| Montreal, 28/02/2003 – The Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is seeking public input on whether to recommend to the CEC Council that the CEC undertake two proposed projects as part of its 2004 work program. These two projects involve examining: (1) affordable techniques to restore aquatic ecosystems; and (2) examples of sustainable watershed management practices in North America.
At the 2001 CEC Council meeting, the environment ministers of Canada, Mexico and the United States agreed to undertake an initiative analyzing issues related to “local water pricing and watershed management, and promote accessible, affordable technologies for improving water management.” In response to the Council’s direction, the Secretariat developed, as part of its 2002 Law and Policy program, an options paper outlining a long-term vision of the role of the CEC in the area of watershed management, including consideration of affordable water-related technologies and water pricing.
The Secretariat then began preliminary consultations with the governments, the International Joint Commission, the International Boundary and Water Commission, the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the CEC, and the public on which of these options would be most suitable for the Commission to pursue. On 3 October 2002, the Joint Public Advisory Committee held a public workshop on freshwater issues in North America in which this options was discussed. On 4 October 2002, the Joint Public Advisory Committee provided Advice to Council (No. 02-10) on the role of the CEC in Freshwater issues in North America.
The two options presented here are the result of this consultation process.
Please send your comments on these projects to Tim Whitehouse at <twhitehouse@ccemtl.org> or by mail to the address below. All comments received will be posted to the CEC web site in their original language. The closing date for comments is 28 March 2003. The Secretariat will consider all comments received on these proposals and make changes that it believes appropriate. Final recommendations will be made to the Council in 2003. Included in those recommendations will be a summary of all comments received as a result of this notice.
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