DoomsdaysCW<p>U.S., Canada Agree to IJC Intervention on Transboundary Mining Pollution</p><p>Calling it 'an important first step' to solve mining pollution on the Elk-Kootenai River watershed, tribal and First Nation governments in Montana, Idaho and British Columbia cheered the long-awaited reference to the International Joint Commission</p><p>By Tristan Scott<br>March 11, 2024</p><p>"Federal governments in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Canada" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Canada</span></a> and the U.S. have agreed to ask the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/InternationalJointCommission" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>InternationalJointCommission</span></a> (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IJC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>IJC</span></a>) to study and take steps to mitigate the inflow of mining pollution to the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ElkRiver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ElkRiver</span></a>-<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/KootenaiRiver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>KootenaiRiver</span></a> watershed through a joint reference, signaling a breakthrough in bilateral talks that have stalled for years, even as the company that owns the mines expands its footprint along the border with <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Montana" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Montana</span></a>.</p><p>"The agreement was announced Monday by tribal and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FirstNation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FirstNation</span></a> governments in Montana, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Idaho" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Idaho</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BritishColumbia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BritishColumbia</span></a> (B.C.) who cheered the development after years of intensifying pressure on the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/US" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>US</span></a> and Canada. The reference means that an independent governance body representing both nations will convene to craft solutions to address the contaminants spilling into a watershed that crosses the international boundary at <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LakeKoocanusa" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LakeKoocanusa</span></a> and spans <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/traditional" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>traditional</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Aboriginal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Aboriginal</span></a> territory.</p><p>"The federal governments of both U.S. and Canada also confirmed the reference on Monday and issued a joint statement from the Ambassador of Canada to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, and the Ambassador of the United States to Canada, David L. Cohen. According to Pierre Cuguen, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/GAC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>GAC</span></a>), both countries 'have reached an Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) on next steps to further bilateral cooperation to reduce and mitigate the impacts of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterPollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WaterPollution</span></a>” in the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/transboundary" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>transboundary</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/watershed" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>watershed</span></a>.</p><p>"'The AIP provides a plan for Canada and the United States, with the assistance of the International Joint Commission, to take a holistic look at the watershed and build a shared understanding of the best available water quality data and science,' Cuguen said in an email, adding that both countries will work in concert 'with <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IndigenousPeoples" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>IndigenousPeoples</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TribalNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TribalNations</span></a> and alongside provincial and state partners in the region.'</p><p>"'The Government of Canada is committed to safeguarding the transboundary <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ElkKootenay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ElkKootenay</span></a> watershed to protect the people and species that depend on this vital river system' according to Cuguen (the Canadian and First Nation spelling of Kootenai is “<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Kootenay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Kootenay</span></a>”). </p><p>"Meanwhile, tribal leaders on both sides of the border were triumphant after urging a reference for more than a decade, often with vague support from their federal counterparts.</p><p>"In Montana, Michael Dolson, chairman of the Confederated <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Salish" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Salish</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Kootenai" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Kootenai</span></a> Tribes (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CSKT" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CSKT</span></a>), said the IJC reference is an essential first step in protecting fish and water quality in#LakeKoocanusa and the Kootenai River.</p><p>"'For too long, the U.S. and Canada have stood by while our waters suffered,' Dolson said in a prepared statement released Monday. “We are encouraged by the'federal governments’ change in direction and the progress that was achieved when we all worked together these past months. We will continue to work tirelessly to restore our rivers and the fish and wildlife that depend upon them. We’re at the beginning of what will likely be a long process, one that will require sustained effort from all governments involved.'"</p><p>Read more:<br><a href="https://flatheadbeacon.com/2024/03/11/u-s-canada-agree-to-ijc-intervention-on-transboundary-mining-pollution/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">flatheadbeacon.com/2024/03/11/</span><span class="invisible">u-s-canada-agree-to-ijc-intervention-on-transboundary-mining-pollution/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CoalMining" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CoalMining</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Canada" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Canada</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FirstNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FirstNations</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterPollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WaterPollution</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/OpenPitMining" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>OpenPitMining</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Environment" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Environment</span></a></p>