Pollution Of Boundary Waters
Date
1951
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Description
The Secretary of State for the Government of the United States and the Secretary of State for
External Affairs for the Government of Canada on April I, 1946, made the following Reference to the
International Joint Commission through identical letters addressed to the United States and Canadian
sections of the Commission.
“I have the honor to advise you that the Governments of the United States and Canada
have been informed that the waters of the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River
are being polluted by sewage and industrial wastes emptied into those waters. Having in mind
the provisions of Article IV of the Boundary Waters Treaty signed January 11, 1909, that
boundary waters and waters flowing across the boundary shall not be polluted on either side
to the injury of health or property on the other side, the two Governments have agreed upon
a joint Reference on the matter to the International Joint Commission, pursuant to the provisions
of Article IX of said Treaty. The Commission is requested to inquire into and report
to the two Governments upon the following questions:
(1) Are the waters referred to in the preceding paragraph, or any of them, actually being
polluted on either side of the boundary to the injury of health or property on the
other side of the boundary?
(2) If the foregoing question is answered in the affirmative, to what extent, by what
causes, and in what localities is such pollution taking place?
(3) If the Commission should find that pollution of the character just referred to is taking
place, what measures for remedying the situation would, in its judgment, be most
practicable from the economic, sanitary and other points of view?
(4) If the Commission should find that the construction or maintenance of remedial or
preventive works is necessary to render the waters sanitary and suitable for domestic
and other uses, it should indicate the nature, location and extent of such works, and
the probable cost thereof, and by whom and in what proportions such cost should be
borne.
Keywords
Pollution, Boundary Waters