WASHINGTON DC – The agreement to limit water exports from the Great Lakes Basin is now federal law. President George W. Bush signed the agreement between the eight Great Lakes states on Friday.
Michigan was the last to sign on to the agreement that requires approval by all eight governors for water to move out of the basin beyond what is already being pumped out, and those looking to move water are required to make some efforts at minimizing that use and implementing some environmental repair.
The agreement has come under some fire from environmental groups because it does not limit export of water in containers smaller than 5.7 gallons.
But Sen. Patricia Birkholz (R-Saugatuck Twp.), chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee and a prime sponsor of the measure, praised its final enactment.
“Today is a great day for Michigan,” Birkholz said. “I am thrilled that the president has signed the Great Lakes Compact. With his final stamp of approval, Michigan’s most important asset, its water, will be protected now and in the future.”
“I thank the president today for signing the Great Lakes Compact into law,” said Governor Jennifer Granholm. “His support ensures that the Great Lakes will remain a protected national treasure for years to come.”
“This is a great day for the Great Lakes,” said Alliance for the Great Lakes President Cameron Davis. “What started as just a ripple in 1998 when the region beat back a Great Lakes water grab has given rise to a cascade of support for these waters both in the region and across the country.”
Michigan’s enacting laws also include some new registration and licensure requirements for large water withdrawals within the state, including an online tool to measure the potential effects of a withdrawal that the Department of Environmental Quality unveiled earlier in the week.
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