Public
Interest Advisory Group Meeting
For Immediate Release
Ottawa, June 26, 2003 - The Public Interest Advisory Group (PIAG)
for the International Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Study is holding
a meeting to talk with the public regarding the Study to evaluate the current
rules for the water level regulation of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence
River. The meeting will be held Thursday, August 7, 2003, from 7 p.m. to
9 p.m. in the Eastman Room of the Greece Town Hall, One Vince Tofany Boulevard,
Greece, NY.
The 22-member PIAG is a group of U.S. and Canadian volunteers working
with the International Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Study to ensure
effective two-way communication between the public and the Study Team. Because
of the complexity of the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River System, it is
likely that some compromises will need to be made. That is why it is important
for the public to make the PIAG aware of their concerns.
The International Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Study is now in its
third year. The Study was set in motion in 2000 by the International Joint
Commission to assess and evaluate the Commission's Order of Approval used
to regulate outflows from Lake Ontario through the St. Lawrence River. The
current Order of Approval requires that the water levels and flows resulting
from the St. Lawrence Seaway Power Project meet certain conditions and criteria
to protect the interests in both countries, including shoreline communities,
domestic and industrial water uses, commercial navigation and hydropower
production. The Study is also evaluating the impacts of changing water levels
on environmental factors, shore erosion, flood damages, recreational boating,
and tourism. The Study will also take into account the forecasted effects
of climate change.
To ensure that the study reflects the interests of the public, the Public
Interest Advisory Group will be holding meetings in various locations along
the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River shorelines. A meeting will be held
in Sodus Bay, NY, on September 10, and Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on September
24.
Contacts:
Michelle Tracy, Public Information Officer,
Ottawa, Ont., (613) 992-5727
Arleen Kreusch, Public
Affairs Specialist, Buffalo, NY, (716) 879-4438
www.losl.org
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