The Detroit Free Press
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Stupak promises stricter federal oversight of Great Lakes water

April 19, 2001

With parched southwest states and foreign nations eying the freshwater abundance of the Great Lakes, Congressman Bart Stupak, D-Menomiee, is vowing to protect the resource from exports.

At a Wednesday night public forum on Great Lakes water diversions, Stupak said he plans to reintroduce legislation to require congressional approval of a water protection plan being developed by the eight shoreline governors. Meanwhile, he wants a ban on the export of Great Lakes water, citing a 1998 Canadian attempt to withdraw 156 million gallons per year for sale in Asia. That venture was abandoned after protest from the United States.

Great Lakes water diversions have been regulated for more than a decade by the eight governors and the premiers of Quebec and Ontario. Canada now has a moratorium on the sale of Great Lakes water.

But Stupak said he wants stronger federal standards to protect the water from foreign sales, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported in a story on Thursday.

"Ninety-five percent of the freshwater in the world is in the United States and Canada, and the rest of the world is looking at it," Stupak said at the event, sponsored by the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council.

On Tuesday, Gov. John Engler recommended dropping a portion of the Great Lakes governors' plan that would allow large water sales without review. The Annex 2001 plan also includes new information about how water withdrawals could damage the lakes and puts new emphasis on water conservation.

But Cheryl Mendoza, of the Muskegon office of the nonprofit Lake Michigan Federation, said the plan lacks support from Canada and includes no immediate moratorium on large water diversions.

Stupak also met with more than 160 Indian tribal leaders to discuss this year's legislative agenda and spoke to Northern Michigan College students about various federal issues.