Gov. Rendell this week announced that Pennsylvania and the seven Great Lakes states, along with Ontario and Quebec, have signed agreements updating the way the Great Lakes and the waters of the Great Lakes Basin are managed and protected for the millions of people who rely on its resources for energy, recreation, agriculture and industry.

The agreements, referred to as the Great Lakes Charter Annex 2001 Implementing Agreements, prohibit diversions of Great Lakes Basin water, with limited exceptions for certain uses within the states and provinces, and under rigorous review and approval criteria.

The agreements establish a new, consistent standard that the Great Lakes states and provinces will use to review proposed uses of Great Lakes water. The standard allows states and provinces flexibility to adopt their own programs, but provides for a default threshold of 100,000 gallons per day for regulation of all new or increased withdrawals of basin water, if a program is not established within 10 years.

The states and provinces commit to developing water conservation and efficiency programs consistent with regional goals and objectives within two years. The 10 jurisdictions also will periodically review their programs and cumulative impact data in order to recommend changes to management and conservation programs.

By signing these agreements, the Great Lakes states and provinces have entered into a good-faith agreement incorporating their commitments to one another. The provinces will implement the agreement through modifications to their applicable legislative and regulatory measures. The states will work to pass an interstate compact into law, where Congress will be asked to consent.

Signed on June 18, 2001, by all 10 of the Great Lakes governors and premiers, Annex 2001 to the Great Lakes Charter of 1985 committed the jurisdictions to develop a new decision-making standard, a new set of binding agreements, a new decision support system, a public participation program and improved sources and applications of scientific information, including the role of groundwater.

An initial draft of the agreements was released for public comment in the summer of 2004. More than 10,000 comments were received across the Great Lakes Basin. The comments and suggestions are reflected in the final draft agreements signed by the jurisdictions.

The Council of Great Lakes Governors includes the governors of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, as well as the premiers of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Canada.

For more information, visit the Council of Great Lakes Governors website.

12/16/2005