NEG/ECP Background Introduction The Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP) is a unique and highly effective international relationship of states and provinces sharing ideas and building on historic ties. The Conference advances the interests of the eleven jurisdictions through cooperation and encourages collaboration with the private sector. Over the years, the Conference has addressed many topics, including the environment, economic development, tourism, energy, fisheries, trade and agriculture. Committee Activities Trade and Globalization At the 2000 Governors and Premiers’ conference, a Standing Committee on Trade and Globalization was established. The committee is mandated to: work with road, rail, marine, and air operators with a goal of strengthening transportation services and infrastructures consider the establishment of a forum of key knowledge economy innovators to facilitate information sharing and the creation of potential linkages and joint collaborative efforts work with the business community to meet the mandate and goals of the Conference’s future activities Environment The Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, beginning in the early 1980s, has been a leader in important and shared environmental issues. The Conference adopted a pioneering and influential acid rain reduction plan inspiring appropriate actions by provincial, state and federal governments in Canada and the United States. In 1998 the Conference adopted two internationally-acclaimed environmental action plans. The acid rain action plan includes 22 recommendations addressing a comprehensive and coordinated plan for further reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides on an annual basis a research and monitoring agenda targeted at improving the state-of-the science for this environmental problem and increasing cooperative efforts a public education and outreach agenda to ensure the public continues to be mobilized towards the overall goal of protecting the natural environment The mercury action plan contains 45 recommendations addressing the establishing of a regional Mercury Task Force to coordinate the implementation of the Mercury Action Plan mercury emissions reduction targets for identified sources, such as municipal solid waste combustors, medical waste incinerators, sludge incinerators, utility and non-utility boilers, industrial and area sources sources reduction and safe waste management, including recycling outreach and education, especially for high-risk populations research, analysis and strategic monitoring, to further identify and quantify sources of mercury, and to monitor deposition patterns and develop environmental indicators to measure and track progress Energy The New England states and Eastern Canadian provinces have close historical and economic ties in the energy sector. The Northeast International Committee on Energy (NICE) was established in 1978 to monitor and act upon common energy issues in the northeast region. Since its establishment, NICE has hosted more than a dozen roundtables and conferences on energy and published numerous energy reports. In recent years, NICE has been paying particular attention to significant developments in the areas of electric restructuring natural gas developments resource and infrastructure development collaboration with environmental departments and agencies new technologies