Great Lakes Study Committee disbands

Opens opportunity for legislators and Governor's group to take the leadership to protect Wisconsin's waterways

In September, the Legislative Study Committee on the Great Lakes Compact was disbanded by its Chair, State Senator Neal Kedzie (R-Elkhorn), because it was unable to reach agreement on recommendations for a strong compact for Wisconsin. The committee had reached consensus on a number of issues such as conservation and public participation.  Unfortunately, several committee members with parochial interests back-tracked on these issues, creating an impasse.

While the failure of this study committee slows down the process of passing a strong Compact for Wisconsin, it does increase the urgency for a working group convened by Governor Jim Doyle to craft a set of recommendations that will lead to strong, implementing legislation.

The Compact is designed to encourage water conservation and thoughtful water management throughout the Great Lakes region. Wisconsin is one of eight Great Lakes states whose governors approved a Compact draft in 2005 in Milwaukee and forwarded it to their states for legislative approval.  

While most other Great Lakes States have drafted legislation and some have passed it, Wisconsin continues to drag its feet on getting the Compact implemented.  Wisconsin conservation and environmental organizations, through the Coalition to Protect the Great Lakes, continue to press for legislation that supports their platform, A Strong Compact for a Strong Wisconsin, which includes passing the baseline Compact with the following improvements:

• Closing a loophole in the Compact that permits unregulated exports of bottled water from the Great Lakes;
• Encouraging measurable, meaningful water conservation;
• Requiring waters of the Great Lakes Basin that have been diverted to communities outside the boundaries of the Basin to be returned in an environmentally sound manner;
• Tightening standards that govern large water users inside the boundaries of the Great Lakes Basin;
• Establishing boundaries for communities seeking to divert water from the Great Lakes Basin;
• Allowing the public in an open process to play a role in determining whether diversion requests are approved and providing public enforcement options.

Developing a strong Great Lakes Compact protects the waters we rely on for life and enjoy in recreation.