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In 1962 Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring, exposing the consequences of DDT use, which had been linked to cancer and genetic damage in humans. Carson's book triggered an environmental movement, leading to Canadian and American acknowledgement of deteriorating conditions in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
"William Ruckelshaus’s swearing in as the first EPA chief, 1970" Courtesy of NRDC
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"Silent Spring", 1962. Courtesy of the New York Times
“Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species -- man -- acquired significant power to alter the nature of the world.” -Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 1962 The US and Canadian governments requested that the IJC recommend action to reduce phosphorus, particularly by improving sewage treatment. This action led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970.
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"Water Pollution of Great Lakes..." 1969. Courtesy of the EPA
"Environmental problems do not respect national boundaries..." - Great Lakes, Great Legacy?, 1990 |
"Lake Erie already is a dead sea where there is no recreation, no fishing, and virtually no life" - U.S. Representative Abner Joseph Mikva, 1972 Initially, neither country stepped up to lead water quality efforts. This led to conflict over who held responsibility, fueled by paranoia over the power differences between the two countries. The US had a more developed environmental protection program, leading to suspicion that they would force Canada to complete the majority of the combined objectives. The IJC observed that these conflicts were a repetition of earlier disagreements which led to the Boundary Waters Treaty and reported them to the governments.
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