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From the April 2008 issue

New York Joins Great Lakes Water Resources Compact

Governor David A. Paterson recently announced that legislation has been signed authorizing New York State to join the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact. The compact is a multi-state agreement designed to protect, conserve, and improve the water resources of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin. The legislation was signed by former Governor Spitzer on March 4, 2008.

Great Lakes States Commit to Work Together

Sunset over one of the Great Lakes
Water levels in the Great Lakes are drastically down. Rain and inflow from tributaries contribute only 1% of total water

"The Great Lakes and their bays and tributaries contain approximately 18 percent of the world's supply of freshwater, and 90 percent of the United States' supply of fresh surface water," said Governor Paterson. "Unfortunately, water levels in the Great Lakes have seen drastic declines in the last decade, and it is vitally important that we protect and conserve this essential water resource. The Great Lakes Compact demonstrates the commitment of all of the Great Lakes states to work together to achieve that goal."

In 2001, the governors of the eight Great Lakes states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) and the premiers of Ontario and Quebec signed an agreement to develop and implement a new common, resource-based conservation standard for the Great Lakes Basin. After several years of negotiation, the Great Lakes Compact was developed.

The water surface area of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River and connecting channels covers approximately 95,000 square miles in eight states and two Canadian provinces, and the drainage area of the basin covers an additional 200,000 square miles. Since only about one percent of the water in the Great Lakes is renewed or replaced by rain and tributary inflow each year, a multi-state agreement regulating various withdrawals and diversions is an important step to preserving this natural resource.

The Lakes Need Protection from Excessive Demand

DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said, "The Great Lakes are among America's greatest natural resources and they must be protected from excessive demands. The compact is an integral tool that will establish proper management practices and standards so that the benefits these waters provide will continue to be available for future generations."


Water conservation and efficiency programs will help preserve water levels in the lakes

The compact would provide for:

  • The creation of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council, consisting of the governors of the eight Great Lakes states;
  • The creation of a water resources inventory by each member state;
  • Periodic assessments of cumulative impacts of water withdrawals from the basin;
  • A prohibition on most new and increased diversions of water from the basin;
  • Registration of water withdrawals in amounts of 100,000 gallons per day (gpd) or greater from the basin in any 30-day period, and certain regulated diversions of basin water;
  • Implementation of water conservation and efficiency programs by each member state relating to basin water uses;
  • Commitments by member states to promote environmentally sound and economically feasible water conservation measures;
  • Consultation between the Great Lakes council and the provinces of Ontario and Quebec through 'regional review' procedures for any new or increased consumptive uses of at least 5 million gpd in any 90-day period, and
  • Preservation of existing diversions, withdrawals, uses, rights and agreements.

Compact Ratification Continues

In order for the compact to take effect, each of the eight Great Lakes states must pass legislation ratifying the compact, and then the U.S. Congress must consent to the signed compact. New York is now the fourth state to approve the compact, following approvals by Minnesota, Illinois, and Indiana.

The legislation authorizes the governor to take steps to facilitate the execution of the compact by the other governors, and to apply to Congress for consent to the compact. The legislation also authorizes Commissioner Grannis to convene an advisory council to make recommendations for legislation, rules and regulations necessary to implement the compact. See DEC's Great Lakes web page and "Related Links" below for more information.

Related Links:

Council of Great Lakes Governors (leaving DEC's site)