WORLD

Wisconsin Senate passes Great Lakes compact

The Great Lakes Water Resource Compact legislation was ratified by the Wisconsin Senate Thursday and forwarded to the state Assembly for consideration.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved the compact that protects the Great Lakes from major water diversions outside the Great Lakes basin by a vote of 26-6. Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch (R-West Salem) and Rep. Scott Gunderson (R-Waterford) plan to push an amendment to the compact that eliminates the single-state veto of a water diversion. Huebsch, Gunderson and other GOP representatives want to modify the compact by requiring a simple majority of governors to approve a water diversion.
If the compact language is changed, it would be resubmitted to four states that have already approved the compact.
In a prepared statement, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett urged the Assembly to approve the measure and send the bill to Gov. Jim Doyle, who is expected to sign the compact.
"This landmark, bipartisan agreement provides the guidelines and standards needed to ensure accountability, consistency and fairness in Great Lakes governance and to safeguard critical water resources," Barrett said.