Great Lakes compact gets swift approval by Congress

[Faygo Kid]

Source: Detroit Free Press

Congress has made the Great Lakes compact official.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the eight-state agreement, which protects the lakes from diversion, by a vote of 390-25 shortly after noon today. President George W. Bush has already said he will sign it into law.

The Senate passed the measure Aug. 1. Michigan had been the last state to sign the measure, on July 9.

Passage was swift, despite early fears by some that Congress might drag its feet on the measure because water-hungry states might object. In the end, there was little opposition. . .


Read more: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080923/NEWS06/80923041

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It's not perfect. Some very good reps opposed it, including Kucinich, as not going far enough. And he was joined in opposition by some very bad reps, like Tancredo, who would love to get his hands on the Great Lakes water. But ultimately it passed overwhelmingly, and I think this does it for me:

"All eight regional governors and two Canadian provinces, Quebec and Ontario, signed the compact in December, 2005. The push to protect the lakes came after a Canadian firm sought approval in 1998 to send tankers of Great Lakes water overseas, causing an uproar.

Among other things, the compact allows any governor to veto a large-scale diversion outside the basin."

[sasquatch]

1. Go fuck yourselves Boomers and Southerners if you think you're going to steal our water

[Faygo Kid]

2. "Boomers?" I guess the South and Southwest might want it, but "Boomers?"

Could always use fresh water in the bong, I guess, back in the day. Far out.

[sasquatch]

3. Boomers are moving to warmer states now

[Faygo Kid]

5. Not me. I am moving back to Michigan when I retire.

Give me the Lakes every time.

Traverse City is where I expect to end up.

[liberal N proud]

9. No one would want water from Lake Erie

The fish don't even want to live there

[snooper2]

4. bless your heart, but you can keep your water...

We have our own lakes here in Texas... :rofl:

[Buenaventura]

7. damn straight - and keep your fuckin' oil and gas, too!

[sasquatch]

11. We'll get it from Canada

:D

[amandabeech]

8. This boomer will head to Michigan, too.

In fact, if the economy were better, I'd go back yesterday. I'm tired of exile.

[Kolesar]

6. Thank you, America, for supporting this

Republicans and Democrats :patriot:

[Posteritatis]

10. Very nice! (nt)

[JonLP24]

12. U.S. Congress Approves Historic Protections for Great Lakes

Source: GreatLakes.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. --The U.S. House of Representatives today approved the Great Lakes Compact, sealing historic protections for the Great Lakes that have been a decade in the making.

The Alliance applauded the 390-25 House vote, which comes one month after the U.S. Senate's unanimous approval and is the final stop before heading to President Bush, who has said he will sign the compact.

“That Congress moved so quickly on these historic water conservation standards is a sign that our nation’s leaders see the Great Lakes as a national icon,” said Alliance President Cameron Davis, who helped draft the compact. “This doesn’t just signal the importance of the Great Lakes to those of us who live, work and play in the region -- it signals to the rest of the world that water conservation is a global imperative.”

U.S. Reps. John Conyers (D-MI), Vern Ehlers (R-MI), Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Steve LaTourette (R-OH) and Jim Oberstar (D-MN) were instrumental in passing the compact in the House. The agreement was approved unanimously by the Senate on Aug. 1 with the leadership of U.S. Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Carl Levin (D-MI), Arlen Specter (R-PA) and George Voinovich (R-OH).



Read more: http://www.greatlakes.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=808&srcid=476