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6SUMMER2013GreatLakesUpdatesLowWaterInFebruary2013LakesHuronandMichiganhittheirlowestwaterlevelseverrecordedsincerecordkeepingbeganin1918accordingtotheU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers.TheInternationalJointCommissionaU.S.-CanadianagencythatdealswithsharedwaterwaysreleasedastatementonApril152013followinghearingsandreviewofmorethan3500publiccomments.TheIJCrecommendedthatthetwogovernmentsinvestigatestructuraloptionsintheSt.ClairRiverthatcouldincreasewaterlevelsovera10-yearperiod.HoweverresponsetothereportevenamongthosesittingdirectlyontheCommissionhasbeenmixedreflectingconcernsthatclimatechangemaybethemostsignificantfactoraffectinglowerwaterlevelsandthatfurtherstructuralinterventionscouldcauseunintendedresults.GreatLakesProtectionActFOCAcontinuestoadvocatefortheadoptionoftheGreatLakesProtectionActabilloriginallyintroducedintheOntariolegislatureinJune2012andre-introducedinFebruary2013byMinisteroftheEnvironmentJimBradley.FOCAmaintainsregularcommunicationwithhisministry.NuclearWastestoragefacilityproposednearLakeHuronFOCAisconcernedaboutanyadverseeffectstohumanhealthortheenvironmentincludingLakeHuronandtheGreatLakesfromtheproposedDeepGeologicRepositoryforlong-termnuclearwastestorageundergroundnearKincardineOntario.FOCAconcurswithourpartnersattheCanadianEnvironmentalLawAssociationinthatregardlessofourrespectiveopinionsaboutthemeritsofthetechnologyacommongoalmustbeastrongreliablepubliclycredibleregulatoryprocessforthisindustryandthereismajorroomforimprovementinthissphereinCanadasregulatorysystem.FOCAnotesthemotioncirculatedbySarniaMayorMikeBradleyinlate2012askingthe90membersoftheGreatLakesandSt.LawrenceCitiesInitiativefornolow-levelwastesitetobeapproveduntilithasbeendebatedbyallgovernmentbodiesincludingfederalprovincialandmunicipalandrepresentativesfromtheUnitedStates.Formoreonthesetopicswww.foca.on.caGreat_Lakes_Issues.ExperimentalLakesAreaFOCAhasremainedvocalabouttheimportanceoftheExperimentalLakesAreaELAsincetheclosureannouncementbytheFederalGovernmentinApril2012.OnApril24thofthisyearafterongoingpressurefromFOCAandothersFOCAwasencouragedtohearOntarioPremierKathleenWynnestatethatWearecommittedtofindingasolution.Ithinkthisisanimportantgem.Idontbelieveprovinciallyregionallynationallyorinternationallywecanaffordtoletitgo.FOCAiscautiouslyenthusiasticabouttheproposedmanagementroleoftheInternationalInstituteforSustainableDevelopmentIISDaWinnipeg-basedpolicyinstitute.FOCAsExecutiveDirectormetwithIISDwhileinWinnipegfortheLakeoftheWoodsDistrictPropertyOwnersAssociationAnnualGeneralMeetinginearlyMay.AjointpressreleaseissuedMay92013byIISDandtheDepartmentofFisheriesandOceansindicatedthattheframeworkofanagreementhasbeenreachedtoallowIISDtooperatetheELAfacility.FOCAcontinuestocalluponthefederalgovernmenttofinalizeatimelyagreementthatwillappropriatelyfundthisinternationally-significantresearchfacilitynearKenorainnorthwesternOntario.www.foca.on.caelaTerryReesandTracyLoganofFOCAprotesttosaveELAattheSpringCottageLifeShowinTorontoApril52013.AdvocacyupdatesfromTerryReesFOCAExecutiveDirector