Almost out of the public eye, negotiators for Great Lakes states and provinces are renegotiating a pact intended to limit Great Lakes water diversions and exports, and to impose water conservation standards on the Lakes. The first draft, which went out for public comment last year, met heavy resistance, especially on the Canadian side of the border. A new round of public comment on the next draft should start in June. Unfortunately, only a relative handful of Great Lakes citizens are even aware of this landmark (or is that watershed?) proposal. Here are a few details:
Four areas of ongoing contention/discussion seem to be as follows:
• Clarification of definition/procedures associated with "Return Flow" (that is, how new water exports will be compensated for by return flows of water)
• Straddling Counties (that is, counties that are partially in and out of the Great Lakes Basin, some of which want to take Great Lakes water for growth)-Ongoing discussion concerning the date upon which this takes effect (i.e. probably determines which communities qualify and will be grandfathered into a program which would mean that communities are entitled to Great Lakes water because they exist in COUNTIES that straddle the sub continental divide.
• Chicago Diversion--apparently Illinois submitted new language as recently as last week. Ont and Que need assurance that they will have adequate access, i.e. 'standing' before the US Supreme Court under the decree that created the Chicago Diversion.
• Compact Vote--uncertainty as to how voting will occur when diversions are requested (i.e. majority, super-majority, unanimity?)
In other words, major issues remain unresolved even as there seems to be huge pressure to move this policy forward.
May 15-June 15--Annex Agreements tentatively scheduled to be circulated to States and Provinces for required 30 day 'Jurisdictional Review'.
If there is consensus the Agreements will be put forward for the promised 60-day Public Review--beginning sometime around June 15 i. e. OVER THE SUMMER.
Then there is to be a 45 day jurisdictional review which will end in October.
Signing is scheduled to take place in November.