GLIN==> Great Lakes United Applauds as U.S. Senate Says 'No' to Diversions

Great Lakes United Applauds as U.S. Senate Says ‘No’ to Diversions

TORONTO & BUFFALO, August 1, 2008 - A landmark agreement, designed to ensure Great Lakes waters stay within their natural basin, got one step closer to becoming a reality this afternoon, when the United States Senate approved the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact.

"After painstaking work in Canada and the United States to develop this agreement and move it forward at the provincial and state levels, we are seeing the Compact truly extend its wings in the halls of Congress,” said Derek Stack, executive director of Great Lakes United. “This is a tremendous milestone, and one that will protect these precious waters for generations to come.”

The Compact is a companion document to an international agreement between the eight Great Lakes states, Ontario, and Quebec to prevent the diversion of Great Lakes water to outside of the basin. The Compact puts in place federal protections in the United States, but must be passed by each member state, as well as being approved by Congress and the U.S. President.

“The Senate has set the tone for the importance of this agreement at the federal level. We look forward to quick passage by the House of Representatives when Congress reconvenes after August recess,” said John Jackson, Director of Clean Production and Toxics with Great Lakes United.

After a three year journey through ten state and provincial legislatures, the Compact and International Agreement now has the blessing of the U.S. Senate. The only remaining hurdles to making this a reality is the approval the House of Representatives, and the signature of U.S. President Bush, who earlier this week endorsed the rapid movement of the document.

Contact:

Brent Gibson

Director, Communications

Great Lakes United

613-867-9861

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Brent Gibson

Director, Communications

(613) 867-9861

bgibson@glu.org | www.glu.org