GREAT LAKES—ST. LAWRENCE RIVER BASIN SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES AGREEMENT

1. The objectives of this Agreement are: a. To act together to protect, conserve and restore the Waters of the Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Basin because current lack of scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to protect the Basin Ecosystem; b. To facilitate collaborative approaches to Water management across the Basin to protect, conserve, restore, improve and efficiently and effectively manage the Waters and Water Dependent Natural Resources of the Basin; c. To promote co-operation among the Parties by providing common and regional mechanisms to evaluate Proposals to Withdraw Water; d. To create a co-operative arrangement regarding Water management that provides tools for shared future challenges; e. To retain State and Provincial authority within the Basin under appropriate arrangements for intergovernmental cooperation and consultation; f. To facilitate the exchange of data, strengthen the scientific information upon which decisions are made, and engage in consultation on the potential effects of Withdrawals and losses on the Waters and Water Dependent Natural Resources of the Basin; g. To prevent significant adverse impacts of Withdrawals and losses on the Basin Ecosystem and its watersheds; and, h. To promote an Adaptive Management approach to the conservation and management of Basin Water resources, which recognizes, considers and provides adjustments for the uncertainties in, and evolution of, scientific knowledge concerning the Basin’s Waters and Water Dependent Natural Resources