Great Lakes Compact
In 2005, the Great Lakes U.S. Governors and Canadian Premiers have endorsed precedent-setting agreements to protect and conserve the Great Lakes.
 The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (known as "the Compact") and its companion bi-national agreement together implement the Great Lakes Charter Annex signed by the parties in 2001. The agreements provide the most comprehensive water use protections for the Great Lakes in the last century.
In fall 2008, the Compact was ratified by the Great Lakes states and territories, passed by Congress, and signed into law.
The enforceability of the Compact is what sets this agreement apart from other Great Lakes agreements.
OH House passes unbalanced new Great Lakes bill;
Eco groups & other leaders loudly oppose it |
In March, Representative Lynn Wachtmann (R-Napoleon) introduced another piece of legislation to implement the Great Lakes Compact programs (127th General Assembly, House Bill 416). On April 25th the Ohio House of Representatives voted the legislation out of their Chamber 59-38 (page 1879), nearly a party line vote. The new bill, House Bill 473, while better has 4 significant outstanding flaws that lock anglers, boaters and swimmers out of the courthouse, while risking dried up walleye spawning areas and toxic algae in streams and Lake Erie.
Read full press release
Letter to Ohio Senate from the Ohio Environmental Council
Read testimony from groups who oppose the bill:
Supporting documents:
Testimony from interested party:
Scientist testimony:
Letters:
Editorials/Press:
-
For the first time in the Great Lakes basin, the Compact:
- considers the Great Lakes, their tributaries, and groundwater to be one ecosystem subject to the same environmental standard;
- establishes protection of the ecosystem and the economies that depend on the Great Lakes as a priority everywhere in the basin;
- ensures that every Great Lakes state and territory will have the same set of rational protections.
These agreements close the door on exporting our Great Lakes waters by cargo tankers to the four corners of the world. The Compact also protects the Great Lakes from harm by implementing a strong and effective water management program, which requires water in the basin to be used sustainably.
The Compact is a framework that provides the region with an opportunity to address all water uses in a comprehensive and ground breaking way. The Compact would allow the Great Lakes region to maintain control over Great Lakes water in the face of growing demand from across the nation and the world.
The Compact guarantees the long-term protection and sound management of Great Lakes water, ensuring that they are protected for generations to come.
Read the OEC's Great Lakes Compact Fact Sheet.
Industry-backed legislation violates the Great Lakes Compact
and will harm Lake Erie |
July 15, 2011 - Governor Kasich vetoes harmful legislation! Read more.
June 30 - The Ohio Senate followed the Ohio House of Representatives in approving legislation that was supposed to sustain water supplies for the five Great Lakes and the rivers, tributaries, and ground water that drain to the Lakes. Read more
Senator Tim Grendell (R-Chesterland) and Representative Lynn Wachtmann (R-Napoleon) have introduced large industrial-backed legislation to implement the programs within the Great Lakes Compact. These pieces of legislation, S.B. 170/H.B. 231, do little to protect the needs of all water users. Contact your state Representative and Senator now and tell them to oppose these pieces of legislation.
Read more:
|
