Object to the Great Lakes Compact Council!

Milwaukee Riverkeeper urges citizens to object in person (or by mail/phone) to the Great Lakes Compact Regional Body (representatives of all Great Lakes States and 2 Canadian Provinces) and the Great Lakes Compact Council's (representatives of just the US States) proposal to issue “guidance” in lieu of “rules” to Great Lakes States acting on applications for diversions of Great Lakes' water. 

The Great Lakes Compact stated that these entities (that each have their own processes/procedures) that are responsible for implementation of the Great Lakes Compact should develop rules for how applications will be considered.

The problems with this approach are that 1) only issuing guidance violates the Compact by failing to allow for public notice and comments that are part of rule creation; and 2) guidance would not be binding on states.  Thirty five groups across the Great Lakes have asked these regional decisionmaking bodies to adopt rules before entertaining applications from communities like Waukesha that are requesting diversions of water from the Great Lakes basin. 

To see a copy of this letter that Milwaukee Riverkeeper signed onto, click here.

For the agendas of the Regional Body and Compact Council and more info on the guidance, please click here.