The International Joint Commission (IJC) will host a one-hour public webinar related to the study of transboundary water pollution in the Elk-Kootenai/y watershed on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 6:30 p.m.
The webinar will include a presentation and Q&A period that will focus on the IJC’s activities to date related to the establishment of a study board to report and make recommendations on water pollution within the Elk-Kootenai/y watershed. Additionally, the presentation will include information on the IJC's role to provide input on developing a Terms of Reference for a Governance Body.
The study board is being established in response to a request — or a "Reference" — to the IJC from the governments of the United States and Canada that incorporates a proposal developed in partnership with the Ktunaxa Nation.
The IJC is guided by the Boundary Waters Act, a treaty signed between Canada and the United States in 1909, which provides a framework for preventing and resolving transboundary water issues between the two countries.
Water pollution in the Elk-Kootenai/y watershed, particularly in Lake Koocanusa, has been a long-running concern raised by the Ktunaxa Nation and environmental advocacy organizations, allegedly stemming from mining activities in the Elk Valley. Lake Koocanusa straddles the international border, from British Columbia in Canada into Montana and the United States, all of which is the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa Nation.
Over the last number of years, a reference to the IJC has been supported by Ktunaxa Nation governments and the U.S. State Department. However, the Canadian government had been hesitant to make a commitment, allegedly due to pressure from the B.C. government amid concerns over jurisdiction and regulatory authority.
Anyone wishing to participate in the webinar session can register online. Questions can be submitted in advance to the IJC.
