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 and 



Public Safety 

 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 



Gentlemen: 



During 1987, the Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee continued to fulfill the 

 responsibilities assigned by the governments under the Poplar River Cooperative Monitoring 

 Arrangement dated September 23, 1980. Through the exchange of Diplomatic 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 1987 and the proposed monitoring schedule for 

 1988. 



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 1987, 

 the Committee finds that the measured conditions are within the norms of the accepted 

 objectives. 



During 1987, monitoring continued with only minor changes in site locations and schedules 

 from 1986. In September 1987 following the environmental assessment of two new mining 

 areas to the east and north of Cookson Reservoir, Ministerial Approval was issued under the 

 Saskatchewan Environmental Assessment Act. Construction of the infrastructure is planned 

 for 1988 with active mining in the South Block commencing in 1989. 



Yours sincerely, 



J./R. Knapton / 



J./R. Knapton 



Chairman, United States Section 



R. A. Halliday 



Chairman, Canadian Section 



R. E. u^^ar 



Member, United States Section 



D. A. Fast 



Member, Canadian Section 



