. The Chairs shall ensure that the Members of their respective sections of the Board are informed of all instructions, inquiries and authorizations received from the Commission and also of activities undertaken by or on behalf of the Board, progress made and any developments affecting such progress.
8. The Chairs, after consulting the members of their respective sections of the Board, may appoint a Secretary of that section. Under general supervision of the Chair, the Secretary shall carry out such duties as are assigned by the section.
9. The Board may establish such committees and working groups as may be required to discharge its responsibilities effectively and may enlist the co-operation of other federal, provincial or state departments or agencies in the United States and Canada. The Commission shall be kept informed of the duties and composition of any such committees. Unless other arrangements are made, members will make their own arrangements for reimbursement of necessary expenditures for travel.
10. The Board shall submit annual written reports to the Commission two weeks in advance of the Commission’s Fall semi-annual meeting and at other times as the Commission may request or the Board may desire. Longer detailed reports shall be prepared every other year with a short update to be submitted to the Commission on alternate years. Such reports shall normally be available only to the Commission, members of the Board and its committees until released by the Commission.
11. In addition, the Chairs shall keep the Commission currently informed of the Board’s plans and progress and of any developments, actual or anticipated, which are likely to impede, delay or otherwise affect the carrying out of the Board’s responsibilities. This will enable the Commission to take such action as may be appropriate to the circumstances without the delay that otherwise would occur while the members familiarize themselves with the background of the problem.
12. If, in the opinion of the Board or any member, there is a lack of clarity or precision in any instruction, directive or authorization received from the Commission which needs to be removed, the matter shall be referred promptly to the Commission for appropriate action.
13. In accordance with the Commission’s Policy Statement “Special Meetings of Boards and the Public” dated September 5, 1990 and the Commission’s revised Public Information Policy and Procedures document dated February 12, 1992,
    1. The Board is asked to convene, at least once a year, a public meeting to report on its work and to receive the views of the public. The Board is also requested to inform the Commission in advance of plans for such meetings or other means of involving the public in Board deliberations and to report to the Commission on these meetings in its annual reports or in other reports as the situation warrants.
    2. The Board is asked to provide, in a timely manner, the text of media releases and other public information materials to the Secretaries of the Commission for review by the Commission’s Public Information Co-Chairs, prior to their release.
    3. The Board is requested not to use agency or departmental letterhead for written communications of the Board. Letterhead used should clearly identify the body originating such communications.
14. The Commission may amend existing instructions or issue new instructions to the Board at any time.