GLIN==> Great Lakes Compact Celebrates One Year Anniversary

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2009

Great Lakes Compact Celebrates One Year Anniversary: 
Historic conservation law still needs to be implemented 

Ann Arbor, Mich. - One year after federal approval of an historic
Compact to protect Great Lakes water from diversion and unwise use,
conservation groups are celebrating the new revolutionary water
management regime that secures the Great Lakes for future generations. 
At the same time, the groups are calling on state governors,
legislatures and provincial leaders to enact strong water conservation
laws and fund implementation programs to ensure the goals of the
precedent-setting pact are realized.

“The Great Lakes Compact is a beacon to the world of how to manage
freshwater resources.” said Marc Smith, state policy manager for the
National Wildlife Federation. “While the states and provinces need to
fully develop strong water conservation programs, the Compact protects
the Great Lakes from increasing demands from a thirsty world, and does
this in a way that defends Great Lakes water from international trade
demands.”

This month marks the one-year anniversary of former President Bush
signing into law the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water
Resources Compact. The eight-state water management pact-known as the
Compact-protects the nation's largest surface fresh water resource from
depletion and diversions. A companion agreement, the Great Lakes-St.
Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement, was signed
in December 2005 by the Governors of the Great Lakes states and Premiers
of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. 

Together, the Compact and Agreement require the eight Great Lakes
states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and the two Canadian provinces of Ontario and
Quebec to develop water conservation and efficiency goals and programs
for all users, create and implement comprehensive water management
programs and establish baselines for water use.  

"The Compact will rise or fall on the choice of the states and
provinces to uphold their end of the bargain by passing and enforcing
groundbreaking water conservation laws," said Ed Glatfelter, director of
water conservation for the Alliance for the Great Lakes. "Protecting the
Great Lakes depends on state and provincial leaders tapping water
policies that protect our Lakes, economy and way of life."

Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin have passed basic
implementation laws to fulfill the Great Lakes Compact, but still need
additional regulations.  Minnesota and Illinois, relying on existing
laws, need to review those laws and amend them to ensure strong
implementation.  However, Ohio and New York still need to pass
legislation to implement the full requirements of the Compact. Ontario
and Quebec each have passed the Regional Agreement and still need to
implement provincial requirements. 

The urgency of implementing these conservation plans was highlighted
this summer when Genesee County, Michigan was granted permission to
build a pipeline from Lake Huron.  The decision permitted the county to
draw water that exceeds a questionable population projection of 42
percent over 25 years, while proposing no consequential role for water
conservation.

“Genesee County is not an isolated case,” said John Jackson of
Great Lakes United. “Unless each Great Lakes state and province puts
in place meaningful and ambitious conservation programs and goals, the
greatest threat to these waters will continue to be our own wasteful
attitude and blind complacency.”

The Great Lakes contain more than 90 percent of the fresh surface water
in the United States, and 20 percent of the world’s supply. Seemingly
abundant, less than 1 percent of the Great Lakes water is renewed each
year.  This leaves the health of the lakes vulnerable to diversion and
unwise use. 

The National Wildlife Federation, the Alliance for the Great Lakes and
Great Lakes United played major roles for over five years of
negotiations, three years of making its way through each of the Great
Lakes states and provinces, and final passage in Congress.  This process
enjoyed an unprecedented level of cooperation among state and provincial
leaders in developing the Compact and Agreement and working with
numerous and diverse stakeholders to finally enact this Agreement.

###
The National Wildlife Federation is America’s conservation
organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our
children’s future.
For more information: http://www.nwf.org/greatlakes 

Formed in 1970, the Alliance for the Great Lakes is the oldest
citizens' Great Lakes organization in North America. Its mission is to
conserve and restore the world's largest freshwater resource using
policy, education and local efforts, ensuring a healthy Great Lakes and
clean water for generations of people and wildlife. More about the
Alliance is online at www.greatlakes.org.

Great Lakes United is an international coalition dedicated to
preserving and restoring the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River ecosystem.
Great Lakes United is made up of member organizations representing
environmentalists, conservationists, hunters and anglers, labor unions,
community groups, and citizens of the United States, Canada, and First
Nations and Tribes. www.glu.org 

Contact:								
Marc Smith: 734-255-5413, msmith at nwf.org           		
Ed Glatfelter: 312-939-0838, eglatfelter at greatlakes.org 
John Jackson: 519-744-7503, jjackson at glu.org 





Marc Smith
State Policy Manager
National Wildlife Federation
(w) 734-887-7116
(cell) 734-255-5413

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