26th Annual Conference of the New England Governors and the Eastern Canadian Premiers

WHEREAS, the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers recognize that joint action to address environmental issues such as mercury and acid rain are needed to protect regional resources, thus enhancing the long-term economic competitiveness of the region and free and fair trade; and

WHEREAS, environmental cooperation in New England and Eastern Canada during the last year included the integration and formatting of transboundary acid rain related data sets with the financial support of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, which will contribute to a greater understanding of the effects of acidifying pollutants and how they will be reported to our citizens; and

WHEREAS, the Committee on the Environment recommends to the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, the release of the report Data Without Borders as part of the overall communications plan to increase public awareness pertaining to acid rain; and

WHEREAS, the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers recognize that there is increasing evidence of the interrelationships between respiratory health problems, acid deposition, and the emission of air pollutants, and the Government of Québec has offered to host a health symposium to discuss the impacts of acid rain on human health; and

WHEREAS, New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers recognize that actions being implemented will likely result in a 50% or greater reduction in regional mercury emissions by the end of next year, thus meeting the mercury action plan interim 2003 reduction target, and where a post-2003 reduction goal would provide an incentive and benchmark to track progress towards virtual elimination; and

WHEREAS, coal-fired boilers continue to be a source of mercury and acidifying emissions, as well as other pollutants, in the United States and Canada and a preliminary regional report indicated that approaches to substantially reduce such emissions exist; and

WHEREAS, monitoring of mercury in the environment is needed to track progress in reducing mercury pollution and extensive regional efforts are underway to implement pollution prevention and education initiatives, including legislation to reduce mercury uses and release, and to promote strategies for the safe disposal and retirement of mercury.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers adopt the reports: Data Without Borders; Acid Rain Communications Plan; and the Mercury Action Plan Regional Progress Report and accompanying technical reports.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers direct its state and provincial environmental and health agencies, to organize a symposium on the impacts of acid rain on human health; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers direct its state and provincial environmental agencies to identify and implement actions to achieve an overall 75%, or greater, regional reduction in anthropogenic mercury releases to the environment from regional sources by or before 2010, and to re-evaluate this regional goal in 2005 to allow for new data to be taken into account; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers directs its state and provincial environmental agencies t 1) complete an update of multi-pollutant control options for utilities; 2) complete a report on mercury monitoring in the region; 3) continue to advance mercury pollution prevention and education initiatives; and, 4) advocate for long-term mercury "retirement" strategies.

Adopted at the 26^th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, August 26-28, 2001.

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