Members of the news media and the general public are encouraged to listen in on a regional telephone town hall hosted by the Compact Implementation Coalition, a group of local, state and regional environmental organizations committed to upholding the tenets of the Great Lakes Compact. The telephone town hall is an opportunity for all Great Lakes region citizens to learn more about and make informed comments regarding the city of Waukesha, Wis.'s application to divert water from the Great Lakes, and is particularly important for those who have not been able to travel to public information meetings and hearings to ask questions and get answers.
The telephone town hall will be held Monday, Feb. 29, beginning at 6 p.m. CST. Citizens and media are invited to opt in for a phone call or to listen to a live stream.
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin Regional Body and Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin Compact Council is composed of the eight Great Lakes governors and two Canadian premiers. For many Great Lakes residents, this telephone town hall will be the first and only time citizens will have an opportunity to be heard directly by their governor's office before the eight Great Lakes governors decide whether to support or veto the application.
The telephone town hall will begin with a special message from Andy Buchsbaum, vice president for conservation action with the National Wildlife Federation. The panel of experts hosting the call include: Marc Smith, policy director, National Wildlife Federation; Molly Flanagan, vice president of policy, Alliance for the Great Lakes; Jennifer Bolger Breceda, executive director, Milwaukee Riverkeeper; and James Drought, principal hydrogeologist and vice president, GZA Geoenvironmental, Inc.
Regardless of participation in the telephone town hall, anyone is able to submit written comments directly to the secretariat of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Water Resources Regional Body and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council until March 14, 2016.
Following this final public comment period, the regional body will reconvene in late April to reach a decision. Only the eight Great Lakes governors are allowed to veto, but a significant level of deference will be given to any objection from the Canadian premiers. While silence is considered assent, only one veto is required to deny the application. Or, the application may be approved with conditions attached.
For comprehensive information about the Great Lakes Compact and Waukesha's application to divert water, visit www.protectourgreatlakes.org.
Source: Compact Implementation Coalition
