Now that the Council of Great Lakes Industries is opposing the proposed "Annex 2001 Implementing Agreements" for "locking up the resource" and environmental groups are trying to strengthen it to lock up the water even tighter, is there hope for consensus?
And is there hope for industrial associations that can't see farther than today and don't realize that water conservation standards will actually protect Great Lakes industry?
Posted on Fri, Sep. 10, 2004
Great Lakes proposal opposed
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO - A proposal that would require six of the eight Great Lakes governors to approve any new requests from communities or businesses within the lakes' basin to consume more than 5 million gallons of water a day could create bureaucratic chaos, a spokesman for the Council of Great Lakes Industries says.
George Kuper also testified Wednesday at a hearing held by the Council of Great Lakes Governors that the proposal could erode local control of the resource and could harm efforts to attract industry into the region.
"What we're trying to do is increase the availability of the resources for the ecosystem needs and human needs," he said.
But he said governors are actually "locking up the resource" in their efforts to protect the lakes.
Posted by Dave at September 10, 2004 01:55 PM