Less than a month after Michigan became the final state to approve the Great Lakes-St Lawrence River Basin Waters Resources Compact, the Compact has quickly been moving in Congress. Even with the approval of all eight Great Lakes states, the Compact must be passed in Congress and signed by the President. This week marked important progress that bodes well for protection of Great Lakes water from diversions.
Yesterday, the Compact (bill H.R. 6577) was marked up in the House Judiciary Committee and passed unanimously out of that committee to the floor of the House of Representatives. And on Monday President Bush voiced his public support for the Compact in a statement: Here is what he said:
I congratulate the Governors and Legislatures of the eight States that border the Great Lakes on their conclusion of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact. Made in the spirit of cooperative conservation, this Compact is the result of many years of close coordination and consensus-building that resulted in the Compact’s approval by the eight Great Lakes States and two Canadian Provinces.
The Great Lakes are a national treasure. They were vital to the exploration of this continent and have long supported commerce. Today, more than 33 million people live in the States and Provinces bordering the lakes, and the lakes provide an efficient means to transport food and other commodities destined for global markets. The Great Lakes provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities and serve as a source of drinking water for more than 30 million people.
The Compact will ensure sustainable use and responsible management of waters from the Great Lakes Basin and preserve the Great Lakes for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.
I strongly urge Congress to provide rapid approval of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact.
President Bush’s recognition of the importance of the Lakes as navigation, transportation, and recreation corridors is a sign that Washington is aware of how the economies and livelihoods of millions of people depends on the Great Lakes. Absent from the statement, however, is any mention of the ecological impacts of diversions. Was this an ignorant oversight or a keen political move, considering that some very dry states will need to approve of the Compact? Either way, at this moment, it appears as if we can count on support from the White House.
But we mustn’t get ahead of ourselves. While early signs indicate that the Compact might move quickly, continued support on Capitol Hill is needed. That mean that we need to tell Senators Schumer and Clinton, and Representatives Higgins, Reynolds, and Slaughter to work hard to get this bill passed. We are almost there!
President Bush fishing on his father’s boat in 2004. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia) Will Bush’s support of the Great Lakes Compact bring him up to the Lakes to do some fishing?
(This an update post on the Great Lakes St Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact, an agreement amongst the eight Great Lakes states to prevent large-scale, out of basin water diversions. To read Great Lakes United’s initial posts from January of this year, click here.)