HCR49, As Adopted by Senate, May 4, 2010
Substitute for House Concurrent Resolution No. 49
Whereas, The Great Lakes states ratified the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact to prevent harmful and unnecessary water diversions from the Great Lakes. The compact establishes strict standards and a regional approval process that must be met prior to new diversions from the lakes to communities outside the basin; and
Whereas, The first request to divert water to a community outside the Great Lakes Basin is imminent. The city of Waukesha, Wisconsin, has stated its intention to apply for an 18.5-million-gallon per-day diversion of water from Lake Michigan to meet its current drinking water needs and future economic growth; and
Whereas, There are concerns that the Waukesha proposal may not go far enough to meet the standards required by the compact for approving a diversion. The compact envisions a limited exception for diversions when the public need is great in communities bordering the Great Lakes Basin, and every effort has been made to minimize the need for Great Lakes water, including the implementation of significant water conservation measures. It is not clear if the city of Waukesha proposal truly represents the minimum diversion necessary to meet the city's needs; and
Whereas, The review of the proposed Waukesha diversion will provide precedent for future water diversion proposals and approvals. The Great Lakes governors represented on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council's interpretation of the compact will set the standard for future diversion proposals and approvals. The council must carefully consider how it will apply the compact standards, particularly what constitutes sufficient water conservation measures and how communities outside the basin account for these water conservation measures and future growth in determining how much water needs to be diverted; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That we urge the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council to scrutinize carefully the proposed diversion at Waukesha, Wisconsin; and be it further
Resolved, That we urge the other Great Lakes states to adopt management measures for new or increased withdrawals that, consistent with Michigan's water withdrawal process, ensure the proposed withdrawals are reviewed based upon sound science; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council, the Governor's Office, and the Office of the Great Lakes.