NEWS RELEASE

Ref: 850-064/005

22nd Annual Conference of the New England Governors and the
Eastern Canadian Premiers
Newport, Rhode Island - June 2, 3 & 4, 1997

RESOLUTION CONCERNING ACID DEPOSITION
AND ITS IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

WHEREAS, the acid deposition phenomenon in the New England states and Eastern Canadian provinces is largely a function of the long-range transport of precursor pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂ ) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x); and

WHEREAS, recent efforts to reduce acid deposition have not been sufficient and are being exacerbated by increasing NOx emissions in upwind jurisdictions; and

WHEREAS, acid deposition poses a threat to fragile ecosystems, particularly to the New England and Eastern Canadian lakes and forest ecosystem; and

WHEREAS, acid deposition damages the environment and economy of the New England states and Eastern Canadian provinces through the acidification of surficial and groundwaters and diminished forest health and productivity; and

WHEREAS, our ability to understand, evaluate, and develop cost effective solutions to acid deposition depends upon maintaining accurate and reliable emission and deposition monitoring networks to provide the public and government with the best available pollutant data; and

WHEREAS, innovative strategies and market-based approaches addressing the problems caused by acid deposition are most likely to succeed where these approaches are predicated upon and evaluated against, the highest quality empirical data; and

WHEREAS, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, beginning in the early 1980s, was a leader in addressing long-range acid rain transport, adopting a pioneering and influential SO₂ reduction plan and inspiring appropriate actions by the provincial, state and federal governments of Canada and the United States;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT 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; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers agrees that state and provincial atmospheric deposition monitoring efforts and monitoring data analysis remain a high priority within their respective programs; and urge their respective federal governments to continue support for these activities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Conference directs its Environment Committee to:

1. hold a workshop prior to the next meeting of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers to:
   • examine likely association of acid rain deposition with other atmospheric problems such as smog (O₃), fine particulate matter, and mercury, and
   • corroborate the connection between acid deposition and forest health and productivity; and

2. evaluate the conclusions and recommendations of the workshop from a strategic and scientific viewpoint, and to present a summary of findings and specific policy recommendations at the next meeting of the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers.

ADOPTED AT THE 22ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF NEW ENGLAND GOVERNORS AND EASTERN CANADIAN PREMIERS, JUNE 2-4, 1997.

 

_____________________________ Governor Lincoln C. Almond Rhode Island Co-Chair	_____________________________ Premier Frank McKenna New Brunswick Co-Chair
New England Secretariat New England Governors' Conference, Inc. 76 Summer Street Boston, Massachusetts 02110-1226 (617) 423-6900    FAX (617) 423-7327	Eastern Canadian Secretariat Secrétariat de lÈst du Canada P.O. Box 2044 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2Z1 (902) 424-5905    FAX (902) 424-8976

 

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