A Foreword from Doug Draper
Some in Ontario may remember the public outcry, including that from the Council of Canadians and other groups on both sides of the Canada/U.S. border advocating for the protection of our Great Lakes waters, when former Ontario premier Mike Harris was ready to allow a private firm to siphon water out of the upper Great Lakes for commercial sale.
Buffalo, N.Y. area Congressman Brian Higgins speaks out against the commercial siphoning off of water from our Great Lakes.
The outcry was enough to stop that premier, as much as he was in the habit of thumbing his nose at public interest groups, from moving ahead with a commercial sell-off of our fresh waters in our Great Lakes.
But where is the public outcry on the Canadian side of the lakes over plans now afoot in the State of Ohio to allow private businesses to siphon five-million gallons per day of water out of Lake Erie for commercial purposes?
Five million gallons a day may not seem like a lot. But if it sets a precedent for mining liquid gold from lakes in a world where others are in thirst of fresh water, it could have consequences that are environmentally and economically catastrophic. If it – as it would – ultimately lower lake levels, that would mean less water for hydro power generation, lower water levels for ships plying the Welland Canal, lower shoreline levels leading to a loss of wetlands for wildlife and damaged beach areas for recreation, and more algae growth in Lake Erie that threatens fish populations and leaves our shorelines matted with the rotting stench of the stuff.Again where our politicians on the Canadian side of the border on this.
Here below is a media release and letter from at least one Buffalo, N.Y. Area congressman who is speaking out. He needs binational support!
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27), a member of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, sent a letter urging Ohio Governor John Kasich to veto legislation in his state that would allow businesses to remove 5 million gallons of water a day from Lake Erie.
Higgins, whose district borders Lake Erie, warned tapping into the Great Lakes would be devastating environmentally and economically, “The Great Lakes remain one of the most vital natural resources to not just our region but our nation. The Lakes represent the largest surface source of fresh water on this planet and must not be taken for granted. Furthermore, we are seeing, with the transformation of Western New York’s waterfront, the great economic opportunities made possible for regions bordering the Lakes.”
Higgins further questioned the action from an ethical and legal standpoint as the effort may violate the Great Lakes Compact approved by Congress in 2008. The Compact is an agreement between the Governors of New York, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and the Premiers of Ontario and Quebec which ban new diversions of water from the Great Lakes basin and provide for coordinated conservation, use and data collection efforts.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 30 million people live in the Great Lakes basin. The Great Lakes contain 95% of the America’s fresh water and supply drinking water to more than 30 million people in North America. The Brookings Institute found that Buffalo would see economic gains between $600 million to $1.1 billion if the Great Lakes are restored.
Below is a copy of Congressman Higgins’ letter to Governor Kasich:
July 13, 2011
The Honorable John Kasich
Governor, State of Ohio
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6117
Dear Governor Kasich:
It is with great concern that I read in the Buffalo News this morning of legislation that has been approved by the Ohio state legislature to permit businesses to remove 5 million gallons of water a day from Lake Erie.
Western New York shares Lake Erie with your state, and the consequences of such large scale removal of water from the Great Lakes Basin could have devastating environmental and economic effects in my community. Water levels in Lake Erie are already on the decline, and the additional large scale removal of water will lead to algae blooms and reduced water quality, negatively impact aquatic wildlife and the associated fishing industry, and reduce recreational boating and commercial shipping activity. Moreover, it will threaten the progress we are making in Buffalo toward reclaiming our waterfront as an engine of recreational and economic activity.
In New York we are about to adopt a far more reasonable limit by requiting a permit for the withdrawal of 100,000 gallons per day. The Ohio bill, if adopted, would violate the spirit of the historic Great Lakes Compact and force a race to the bottom among the eight signatory states, which will result in an accelerated level of diversions and further reduce the water level in Lake Erie beyond the impact of Ohio businesses. Such an outcome is unacceptable.
I urge you to conclude, as have your predecessors Governors Bob Taft and George Voinovich, that this proposal poses a danger to the health of our greatest regional asset, the Great Lakes, and I urge you to veto this dangerous legislation.
Sincerely,
Brian Higgins, Member of Congress
Please share your comments on this issue below.
Niagara At Large 
Everyone knows water will be the new oil. This means it will be for sale or, as is often the case, just stolen by industry with no concern for the general welfare of the citizens.
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A search today for any mention of the Ohio proposal in Canadian newspapers ,radio and TV stations yielded zero mention. As you are, I am concerned about Canada’s awareness, or lack thereof, to these kinds of resource issues until an actual event or crisis arises.I will eagerly await to see how long it takes before Canadian reps of any sort speak out on this serious issue of U.S. withdrawal of a shared resource, Lake Erie water.
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If this passes it will contravene the Great Lakes Compact .(see)
Click to access Great_Lakes-St_Lawrence_River_Basin_Sustainable_Water_Resources_Agreement.pdf
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It had been a while since I have visited awebsite with such quality information.
Thanks quite a bit for the useful info.
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There is a documentary made by CBC pertaining to “The Corporation” a narrative that defines the scale and scope of Corporations within the concepts of Law. The Republican stacked Supreme Court of the United States has over the years empowered the Corporate agenda to a point where these Corporate entities have literally “more” rights than an American Citizen.
Canada has not been immune to the growth of this Corporate empowerment, a force that now literally controls most forms of media within Canada as well as Federal and Provincial Political Parties who in essence cater to their every whim and decree.
The weapon used has not changed it was evidenced in the Great Depression of the Dirty Thirties and of course that weapon was and is “DEREGULATION” which still is alive, well and growing in this century. The hundreds of Millions of Dollars available to ex Politicians and ranking ex Military Executives to “LOBBY” the governments for their Corporate Sponsors is beyond belief and their inroads into the political process is total and very concerning.
The sick state of Lake Erie as it relates to Toledo and the whole of the Great Lake water basin is being jeopardized by massive Deregulation and denial of Climate Change mainly by Right Wing Governments bowing to the monetary persuasions of Corporations whose only God is the bottom line on a “Profit and Loss Statement”.
Our Federal Conservative Government in Ottawa is a prime example of Climate Change denial and that is evidenced in their elimination of too many highly skilled and valuable scientists and inspectors, the removal of environmental protections for rivers and lakes through out Canada and their constant stand on the Tar Sands Sludge which they through their “appointed” National Energy Board have recently rubber stamped another threat to the Great Lakes Basin. The 35+ year old Pipeline 9 (Similar in structural integrity and age to the one that created the greatest inland oil spill in American History in Michigan). An American expert states categorically states Pipeline 9 is an accident waiting to happen. That Line will be reversed to transport Bilbit or Tar Sand Sludge across the top of the Great Lake Basin under the City of Toronto and on ward to Quebec for processing. The City of Portland Maine has already denied access to their port for this sludge and are receiving steady flack and static from the Cartel.
John I read part of that compact between the involved parties (States and Provinces) and I surely do hope the Governor of Ohio vetos that business plan to allow privatize water removal from Lake Erie because of he does not he is opening Pandora’s Box to every two bit exploiter who see a fast buck regardless of the resultant.
The complete lack of stewardship for the preservation of this wondrous water system is not only alarming but seems totally criminal in retrospect.to the compact.
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