Transcript Orientation of Brock University Board of Trustees Sept. 2009

Niagara
Community
Observatory
The Niagara River Remedial
Action Plan:
25 Years of Environmental
Restoration
Author: Annie Michaud, P.Eng.
Niagara
Community
Observatory
2
Niagara
Community
Observatory
History:
• By the 1970s there were approximately 700 chemical plants, steel mills,
oil refineries and other industries discharging millions of gallons of
wastewater into the Niagara River each day
• Soaring pollution levels combined with mounting political pressure and
public notoriety resulted in commitments from both sides of the border to
clean-up the Niagara River
• Amendment to the Great Lakes Water
Quality Agreement called for development
and implementation of Remedial Action
Plans (RAPs) to restore ecosystem health
in 43 Areas of Concern (AOC)
3
Niagara
Community
Observatory
4
Niagara
Community
Observatory
Successes: Water Quality
• 18 priority pollutants were targeted for reduction by the Niagara River Toxics
Management Plan (NRTMP)
• There have been significant reductions in the concentrations of most of the
priority pollutants (with reduction greater than 50% in many cases)
• Pollutant loads for the 18 priority pollutants have been reduced by up to 99%
from monitored point sources in Ontario
• It is estimated that the remediation of U.S.
hazardous waste sites have reduced potential
pollutant inputs to the river by over 90%
• Additional benefits of reducing pollutant loads
entering the river include reduced contamination
of river sediment and improved ecosystem health
Niagara
Community
Observatory
Successes: Sediment
• A total of 14 contaminated sediment sites were identified within the Niagara
River AOC during the early phases of the RAP
• 2 of the 14 sites required remedial actions to address elevated levels of
sediment contamination, such as the removal of contaminated sediment for offsite disposal
• One site is using monitored natural recovery with administrative controls as a
passive remediation method
• It was found that no further action was
warranted at the remaining sites due to
low levels of contaminants, and that these
sites would recover naturally over time
7
Niagara
Community
Observatory
Successes: Beneficial Uses
• Since first identified in 1993, several beneficial uses have been restored or reassessed, and are no longer considered impaired
• Scientific studies led or supported by the Niagara River RAP over the past 25
years have provided a greater understanding of the river’s chemistry, biology, and
ecology
• Long-term commitment and collaboration from many stakeholders throughout
the RAP process, including extensive consultation with the public during all
stages of its development
• Ecological restoration efforts in the Great Lakes basin have been found to
generate significant economic benefits in metropolitan areas in the form of
increased property values
Niagara
Community
Observatory
Challenges:
• Some beneficial uses continue to be impaired - these remaining impairments
are the result of decades of environmental degradation
• Pollutant concentrations in the Niagara River have declined steadily in recent
years, however; the restoration of the surrounding ecosystem will require many
more years to achieve
• Restoring beneficial uses in the Niagara River AOC requires a tremendous
amount of scientific information for a very broad spectrum of disciplines, and
there are gaps in current knowledge
• Many of the environmental issues facing the Niagara River and its tributaries
are complex and require long-term investments in monitoring and assessment to
determine improvements over the course of many years
Niagara
Community
Observatory
Conclusion:
• Significant progress has been made in the Niagara River AOC since the RAP
process was first initiated in 1987
• Successes achieved to date include significant improvements in water quality,
the clean-up of contaminated sediments, and the use of new technologies in
restoring impaired beneficial uses
• The long-term success of the Niagara River
RAP will lie in demonstrating to its many
stakeholders through monitoring and
assessment that it is meeting its restoration
targets, and steadily moving forward towards
delisting
Thank you
For more information: www.brocku.ca/niagara-community-observatory