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i r <br />Leaders of the eight Great <br />Lakes states and bordering <br />Canadian provinces <br />recently <br />submitted <br />e ° ~ ' two <br />~ draft <br />agreements to a <br />environmental organizations <br />far review. The proposed <br />agreements are important steps toward <br />preventing basin diversions and water <br />abuses. <br />While retaining the authority to veto <br />diversions, the governors and premiers <br />chose to forego an outright ban on <br />diversions because it might be legaIly <br />vulnerable in the long run. Instead, the <br />leaders have proposed a system of <br />approving water diversion proposals <br />that appears to make them extremely <br />difficult to take place. The <br />environmental groups plan to work with <br />their members and the public to closely <br />evaluate the proposed new system for <br />weaknesses and loopholes, and to <br />support means for strengthening the <br />agreement's diversion provisions. <br />~` The proposed U.S. <br />agreement states: <br />•For the first time provides <br />environmental standards for <br />judging new water withdrawal <br />proposals; <br />• Protects all the waters of the Great <br />Lakes basin, including streams and <br />groundwater; <br />•If approved by Congress as well as <br />the states, would be legally binding <br />on the states; <br />•Requires most water withdrawals to <br />be registered and some larger <br />withdrawals to be managed, assuring <br />both a means for preventing the worst <br />environmental damage caused by <br />withdrawals and better knowledge of <br />how the region is using its waters; <br />• Properly establishes the new <br />environmental standards as a <br />minimum, not a maximum system <br />of protection; <br />•Provides good avenues for public <br />participation in permitting decisions; <br />•Provides good means for enforcing <br />the provisions of the compact. <br />The "good-faith" agreement <br />between the Canadian provinces <br />and the U.S. states sets an <br />important precedent in bi-national <br />water management. Collectively <br />the states and provinces have <br />agreed to hold public comment <br />hearings on the proposed <br />agreements in Toronto and <br />Chicago. Individually the states <br />and provinces have agreed to each <br />hold at least one public comment <br />hearing or meeting in each of their <br />jurisdictions. The groups also <br />called on the governments to <br />assure that the public meetings <br />allow direct dialogue between the <br />public and government officials on <br />these complex proposals. <br />For more information on the <br />agreements, their background, <br />future scheduled hearings, and the <br />perspectives of environmental <br />groups, connect to <br />www.speakongreatlakes.org. The <br />site will be updated regularly <br />during the ninety-day comment <br />period ending October 18, 2004. <br />~} <br />!~ ' <br />~. 1 1 ~ ~:~ <br />2 <br />~~ ~~ - <br />_~~,r~:~ ~~ - ~I)ll; 11ii~nf~~c,l~1 ~1~~'~~El~t~r~~~~i~l~~ ~ •,. ,y <br />~ ~2. - ~~l~l'lll~~ll'N X31"l'-i1t~11' ~1C',~ll~~~~~~1'. `'~~.. ~,.. ~~~ 1 , r~9.~loa~~ ~ ~ <br />_ ~~~ .. `. <br />=~ . ~ <br />..- i <br />:.~ <br />~~ ~~ ~ -+w ~ .~ ~'Itilt t\ ~~11'.t1"~'~ll~l~'I-"LIIt~~'.(~I'~~' _ ~ _~ <br />- l ~ P ~ t _. ~. ~ k{ . <br />- ~- S t .~ t <br />r ~ ~' e <br />.~ .?,.~ <br />z t <br />~_1r ~ 19 ,ak: n '~ - UIl }?~l:'L' /.CIt ~~llb }~U~~~II ~1t11~R, D.~ t~ y~ s't,~~ u` e ,'~~ i <br />~'~r ~~ 'g ~~!' c_~1~~ lilt` ~,1~~: '~~ ~~~ ~ r~ '',~~1' } ; <br />-. ~ '3T~~ ~~i~S ~~', ~~ ~~ clf. ~~~,~ l { ~~:';: i ~... ~'_~ 1~:`~~+14 :t*'. ~ +~ z~' "'~'.~ <br />_ ~~t < ~ t.~ a ~ ~ ~ <br />Qtr kr ~(~if' l)I'~~l'CIII"lllf~)(~Ill~ltl~ill_ ~ ~~ _° ~` -~~ " y~'rt'-,-~7~"3% ~ <br />s <br />J ,~' <br />A _ .. .~:. <br />., ~,~ <br />' FACETS September 2004 <br />