Last week, the State Assembly convened in a special session to pass the Great Lakes Water Resources Compact, a historic multi-state agreement designed to protect our Great Lakes' water from faraway states like Nevada and Georgia. I am glad we were able to come together in a bipartisan fashion and pass the compact in both legislative houses that will provide the crucial protection that is needed for one of Wisconsin's most precious natural resources.
The Great Lakes are a vital part of the environment throughout the region and must be protected from the threat of out-of-state diversions and pipelines. The Great Lakes not only supply 35 million people with drinking water, but also contain about 95 percent of the fresh water in the United States. In addition to drinking water, the lakes generate billions of dollars in tourism, recreation, energy production, industry and shipping.
The Compact agreement includes special provisions that will include Wisconsin communities that otherwise would have been excluded from water use, creates legislative oversight of the governor's vote on the regional Review Council and establishes that groundwater will not be included in the state's public trust.
This change in the public trust language is a significant win for our area's agricultural community. Originally, the compact placed groundwater "in the public trust," which concerned many Wisconsin farmers and property owners. This would have represented the first time in history that groundwater was placed in "trust," meaning farmers no longer would own the water beneath their own land. To address this concern, language was added to the preamble of the Compact clarifying that it does not create any new public trust rights.
The compact needs approval from all eight Great Lakes states and the U.S. Congress before going into effect. Four other states already have passed the compact (New York, Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana), and three have yet to act (Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania).
I believe we have the responsibility to protect our environment and natural resources. The compact we passed this week will protect our lakes for future generations and is one of most important environmental pieces of policy we've acted on this session.
I want to hear from you, so please feel welcome to express your thoughts or let me know if I can be helpful to you in any way by calling (888) 534-0080, e-mailing me at Rep.Davis@legis.wi.gov or by writing or stopping by 308 North, State Capitol, Madison, WI 53708.
It is an honor serving the residents of the 80th District in the State Assembly.
- Wisconsin State Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, serves the 80th Assembly District, which includes all of Green County and portions of Rock, Dane and Lafayette counties.
The Great Lakes are a vital part of the environment throughout the region and must be protected from the threat of out-of-state diversions and pipelines. The Great Lakes not only supply 35 million people with drinking water, but also contain about 95 percent of the fresh water in the United States. In addition to drinking water, the lakes generate billions of dollars in tourism, recreation, energy production, industry and shipping.
The Compact agreement includes special provisions that will include Wisconsin communities that otherwise would have been excluded from water use, creates legislative oversight of the governor's vote on the regional Review Council and establishes that groundwater will not be included in the state's public trust.
This change in the public trust language is a significant win for our area's agricultural community. Originally, the compact placed groundwater "in the public trust," which concerned many Wisconsin farmers and property owners. This would have represented the first time in history that groundwater was placed in "trust," meaning farmers no longer would own the water beneath their own land. To address this concern, language was added to the preamble of the Compact clarifying that it does not create any new public trust rights.
The compact needs approval from all eight Great Lakes states and the U.S. Congress before going into effect. Four other states already have passed the compact (New York, Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana), and three have yet to act (Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania).
I believe we have the responsibility to protect our environment and natural resources. The compact we passed this week will protect our lakes for future generations and is one of most important environmental pieces of policy we've acted on this session.
I want to hear from you, so please feel welcome to express your thoughts or let me know if I can be helpful to you in any way by calling (888) 534-0080, e-mailing me at Rep.Davis@legis.wi.gov or by writing or stopping by 308 North, State Capitol, Madison, WI 53708.
It is an honor serving the residents of the 80th District in the State Assembly.
- Wisconsin State Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, serves the 80th Assembly District, which includes all of Green County and portions of Rock, Dane and Lafayette counties.
