June 28, 2006

LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today forwarded to legislators an application from New Berlin, Wisconsin, to divert Lake Michigan water for drinking water purposes.  Granholm indicated that she would not consider the application for diversion.

“Earlier this year, I was proud to sign into law measures that provide Michigan water with the strongest protection in decades,” Granholm said.  “The collective regional focus now needs to be on all states passing, and Congress ratifying, the agreements which will enact the prohibitions on diversion contained in the Agreement I signed with the other Great Lakes governors and the premiers of Ontario and Quebec last year.”

The diversion proposal was received as part of a communications to the Governor’s office from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.  The application has been forwarded to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over Great Lakes issues via Ken DeBeaussaert, director of the Office of the Great Lakes.  A letter from Director DeBeaussaert accompanied the proposal.

The New Berlin application would be subject to federal law requiring the approval of all Great Lakes governors for any Great Lakes water diversion.  While New Berlin and Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle have not yet asked for formal approval, in keeping within both the letter and the spirit of Michigan law, Granholm has notified the Legislature and the people of Michigan of their proposal.

Currently, Michigan law bans diversions of the kind being proposed by New Berlin.  In addition, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact proposed under the Great Lakes Charter Annex Implementing Agreement has not passed a single state Legislature or been approved by Congress.  The Agreement was signed in December 2005.

“Our water is our most treasured natural resource, and I will continue to be vigilant in protecting it so that it can continue to inspire and provide for future generations of Michiganians,” Granholm said.