Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers

WHEREAS, it is acknowledged that current emissions of pollutants in North America, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury, cause considerable damage to aquatic ecosystems, constitute a serious threat to forests and soils, and present a significant risk to human health; and

      WHEREAS, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers acknowledge the interaction among airborne pollutants has a cumulative impact on the environment and human health and requires integrated strategies for control; and

      WHEREAS, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers agrees that the acid deposition phenomenon, given its harmful consequences to the environment and the economy, is a joint concern for which a regional approach on research and strategic actions is required;

      WHEREAS, acid rain is recognized as a both a regional problem that requires regional solutions, and a function of the long-range transport of pollutants from out-of- region sources; and

      WHEREAS, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Environment Committee convened a successful workshop in February 1998 in Portland, Maine, to share information, and prepare recommendations for specific actions that the provinces and states can undertake to ensure significant progress is realized in reducing the effects of acid deposition on ecosystems; and

      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian premiers call upon their respective federal governments to act decisively to protect the health of their citizens and the environment by renewing their commitment to further research and monitoring, and to further emission reductions of sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen;

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers adopt the proposed action plan that includes 22 recommendations addressing

   
• a comprehensive and coordinated plan for further reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides on an annual basis
   
• a research and monitoring agenda targeted at improving the state-of-the science for this environmental problem and increasing regional cooperative efforts
   
• a public education and outreach agenda to ensure the public continues to be mobilized towards the overall goal of protecting the natural environment

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New England States and Eastern Canadian provinces stress the need for equitable controls on sources both within and outside the region;

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the committee on the Environment, working with the secretariats, report on progress taken on the Acid Rain Action Plan at the next annual meeting of the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers.

Adopted at The 23rd Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, June 7-9, 1998.

                                               

_____________________________             Premier Camille Thériault             New Brunswick             Co-Chair

_____________________________             Governor Jeanne Shaheen             New Hampshire             Co-Chair