March 17, 1985
During their tete-a-tete, the President and the Prime Minister discussed environmental matters at some length. They took note of the 75-year history of environmental cooperation between the two countries as exemplified by the Boundary Waters Treaty, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and the recent Skagit River-Ross Dam Treaty. The President and the Prime Minister expressed their determination to continue to deal with U.S.-Canadian environmental issues in a responsible and cooperative spirit.
In the spirit of cooperation, and in recognition that the actions of one country are of concern to the other, there was agreement that a high level Special Envoy would be appointed by each government to examine the acid rain issue and report to the President and Prime Minister by their next meeting. The Envoys will:
(a) pursue consultation on laws and regulations that bear on pollutants thought to be linked to acid rain;
(b) enhance cooperation in research efforts, including that for clean fuel technology and smelter controls;
(c) pursue means to increase exchange of relevant scientific information, and
(d) identify efforts to improve the U.S. and Canadian environment.
The President announced that the U.S. Special Envoy will be Andrew L. Lewis, former Secretary of Transportation.
The Prime Minister announced that his Special Envoy will be William G. Davis, former Premier of Ontario.