INTERNATIONAL J O I N T COMMISSION
I N THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF ONTARIO HYDRO AND TI@ POWER
AUTHORITY..OF THE STATE O F Nl3W YORK FOR APPROVAL O F THE .g
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE ON A TEST BASIS OF A BOOM N E A ~ T H E . .
OUTLET O F LAKE E R I E TO REDUCE .'THEDISCHARGE O F I C E I N T O THE
NIAGARA R I V E R .
ORDER O F APPROVAL
'
WHEREAS Lake E r i e i s a boundary water w i t h i n t h e .
m e a n i n g . o f t h e P r e l i m i n a r y A r t i c l e of t h e Boundary Waters
T r e a t y w h i c h was s i g n e d o n 11 January 1 9 0 9 ; and
..
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I .
r25.
g
.
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I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h , A r t i c l e I11 of the Boundary p t e r s
T r e a t y , O n t a r i o Hydro a n d t h e Power A u t h o r i t y o f the S t a t e o f
N e w Y o r k ,h e r e i n a f t e rr e f e r r e d
t o as t h e A p p l i c a n t s ,u n d e r
date
of 2 March 1 9 6 4 submitted,throughGovernments,complementary
A p p l i c a t i o n st ot h eI n t e r n a t i o n a lJ o i n t
Commission f o r i t s
a p p r o v a l of t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d o p e r a t i o n ,
on a t e s t b a s i s , 0.f
a boom i n Lake Erie n e a r t h e e n t r a n c e t o t h e N i a g a r a R i v e r ;
,
t
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I
The Commission, by Order of Approvaldated
9 June
1964,approved,on
a t r i a l b a s i s , t h e c o n s t r u c t i o na n d
o p e r a t i o n by O n t a r i o Hydro and t h e Power A u t h o r i t y of t h e S t a t e
of N e w York of a bocjm n e a r t h e o u t l e t of Lake E r i e t o r e d u c e
t h e d i s c h a r g e of ice i n t o the Niagara R i v e r , t h e s a i d a p p r o v a l
e x p i r e d on 1 5 May 1965;
2 5 May
By SupplementaryOrderofApproval,dated
1 9 6 5 , t h e Commissionamended
theOrderofApproval
by p r o v i d i n g
f o r completionof
boom d i s a s s e m b l y by 15 May andextendQng
the
.e..
e x p i r a t i o n d a t e of t h e s a i d Order 'to 1 5 May 1966;.
s<.
i
-
&-:
T.f
By d e c i s i o n d a t e d 2 0 A ? r i l 1 9 6 6 , ' t h e Commission
e x t e n d e d t h e t e r m i n a t i o n d a t e of t h e s a i d O r d e r , a s amended t o
1 5 May 1 9 6 7 ;
By f u r t h e r d e c i s i o n d a t e d
1 2 July 1967, the
t h e s a i d Order, .as
C o m m i s s i o ne x t e n d e dt h ee x p i r a t i o nd a t eo f
amended, t o 1 5 May 1 9 7 2 ;
B y - f u r t h e r S u p p l e m e n t a r y Order of Approval, d a t e d
3 October 1 9 6 9 , t h e Commission amended t h e Order of Approvaland
approved t h e c o n c e p t of a f l e x i b l e date f o r o p e n i n g a n d c l o s i n g
t h e i c e boom, p r o v i d e d f o r c o n s u l t a t i o n by t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l
N i a g a r a - B o a r d of C o n t r o l , h e r e i n a f t e r referred t o a s t h & Board,
as t o ' t h e o p e n i n g d a t e a n d e x t e n d e d
the e x p i r a t i o n d a t e T o f t h e s a i d O r d e r , as amended, t o 1 5 May 1 9 7 0 ;
.
.
"
- 2 -
By f u r t h e r d e c i s i o n d a t e d
e x t e n d e d the t e r m i n a t i o n d a t e o f
t o 1 5 May 1975;
6 August1970,
t h e saidOrder,
..
t h e Commission
as amended,
"
5%
.x
By f u r t h e rd e c i s i o nd a t e d ' 2 1A p r i l1 9 7 5 ,t h e
Commission e x t e n d e d t h e . t e r m i n a t i o n d a t e o f t h e s a i d
amended, ' t o 15 May 1980;
.
4-.
..
Order, a s
By A p p l i c a t i o n d a t e d 13 November 1 9 7 9 , the A p p l i c a n t s
p e t i t i o n e d t h e Commission f o r a n e x t e n s i o n of t h e t e r m i n a t i o n
d a t e f o r an i n d e f i n i t e p e r i o d , s u b j e c t t o e x i s t i n g c o n d i t i o n s ;
"
. I na c c o r d a n c ew i t h
t h e Commission'sRulesof
P r o c e d u r e , t h e Commission r e c e i v e dS t a t e m e n t si nR e s p o n s e ,a n d
S t a t e m e n t si nR e p l y ,
i t g a v ed u en o t i c ea n dh e l dp u b l i c . *
h e a r i n g s on J u l y 8 , 9 and 10, 1980 a t N i a g a r a F a l l s , O n . e r i o ,
B u f f a l o , New York and Hanhurg, New York, . r e s p e c t i v e l y , .$nd
t h e Board, t h e A p p l i c a n t s , i n t e r e s t e d
receivedevidencefrom
publicofficials,privatecitizens
a n dc o r p o r a t i o n s ;
..
..
The Board s t a t e d t h a t t h e i c e boom h a s f u n c t i o n e d as
i n t e n d e d andproven
tobeeffectiveandbeneficial
t o t h e many
i n t e r e s t s a l o n g t h e N i a y a r aR i v e rw i t h o u t
a measurable
d e t r i m e n tt oo t h e r s ,t h a tt h e y
had n o t r e c e i v e da n yc o n c l u s i v e
i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t would s u b s t a n t i a t e t h e a l l e g a t i o n t h a t t h e
ice
boom l e n g t h e n s t h e i c e s e a s o no r increases e r o s i o n of Lake E r i e
b e a c h e s , t h a t no o t h e r method of i c e c o n t r o l c a n p e r f o r m a s
ice
s a t i s f a c t o r i l y a s t h e boclm and t h a t s i n c e w e a t h e r a n d
c o n d i t i o n sv a r yw i d e l yf r o my e a rt oy e a r ,
the f l e x i b l e date of
o p e n i n g t h e i c e boom has proven i t s merit;
,
!
1,
A f t e r c a r e f u lc o n s i d e r a t i o no ft h ee v i d e n c e ,
the
.
Commission c o n c l u d e s t h a t . c i t i z e n a n d l o c a l G o v e r n m e n t a l concernremainshighin-the.Buffaloregionthatthelat@.
removalof
t h e ice boom c a u s e s i c e t o b e r e t a i n e d l o n q e s ; o n
Lake E r i e t h a n would h a v e o c c u r r e d w i t h o u t
t h e boom a n d e x t e n d s
best
t h e p e r i o d of c o l d e r t e m p e r a t u r e s i n t h e r e g i o n ; t h e
expertevidencetodateindicatesthat
t h a t t h e i c e boom d o e s n o t
to a
have a s i g n i f i c a n t i n f l u e n c e on t h e weather; however,due
s c a r c i t y of d a t a , there r e m a i n s . g o m eu n c e r t a i n t y ;u n t i ls u c h
t i m e a s more c o n c l u s i v ee v i d e n c e i s made a v a i l a b l e , t h e r e w i l l . .
tcoo n t i n u e
be debate
u n c e ratnadi n
. ty;
.
.
C o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n ' so b l i g a t i o nu n d e r
'I..t h e Commission
s h a l lr e q u i r e ,a s
a c o n d i t i o n of i t s a p p r o v a l thereof, t h a t
s u i t a b l e andadequateprovision,approved
by i t , be made f o r t h e
p r o t e c t i o n andindemnityof
a l l i n t e r e s t s on t h e o t h e r +$de of
t h e l i n e which. may b ei n j u r e dt h e r e b y .
'I,
a m o n i t o r i n sp r o g r a m
A r t i c l e VI11 of t h e BoundaryWatersTreaty,
s h o u l d be
'
maintained f o r a sufficient period of time to 'enable
a l l interestedpartiestoascertainwithgreatercertaintythe
e f f e c t s of t h e boom on weather c o n d i t i o n s i n t h e B u f f a l o r e g i o n ; '
p a r to f
t h e programshould
be a f u r t h e ra n a l y s i s
of a l l ' w a t e r f r o n t
andothertemperaturedata;
'.-.
.
.
"_,
. -?
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"4
*-
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I n a d d i t i o n , i t w o u l da p p e a rt ob eu s e f u lt oo p e na n d
remove t h e i c e boom a t t h e e a r l i e s t p o s s i b l e d a t e c o n s i s t e n t
w i t h the p u r p o s ef o w
r h i c ht h eA p p l i c a t i o nh a sb e e na p p r o v e d .
.\
NOW THEREFORE T H I S COMMISSION ORDERS AND ' D I R E C T S THAT
THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE BY THE APPLICANTS P OF A B O ~ MIN.
LAKE ERIE NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO THE NIAGARA RIVER BE AND.?THE
SAME I S HEREBY APPROVED ON A TEST BASIS, SUBJECT TO THE
FOLLOWING CONDITIONS WHICH .SHALL SUPERSEDE THE CONDITIONS O F
THE ORDER OF APPROVAL DATED 9 . J U N E 1 9 6 4 , AS AMENDED.
(a)
The boom s h a l lb e .l o c a t e di n
Lake E r i e a t t h e head of
theNiagaraRiverabout
two miles upstreamfrom t h e Peace
. B r i d g e ,i na na r e aw h e r e
the water v e l o c i t i e s are r e l a t i v e l y
low.
&
The boom s h a l l c o n s i s t of a series o f f l o a t i n g
(b)
._
the river;'7%hall.
s e c t i o n s a n c h o r e d a t i n t e r v a l s . t o t h e bedof
b ee q u i p p e d w i t h d e v i c e s t o f a c i l i t a t e the promptremoval
of
any o r a l l s e c t i o n s ' o f t h e boom s h o u l d t h e need a r i s e f o r s u c h
may be
a c t i o n s ; and s h a l l b e e q u i p p e d w i t h s u i t a b l e m a r k e r s a s
p r e s c r i b e d by U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d C a n a d i a n C o a s t
Guard r e g u l a t i o n s .
(C)
B e f o r e commencing i n s t a l l a t i o n of t h e boom, t h e
Applicantsshallobtain
the Commission'sapprovalof
the plans
f o rt h eo p e r a t i o na n dm a i n t e n a n c eo ft h e
bocm, i n c l u d i n g
p r o v i s i o n s f o r t h e emergencyopeningandcompleteremovalof
t h e Commission
t h e boom, s u c hp l a n s s h a l l b e s u b m i t t e d t o
t h r o u g h i t s I n t e r n a t i o n a l N i a g a r a BoardofControl.
( dIl n s t a l l a t i o n
o tfh fe l o a t i n g
sections
of t h e boom
s h a l l n o t commence u n t i l t h e water t e m p e r a t u r e a t t h e B u f f a l o
water i n t a k e ' r e a c h e s 4OC (39OF) ' o r s u c h o t h e r d a t e a s
may
becommunicated t o t h e A p p l i c a n t
by t h e Commission, t h r o u g h t h e
. t h e weather a n do t h e rc o n d i t i o n s ;
.
B o a r d ,h a v i n gr e g a r dt o
i pn r e v a i l i n g
that year.
-.a'
:*.
(e)
A l l f l o a t i n gs e c t i o n s
,of t h e i c e boom s h a l l be
opened
by A p r i l 1; p r o v i d e d t h a t t h e Commission may determine a l a t e r
openingdateifin
i t s j u d g m e n tt h er e q u i s i t ec o n d i t i o n s
set
f o r t h i n g u i d e l i n e s a p p r o v e d by t h e Commission a r e n o t m e t . .
Completedisassemblyandremoval
of a l l r e m a i n i n gf l o a t a t i o n
e q u i p m e n ts h a l lb ec o m p l e t e d
w i t h i n . t w o weeks t h e r e a f t e r .
N o t w i t h s t a n d i n ga n yo t h e rp r o v i s i o n so f
t h i s Order, t h e
Commission r e t a i n s t h e r i g h t t o r e q u i r e o p e n i n g
o r removal of
a l l o r any p a r t of t h e boom a t any time 'because o f t h e e x i s t e n c e
ofanemergency
situation.
,
(f )
The A p p l i c a n t s s h a l l be r e s p o n s i b l ef o r
t h e ope$.ation
andmaintenance. of t h e boom, i n c l u d i n g i t s . r e m o v a 1 i n - w e ' l e o r
i n p a r t , so as t o m i n i m i z e p o s s i b l e a d v e r s e e f f e c t s t o
a.11
i n t e r e s t s as c o m p a r e d w i t h p r e p r o j e c t c o n d i t i o n s .
(9)
I no r d e tr h a tt h eB o a r d
may be i n a p o s i t i o n t o p r o v i d e
i n f o r m e da d v i c e t o t h e Commission a s t o t h e opening date of
t h e boom, . t h e Board s h a l l c o n s u l t e a c h ' y e a r w i t h r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s
. ~
.-
.
- 4 -
..
I
of t h e A p p l i c a n t sa n ds u c hi n t e r e s t sa s
may b ea f f e c t e d
by t h eo p e n i n go ft h e
.k
t h e Board c o n s i d e r s
boom.
(h)
O n t a r i o H y d r o - s h a lblree s p o n s i b l e
for thd
eispdsition
damage . t o p e r s o n s o r p &
perty
o f claims f o r p h y s i c a l i n j u r y o r
.aoccurring in Canadian territory in connection with the
m a i n t e n a n c e ,o p e r a t i o n ,i n s t a l l a t i o no rr e m o v a l ' o ft h es a i d
boom o r any p a r t o'f i t , and f o r t h e s a t i s f a c t i o n o f a n y
s u c h claims t h a t are v a l i d .
. .
(i)
The Power A u t h o r i t yo ft h eS t a t eo f
New York s h a l l b e
of c l a i m s f o r p h y s i c a l i n j u r y
responsibleforthedisposition
o r damage t o p e r s o n s o r p r o p e r t y o c c u r r i n g i n U n i t e d S t a t e s
territoryinconnectionwiththemaintenance,operation,
i n s t a l l a t i o n o r removal of t h e s a i d boom o r any p a r t o f A , t ,
a n d f o r t h e . s a t i s f a c t i o n o f 'any such claims t h a t are v a s:.'d . . - .
.
, '
.-. ..
The A p p l i c a n t s s h a l l k e e p
t h e Coinmission c u r r e n t l y
(j)
the Board,regarding
the i n s t a l l a t i o n , . .
i n f o r m e d t, h r o u g h
o p e r a t i o n andremovalofthe
boom, the f o r m a t i o n ,r e t e n t i o n
a n d , - r e c e s s i o n of t h e i c e coverand ice . c o n d i t i o n s i n t h e
N i a g a r aR i v e r .F o r m a lr e p o r t s
s h a l l be s u b m i t t e dt h r o u g ht h e
Boardeach month o r more f r e q u e n t l y as c o n d i t i o n s may w a r r a n t
o r a s t h e Commission may r e q u i r e .
1
\
J
'
(k)
A monitoring
program
s h a l l be
undertaken
of
weather
c o n d i t i o n s i n ' t h eB u f f a l or e g i o np u r s u a n t
t o a p l a no fs t u d y
t o be p r e p a r e d by theBoardandapproved
by t h e Commission
a t the
andsaidmonitoringprogramshallbecarriedout
e x p e n s e of t h e A p p l i c a n t s .
(1)
T h i s a p p r o vsahlat el lr m i n a t e :
( a ) on t h e f i r s t dayof
November 1 9 8 0 , u n l e s s b e o r e
t h ad
t a t e ., t h eA p p l i c a n t s
have
informed
the
Commission i n w r i t i n g t h a t i t a c c e p t s a l l of t h e
Conditions. set f o r t h h e r e i n ;
p
( b ) on t h e 1 5 t h d a y of May 1 9 8 5 , u n l e s s the
Commission, a t t h e r e q u e s t of the A p p l i c a n t s ,
f i x e s a l a t e r t e r m idnaattei o. n
.
.
AND I T I S FURTHER ORDERED t h a t t h e Commission w i l l
r e t a i n j u r i s d i c t i o n over' t h e subject matter of these
A p p l i c a t i o n sa n d ,a f t e rg i v i n gs u c hn o t i c ea n do p p o r t u n i t y
..
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-
..
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,
"
,"
..
(-
- 5 -
-
t o a l l i n t e r e s t e dp a r t i e s
t o make r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s as
t h e Commission deems a p p r o p r i a t e , may make"such f u r t h e r Order
o r Ordersrelatingthereto
a s may-pe n e c e s s a r y i n t h e ' - j g d g m e n t
of t h e Commission.
.%
-I?
-.F
S i g n e dt h i s2 5 t hd a y
,~
R o b e r t J . Su
rman
? J
B e r n a r d Beaupr6.v
,I
d
'
of September 1 9 8 0
a- m,0L
.
C h a r l e s R. Ross
QJ?.
J e a n ; p o b e r t Roy'
'.