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Published December 09, 2006 08:00 am - Much like beavers, Ohio legislators are working to dam up waters from the Great Lakes Basin and prevent water diversion to other states. The Ohio House of Representative ... Bill would keep water in Ohio Star Beacon By MARGIE TRAX PAGE
Staff Writer mtrax@starbeacon.com Much like beavers, Ohio legislators are working to dam up waters from the Great Lakes Basin and prevent water diversion to other states. The Ohio House of Representatives is expected to approve today The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact, known as House Bill 574. The legislation would give the eight Great Lakes states unprecedented power over the lakes, and could bring billions of dollars to the region, sponsoring State Rep. Matthew Dolan, R-Russell Township, said. The plan won't take effect unless it is endorsed by the region's seven other states and then ratified by Congress, which could take years. Ohio and New York are behind the proposed compact, and similar bills have been introduced in Michigan and Illinois. Canada remains resistant to the compact, though a recent revision of the legislation includes Canada's two Great Lakes provinces, Ontario and Quebec. "(The legislation) continues to threaten the health of the Great Lakes and significantly weakens Canadian sovereignty over these shared waters," states the Council of Canadians website www.canadians.org. "The annex agreements were originally intended to stop to water diversions from the Great Lakes, and while the second draft of the agreements is substantially improved, it still leaves the Great Lakes unprotected," according to www.canadians.org. The controversial measure both provides opportunities for Ohio businesses to better utilize Lake Erie's water and offers some conservation measures to preserve the resource, Dolan said. "This legislation has been in the making for seven years. It has taken eight governors and two provinces to get together to preserve the Great Lakes region, regulate withdrawals and diversions from the Great Lakes area, and promote the area for development," Dolan said. Great Lakes waters are in danger of being diverted to dry southern states and even other countries, a problem Dolan said is leaving Ohio high and dry. "Why do other countries and states want our water? They take the water and get the new industry. We want to bring these industries here," Dolan said. 
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