Michigan asked to cut water exports

The Toledo Blade has more on efforts to make Michigan a regional leader on this important issue -- something Michigan so far has not stepped up to being. See the whole story here.

Michigan environmental groups today are to reveal their plans for a pledge campaign they have devised in hopes of getting a commitment on Great Lakes water withdrawals from the state Legislature. Legislators will be asked to return a signed pledge by July 12 to support bringing Michigan into compliance with a 1985 gubernatorial charter that calls for the eight Great Lakes states to curb diversions and bulk water exports.

The 1985 agreement called upon all Great Lakes states to register companies that use 100,000 gallons of water or more a day. It is a nonbinding accord among the region's governors, their first effort to stand together against unregulated withdrawals. But Michigan, which is surrounded by Great Lakes water, was the only state that never followed through by having the Legislature pass legislation to what then-Gov. Jim Blanchard had signed.

"This is something Michigan hasn't come on board with," Jeff Irwin, Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, said. "Michigan needs to be a regional leader."

In a sweeping, eight-page speech about water in January, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm urged the state's Legislature to bring Michigan into compliance with the 1985 agreement herself. She called the state's failure to do so "an embarrassment."

For the Great Lakes State to fail its leadership responsibility on this issue is truly an embarrasesment.