Great Lakes Deal Announced

[BadgerLaw2010]

Source: Milwaukee Jounal Sentinel

Gov. Jim Doyle announced that a compromise had been reached among Wisconsin legislators and that he would convene a special legislative session next week to adopt the new set of rules restricting water diversions from the Great Lakes.

The compact is an agreement among the eight Great Lakes states intended to protect the world's largest freshwater system from being drained by parched regions around the country, or even the world. The agreement struck by the eight Great Lakes governors has been overwhelmingly ratified by several Great Lakes legislatures, and it breezed through the Wisconsin Senate earlier this year. But it ran into trouble in the Wisconsin Assembly, where some lawmakers saw it as too rigid for Wisconsin's own good.

Doyle on Wednesday was clearly relieved those legislators changed their minds after three weeks of closed-door negotiations that involved numerous compromises to the specific language in the state bill that will implement the deal. The original language of the compact was left untouched, however, including its most contentious element - that any future water diversion to a community entirely outside the Great Lakes basin will require approval from all eight Great Lakes governors.

...

Also on Wednesday, an influential Ohio state senator who had lobbied hard against some compact provisions said he nows supports the deal, provided he can get an amendment to the Ohio constitution that will ensure the compact language doesn't infringe on the groundwater rights of private property owners.



Read more: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=737414

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Looks like this is finally going to get done.

[1620rock]

1. As a Michigander, big money has taken our jobs, our pensions,

and much of our forests, but by God hands off our sweet water seas!

[Faygo Kid]

3. Amen!

Former and future Michigander here, and I can't wait to get back there.

[madrchsod]

2. good news.....

this should prevent the great lakes from becoming another aral sea

[raccoon]

4. I think this is good thinking on their part. nt

[LeftHander]

5. Crazy republicans from Waukesha were the stonewalls on this...

The most republican city just over the hill from the Great Lakes basin has water that is contaminated with radium due to the numerous quarries ringing the city.

The levels are still below EPA limits but rising steadily.



Last summer out front of Milwaukee...

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

6. Hey, Hey, Hey...

I believe those crazy Republicans were from New Berlin!

[Infinite Hope]

7. Good. Uncontrolled irrigation out west has depleted their aquifers.

It's not my problem, it's theirs. Their water charges have been subsidized for so long that they've never paid a market price and so have never used their water wisely. So, I hastily say "screw them" and leave them to fix their own problem that they created for themselves:
1)Start up a desalinization plant and create some jobs.
2)Don't use water at a fool's pace.

[alfredo]

8. When I saw "Great Lakes" I thought of my favorite Brewery. So glad

it wasn't bad news about them.

[hedgehog]

9. Hmmm.... one of the problems is determining how much water leaves

the basin (and how much can safely leave the basin) as a result of manufacturing. Water leaves in the basin weh nit is used to make liquid detergent and beer, for example. DOes this mean that for every can of beer we send out, we should get something in return?

[alfredo]

10. Great Lakes' loss is the Ohio river valley's gain. But don't worry

I'm sure a bit of Kentucky Bourbon makes its way into the the Great Lakes.

[LisaM]

11. I think some of the water in beer makes its way back into the lakes! n/t

[Lance_Boyle]

12. It's Miller, right?

You should all get a public flogging for sending it out.

[BearSquirrel2]

13. Closed water systems ...

1) Irrigation should NEVER be allowed in daylight hours. It should be done at night.
2) Closed water systems that treats black water is necessary.
3) Greywater systems are necessary. There is no need to treat water to potable standards if it's just going to water the lawn.

I live on the fringe of the Lake Michigan basin. I know that I'll never have a fresh water problem where I am. But I cannot sympathize with people who move to dry climates and then complain about the lack of water. If you live in a dry climate, you just have to use less.

[CHIMO]

14. Sounds Good

But!

There is the IJC. And that treaty was broken. So there is very little left.

The vultures are just waiting.

http://www.ijc.org/en/home/main_accueil.htm

Devils Lake dilemma
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/water/devilslake.html