St. Croix, St. Croix River, St. Croix International Waterway Commission, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Calais, Maine 

The St. Croix River System is shared for its full length buy the province of New Brunswick, Canada and the State of Maine, USA. Shared too are the natural, historical and recreational resources that support its communities and economy. Because of these resources, the St. Croix has been designated by Canada and New Brunswick as a Canadian Heritage River and recognized by Maine as one of the state’s twenty Outstanding Rivers.
To maintain this common heritage and encourage appropriate regional growth, Maine and New Brunswick entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in 1986 to jointly protect and manage the St. Croix boundary corridor, designated the St. Croix International Waterway. In accordance with the Memorandum and enabling legislation, the St. Croix International Waterway Commission was established to plan and facilitate this management process in cooperation with the Waterway’s residents, users and all levels of government.
Between January 1989 and June 1990, the Commission consulted local and governmental interests to set future directions for the Waterway. This culminated in a 141-page Preliminary Plan for Long-term Cooperative Management of the St. Croix International Waterway which underwent both governmental and public review in the ensuing months, without recommendation for substantive change.
The Preliminary Plan was accepted in principle by the Governor of Maine and Premier of New Brunswick in 1990 and has been the basis for voluntary action by governmental and nongovernmental interests in both countries since that time. It contains detailed information on the Waterway area and the management planning process that is recommended reference to this document.
In 1993 the working components of the Preliminary Plan underwent a second provincial and state review, with concurrence, and are now presented with a brief supporting text as the formal Management Plan for the Waterway.
The Plan defines a framework of International goals and policies to be pursued cooperatively by all interests, but most specifically the Province of New Brunswick and State of Maine, by available means over the log term.
It encourages a flexible, strategic delivery process that accommodates existing differences in the mandates and structure of governments and constantly changing capabilities of all participants. In this way some Plan components can and are being addressed quickly, with opportunity, while others develop at a slower pace. The Plan’s regular review and long-term coordination by a single, transboundary waterway commission ensure that shared objectives will continue to be met.
This cooperative management process is unique in North America and yet is very appropriate to the St. Croix. Why? The actions one side often significantly affect both, making shared goals a common best interest. Also, as development now accelerates along the system, residents and governments agree that the St. Croix must be managed to prepare for, rather than react to, change in order to retain its best qualities.
By working together, Maine and New Brunswick neighbors can continue to enjoy the rich benefits of an internationally significant Waterway and maintain and a heritage that is a vital part of their future.
 

This document presents an overview of the management policies of the St. Croix International Waterway as that relates to Heritage (Human, Natural, Recreational), Economic Development, Waterway Management.