Great Lakes Article:

Ontario warns court action possible to cut U.S. smog coming into Ontario
By Rob Gillies
Associated Press Writer
Published in Newsday.com June 20, 2005

TORONTO -- The leader of Canada's most populous province said Monday Ontario is considering legal action against the U.S. government and American polluters in an effort to cut U.S. smog from coming into the province.

Premier Dalton McGuinty said they'll consider joining lawsuits already in progress against Washington and against big U.S. polluters.

"We're going to consider the possibility of joining some of the suits. There are over 50 lawsuits taking place in the U.S. at present. States suing the federal government, suing individual polluters and we've got to see where we can best apply our message," McGuinty said.

McGuinty made the comments at the Shared Air Summit 05, a one-day cross-border pollution conference of environmental experts and public officials

Ontario released a study Thursday showing that more than half of the air pollution hanging over Ontario comes from the U.S and costs Ontario $5.2 billion a year in health and environmental damage.

The study, based on 30 years of data and commissioned by the Ontario government, shows air pollution from both sides of the border costs the province $9.6 billion a year; 55 percent of those costs can be blamed on American smog, it estimates.

McGuinty invited a number of U.S. governors to the summit, but none came. New York Gov. George Pataki sent a taped message.

"I extended an invitation to a number of U.S. governors. I wasn't expecting to turn the world upside down over night," McGuinty said. "This is the first shared air summit, but I do hope we create a critical mass of people who are committed to resolving this in an intelligent way."

McGuinty said U.S. and Canadian efforts to clean up water quality in the Great Lakes can serve as a template for co-operation in tackling air pollution.

McGuinty said he is forming a shared-air round-table to provide advice.

He acknowledged Ontario contributes to smog over New York state, New Hampshire and Vermont. Despite an election promise to close the province's four coal-burning generating stations by 2007, Ontario is closing three by that date. Nanticoke, the province's worst polluter, will close in 2009.

"Obviously, if we want to have any moral standing before any international tribunal or before any court, we have to clean up our own act," McGuinty said.

Ontario warns court action possible to cut U.S. smog coming into Ontario
By Rob Gillies
Associated Press Writer
Published in Newsday.com June 20, 2005

TORONTO -- The leader of Canada's most populous province said Monday Ontario is considering legal action against the U.S. government and American polluters in an effort to cut U.S. smog from coming into the province.

Premier Dalton McGuinty said they'll consider joining lawsuits already in progress against Washington and against big U.S. polluters.

"We're going to consider the possibility of joining some of the suits. There are over 50 lawsuits taking place in the U.S. at present. States suing the federal government, suing individual polluters and we've got to see where we can best apply our message," McGuinty said.

McGuinty made the comments at the Shared Air Summit 05, a one-day cross-border pollution conference of environmental experts and public officials

Ontario released a study Thursday showing that more than half of the air pollution hanging over Ontario comes from the U.S and costs Ontario $5.2 billion a year in health and environmental damage.

The study, based on 30 years of data and commissioned by the Ontario government, shows air pollution from both sides of the border costs the province $9.6 billion a year; 55 percent of those costs can be blamed on American smog, it estimates.

McGuinty invited a number of U.S. governors to the summit, but none came. New York Gov. George Pataki sent a taped message.

"I extended an invitation to a number of U.S. governors. I wasn't expecting to turn the world upside down over night," McGuinty said. "This is the first shared air summit, but I do hope we create a critical mass of people who are committed to resolving this in an intelligent way."

McGuinty said U.S. and Canadian efforts to clean up water quality in the Great Lakes can serve as a template for co-operation in tackling air pollution.

McGuinty said he is forming a shared-air round-table to provide advice.

He acknowledged Ontario contributes to smog over New York state, New Hampshire and Vermont. Despite an election promise to close the province's four coal-burning generating stations by 2007, Ontario is closing three by that date. Nanticoke, the province's worst polluter, will close in 2009.

"Obviously, if we want to have any moral standing before any international tribunal or before any court, we have to clean up our own act," McGuinty said.