POPLAR RIVER BILATERAL MONITORING COMMITTEE 



Department of State 

 Washington, D.C., United States 



Governor's Office, State of Montana 

 Helena, Montana, United States 



Department of External Affairs 

 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 



Saskatchewan Environment 

 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 



Gentlemen: 



During 1988, the Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee continued to fulfill 

 the responsibilities assigned by the governments under the Poplar Cooperative 

 Monitoring Arrangement dated September 23, 1980. Through the exchange of Diplo- 

 matic Notes, on March 12, 1987, the Arrangement was extended to March 1991. 

 Water quantity, water quality, and air quality relevant to the International 

 Boundary were monitored in accordance to the 1987 Technical Monitoring Schedule. 

 The monitoring data were exchanged on a quarterly basis. Herein is the report 

 of activities of 1988 and the proposed monitoring schedule for 1989. 



The report summarizes current conditions relative to pre-project conditions and 

 compares current conditions to guidelines for specific parameter values that 

 were developed by the International Joint Commission under the 1977 Reference 

 from Canada and the United States. References are made to State, Provincial, or 

 Federal standards or objectives where these are relevant. After examination and 

 evaluation of the monitoring information for 1988, the Committee finds that the 

 measured conditions are within the norms of the accepted objectives. 



During 1988, monitoring continued with only minor changes in site locations and 

 schedules from 1987. Coal mining will continue in 1989 west of Girard Creek in 

 a northwesterly direction. Prairie Coal Limited plans to move the drag lines in 

 the latter part of 1989 and begin mining the South Block. 



Yours sincerely, 



J./R. Knapton 



Chairman, United States Section 



R. A. Halliday 



Chairman, Canadian Section 



R. E. Driear J) 



Member, United States Section 



/'d. a. f 



f Member, Canadian Section 



-i- 



