MICHIGAN DIVISION
Izaak Walton League of America
Defenders of Soil, Air, Woods, Waters and Wildlife
September 2, 2004

The Honorable Jennifer Granholm, Governor
State Capitol
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, MI 48909


Dear Governor Granholm,

The Michigan Division of the Izaak Walton League of America encourages you to vote in favor of the Proposed Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact.  This document is very important to protecting the Great Lakes basin from further water diversions and withdrawals.  The provisions offered in the document encourage us but we suggest you consider the addition of our following concerns:

The proposed 10-year phase in period for management of water withdrawals is too lengthy and should be shortened and should include diversions.  This time period would allow for too many withdrawals and diversions that could have permanent long-term impacts on the basin’s water resources.  Action needs to be taken in the very near future to protect these resources.

Agriculture should not be exempted from the Compact.  The present proposal does so by allowing for withdrawals and diversions to be averaged over a 120-day period.  Agriculture uses 42% of our nation’s water supplies and they need to be regulated to improve the efficiency of the water they use.  We suggest a 30 day average would be more appropriate.

A provision should be included to provide increased education to the Great lakes basin residents on the importance of their surface and groundwater resources and ways they can conserve and protect it.
While many industries already recycle their water, industrial uses need to be required to recycle their water, Industries presently account for a reported 45% of our water use. 

Water returned to the Great Lakes basin should at a minimum meet state and federal water quality standards before discharge back to surface or ground waters of the state. And, those standards should be readily changed to include parameters for new contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, harmful to human health or the aquatic ecosystem.

The Compact needs to address the cumulative impacts withdrawals or diversions will have on ground or surface waters and should provide provisions for review of existing large diversions and withdrawals.
Michigan needs to assume a leadership role in addressing these issues.  We have historically been looked to for direction on issues of type and we have the most at stake of the states and provinces in the Compact.

We encourage you and the governors of the other seven states and the prime ministers of Ontario and Quebec to work jointly to protect our water resources in the Great lakes basin and mutually seek measures to improve the surface and ground water quality for all 30 million of the basin water users.  This includes seeking measures that control nonnative aquatic invasive species and air borne contaminants, such as mercury, from reaching our land and water resources also.


Sincerely,

E. John Trimberger, President
Michigan Division IWLA

Cc-David Naftzger, Council of Great Lakes Governors