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Many of
you attended Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands, our 2005 Wetland Science
Forum, last winter in Green Bay and heard
first-hand about the importance of Great Lakes
coastal wetlands to our communities, including protecting drinking water
and providing wildlife habitat. We wanted to let you know of an agreement
that could determine the future health of the Great
Lakes -- and their coastal wetlands -- and to encourage you to
make your voice heard on this issue.
On June 30th, 2005, the bi-partisan governors and premiers of the U.S. states and Canadian provinces that
share the Great Lakes released a draft
cooperative agreement for the future protection of our waters. The
agreement, known as the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact,
calls for the responsible use and protection of Great Lakes waters. This
binding "responsibility pact" sets rules for the withdrawal of
Great Lakes waters and ensures that local communities will have input on
any future diversions of our water to areas outside of the Great Lakes
basin. The draft agreement contains many important protections for our Great Lakes, but we must do better.
Please
attend one of the public hearings on the agreement in Duluth,
Green Bay, or West Allis
(details at right) and ask Governor Doyle to strengthen the pact in
order to protect the Great Lakes.
If you
are unable to attend a hearing (where your voice will have the greatest
impact), you may submit written comments -- details on how to submit and
suggested talking points follow below. Public comments must be received
by August 29, 2005.
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Context
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The Great Lakes, one of the natural wonders of the
world, are vast, but they are not infinite. Only one percent of the water
in the Lakes is renewed by rainfall and snowmelt every year. The
remaining 99 percent is a one-time gift from the retreating glaciers of
the world's last ice age. Piping more water out of the Great Lakes
without protective standards threatens the future health and supply of
fresh water in the Great Lakes drainage
basin. It's not a sustainable solution for communities that are using
water faster than it can be replenished.
Although
more than 40 million residents drink it every day, there is no plan that
will ensure the long-term protection and sound management of our Great Lakes water. We should all be working to
change this.
We all
have a responsibility to protect, conserve, and restore the Great Lakes, not for a single interest, but for our
families, wildlife and the future. Today, our Great
Lakes are threatened by persistent pollution, invasive
species, and the interests of those who would export or waste our
precious lake waters for a profit. Pipelines that would export water from
the Great Lakes and companies that abuse
our water resources right here in the region threaten the future of our
drinking water and the special places we go to fish, swim and just plain
enjoy.
And
now, more than anytime in recent history, Wisconsinites have the
opportunity to speak up for our Great Lakes
at a series of hearings around the state. The Great Lakes Water “responsibility pact” was released for 60 days of public comment ending
on August 29, 2005. Governor Doyle will have the opportunity to ensure
that protection and restoration for our Great Lakes
are strong. Speak out for your Great Lakes
today: let Gov. Doyle know that you support a stonger pact. We also
urge you to contact your mayor, as he/she may have an impact on the
Governor.
Click here for
more background information
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Suggested Talking Points
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Recommendations
for strengthening the Agreement
The second draft of the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact
Agreement shows great progress. The 2005 draft is a “Responsibility Pact” written to prohibit diversions,
with limited exceptions. This latest draft also recognizes that water
resource connections go beyond political boundaries. The Compact contains
many important protections for the Great Lakes
by requiring conservation and improvement. Maintaining regional public
participation with an emphasis on conserving, restoring, and improving
the Great Lakes is critical to the success of the Agreement and the
long-term protection of the Great Lakes.
However,
there are some areas of the “Responsibility
pact”
needing further consideration. The Agreement should be strengthened by:
- Requiring that water withdrawers
cannot simply maintain the status quo of the deteriorating condition
of the Great Lakes. Instead they
must help restore the overall condition of the Great
Lakes so that they become “great” again.
- Following citizen
lawsuit models in the Clean Water Act to give citizens the means
necessary to ensure that diversions are made with the lakes in mind,
not political gain.
- Clearly defining the Great Lakes Basin
by using the above-ground sub-continental divide as the natural
dividing line between the Great
Lakes Basin
and other watersheds.
- Requiring that state
conservation plans make the most efficient use of our precious water
resources possible.
- Removing the exemption
for the Chicago diversion and
requiring that Illinois
follow the Agreement rules for diversions.
- Treating bottled water
as a diversion and banning its transport out of the Basin.
- Including a shorter
phase-in period of the new rules; the proposed 10 years is too long.
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How to submit written comments
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Please
submit comments in the form of recommendations. Comments may be submitted
in one of three ways: via regular mail, via e-mail, or online at the Council of Great Lakes
Governors' website.
Written
comments about the proposal should be sent to:
David Naftzger
Executive Director
Council of Great Lakes
Governors
35 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 1850
Chicago, IL 60601
E-mail
comments should be submitted to:
Annex2001@cglg.org
Click
on the link below to submit comments online.
Remember that the deadline for public comments is August 29, 2005.
Please be sure to also send any comments you submit
to the Council of Great Lakes Governors to Governor Doyle as well. It's
important for him to hear from his constituents on this issue.
Governor James
Doyle
115 East State Capitol
Madison, WI 53702
Tel: (608) 266-1212
wisgov@gov.state.wi.us
Click here to
submit comments online
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Schedule of
Public Hearings
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August 18 - Duluth
5 to 7:30 p.m.
Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, Great Lakes Ballroom
200 W. 1st St.
Co-hosted by Wisconsin DNR, Minnesota DNR, and Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency. Open house from 5 to 5:30 p.m. with opportunity to fill out
written comment forms and talk to staff; formal presentation begins at
5:30 p.m., followed by public comment opportunity.
August 22 - West Allis
6:30-9 p.m.
Wisconsin State
Fair Park
Youth Center
Governor's Banquet Room
640 South 84th Street just south of I-94, West Allis.
Enter Gate 5 - the Center and parking lot are on the left.
Hosted by Wisconsin DNR. Open house from
6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. with opportunity to fill out comment forms and talk
to staff; formal presentation starts at 7 p.m., followed by public
comment opportunity.
August 29 - Ashwaubenon
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Ashwaubenon Village Hall Council Chamber
2155 Holmgren Way.
Visitors should enter the North Public Entry.
Hosted by Wisconsin DNR. Open house from
5 to 5:30 p.m., with opportunity to fill out comment forms and talk to
staff; formal presentation starts at 5:30 p.m. with public comment
opportunity following.
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