February 12, 2006
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REPORT OF THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT RELEASE INVENTORY
MULTI-STAKEHOLDER WORK GROUP ON SUBSTANCES
APPENDIX D
Terms of Reference - NPRI
Multi-Stakeholder
Sub-Group on Longer-Term Vision and
Work Plan for NPRI
TERMS OF REFERENCE
A. Introduction
In 2004, the NPRI Multi-stakeholder Work Group (WG) agreed to
form a sub-group (SG) to take stock of the NPRI and explore how it can be
refined; in particular to make it more streamlined, to enhance data quality
and to address priority emissions of concern. It is an opportune time for
a comprehensive reflection on the program's mandate and future opportunities
because of a number of circumstances. T he NPRI program itself has expanded
and matured substantially over the years and many of the most critical substances
of concern have been addressed; consideration of future candidate substances
will present different c hallenges. The government will also be undertaking
its mandatory review of CEPA 1999, raising the question of which issues related
to the NPRI need to be addressed, and how. Environment Canada is embarking
on new strategic directions which may present new issues and opportunities
for environmental information and reporting in general and the NPRI in particular.
WG members provided the following guidance for this subgroup
in areas regarding desired NPRI attributes, and specific issues and tasks
for this subgroup.
B. Desired NPRI Attributes from the Multi-stakeholder Sub-Group on a Longer-Term
Vision and Work Plan for the NPRI
Following, organized under suitable thematic headings, are a number of qualities
or attributes of the NPRI advocated by the NPRI Work Group, against which
future adjustments should be considered:
- Reporting Requirements (including listing/delisting)
- Relevant
- Material
- Cost-effective
- Fair
- Harmonized
- Sufficient.
- Reported Data
- Accurate, reliable, and authoritative
- Consistent and comparable
- Comprehensive
- Verifiable
- Linkable to other relevant environmental data/reports.
- Reporting Process
- Transparent
- Simple, efficient
- Consistent
- Single-window; non-redundant
- Well-supported (guidance documents, help desks, etc.).
- Compliance
- Principle of "reasonable effort" to comply; good faith
- Emphasis on compliance promotion rather than enforcement
- Authority to ensure compliance and quality control.
- Public Access, Dissemination, and Public Reporting
- Accessible to all
- Public reports placed in proper context to assist in fair, responsible
interpretation of emissions data
- Linkages to other data of relevance and interest.
C. Specific Issues and Tasks for the Review of the Longer-
Term Vision and Work Plan for the NPRI
Following, in random order, are a number of specific issues, suggestions,
and concerns the NPRI Work Group members suggest should be addressed as part
of a proposed comprehensive and systematic review of the NPRI's future evolution:
- Conduct a systematic review of the NPRI long-term vision, strategic
approach, and priorities , taking into account the issues identified
by the main WG.
- Establish clear criteria and systematic processes to identify and
agree upon priority candidate substances for consideration under
the NPRI.
- Establish more consistent and visible means to track and provide information
to NPRI Work Group members and stakeholders on the scope, nature,
and status of work on all candidate substances being reviewed.
- Identify and pursue opportunities to provide input to the CEPA 1999
review from both a general reporting and an NPRI-specific perspective.
- Take systematic stock of the NPRI to identify opportunities to reduce
complexities and streamline reporting requirements while maintaining
the integrity of the program.
- Review reporting plans and activities of the provinces and territories,
and identify and pursue opportunities to achieve harmonized, single-window
reporting and other measures to simplify and streamline reporting
wherever practical, including consideration of a suitable federal/provincial/territorial
agreement or accord, perhaps under the auspices of the Canadian Council
of Ministers of the Environment. Also consider linkages with other
programs.
- Undertake a systematic assessment of needs and opportunities for training,
guidance documents, help desks, and other forms of support that will
minimize reporting burden, enhance data quality and consistency,
minimize reporting costs, and encourage high levels of compliance and hence
comprehensiveness and consistency of coverage.
- Explore ideas and options for sector-specific approaches (e.g., in
cooperation with industry associations) to the setting of reporting
requirements and/or the tailoring of guidance documents to target emissions
and issues of concern and adjust to unique sectoral circumstances.
- Identify and pursue opportunities to link NPRI data and reports with
other relevant sources of environmental information to facilitate
strategic analysis and interpretation of more general issues and trends.
- Identify and pursue measures to incorporate suitable explanations,
cautionary notes, and contextual information in publicly disseminated
NPRI reports, to help ensure that results are responsibly interpreted
and placed in a suitable context.
- In the course of the above, consider the most appropriate positioning
of the NPRI as one important - but not the sole - means of securing
information on environmental emissions of concern. In other words, consider
alternatives to the NPRI to obtain needed information, taking into account
the relative strengths and weaknesses and the costs and benefits of all
relevant information collection mechanisms and authorities.
- Assess the WG Meeting and consultation process, in terms of preparedness,
documentation, quality of information, number of meetings per year,
WG representation, and SG representation.
- Examine mechanisms to ensure greater compliance.
- Examine reporting requirements for recycling operations and the definition
of a product.
D. Sub-Group Process
To help prepare for such a review, a small suitable subgroup of the NPRI
Work Group will be established to exchange and develop ideas for consideration
by the Work Group, so that the Work Group can in turn make recommendations
to the government.
There is not expected to be any face-to-face meetings.
E. Timeline
Specific timelines will need to be established by the Main WG,
with advice from EC.
F. Membership
Membership of the SG will include three industry representatives,
one ENGO representative, and one to two provincial representatives.
The Chief of the NPRI, as well as staff from the NPRI office, will
also participate.
G. Mandate of the Sub-Group on NPRI Review
The SG is responsible for preparing recommendations to the main
WG. In doing so, it will consider the opinions and concerns expressed by all
stakeholders.
More specifically the mandate of the SG is:
- To explore (1) how the NPRI may be streamlined, (2) enhancement of data
quality, and (3) considerations of priority emission
- Advise on further work and analysis that Environment Canada should undertake
to support informed discussion and recommendations
- Advise and assist the main WG in ensuring that the consultation process
and its outputs (the WG reports) meet the needs and expectations of the
stakeholders and that the process is run in a cost-effective manner
- Provide a communications link between the consultation process and their
constituency
- Make recommendations relating to each of the issues, including areas of
consensus, explanations of any disagreements, and the description of any
additional issues that need to be resolved
- Prepare a workplan and timelines to fulfill the mandate and address the
issues.
Members of the SG will be expected to make every effort to ensure
that the views which they express reflect those of their constituency of
interest and not only their personal views or those of their organization.
It is also expected that they will communicate the fact of their participation
and the positions they will be taking on various issues to interested members
of their respective constituencies.
H. Facilitator
A facilitator is not expected to be necessary for this subgroup.
I. Expenses
No expenses are anticipated
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