2 pacts prohibit diversion of Great Lakes water

[Algorem]

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051214/NEWS06/512140464/-1/NEWS

Article published Wednesday, December 14, 2005

MILWAUKEE - Great Lakes states and provinces yesterday tightened their grip on the world's largest source of fresh surface water.

The region's U.S. governors and Canadian premiers agreed in principle on two documents that, with limited exceptions, would forbid Great Lakes water from being piped to other parts of North America or shipped to other parts of the world.

The Annex 2001 agreements will strengthen a 20-year-old charter among governors that had been weakened in recent years by changes in international trade law, officials said.

The National Wildlife Federation called yesterday's action the "most fundamental change to the region's water laws in the last century."...



• Help for the lakes? | 12/13/2005
• Great Lakes group wants $300M soon | 12/13/2005
• Questions continue over who's to pay | 12/11/2005
• Great Lakes summit set for Dec. 13 | 11/18/2005
• Regional officials rip Bush task force for opposing Great Lakes renewal aid | 11/05/2005
• Toledo Magazine - Great Lakes shipwreck dives | 10/09/2005
• Funds for Great Lakes may be victim of Katrina too | 09/15/2005
• Great Lakes plan draws praise | 08/24/2005
• Great Lakes water accord input sought | 08/17/2005
• Keep beaches accessible | 08/04/2005
• Comment period starts for Great Lakes cleanup | 07/08/2005
• Water rights prove complex global topic | 07/05/2005
• Council revises policy on Great Lakes diversion | 07/01/2005
• A permanent drilling ban | 06/21/2005

[MnFats]

1. Good. I would hate to see the beautiful water of those lakes...

...irrigating fields in California or Georgia.
....the lakes must be protected against all assaults...and there are many

[crikkett]

2. does this count for bottled water too?

I remember reading in DU about a bottled water co. threatened by this type of agreement because it's essentially reselling the water & piping it away, 8oz at a time.

[LisaM]

3. I can't believe they keep trying to do this

it's insane, and it's wrong. Why on earth should states like Michigan sell their greatest natural resource to irrigate places like Arizona? I even read an article once where they were trying to sell Great Lakes water to Korea.

[noonwitch]

4. John Engler was selling Great Lakes' water when he was gov

It would explain why the lakes dropped about an inch in level each year he was governor.