May 25, 2006

Audubon New York
Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Environmental Advocates of New York
Great Lakes United

Environmental Groups Praise New Protections of Great Lakes Water Resources
Urge Legislature to ratify Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact

ALBANY, NY — With increasing threats of Great Lakes water being exported or diverted from the Basin, environmental groups praised Governor Pataki for introducing the Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact.  The Compact is the culmination of a five-year process of negotiations among the eight Great Lakes States and two Canadian Provinces.  Today state environmental groups called on the State Legislature to pass the Compact before the end of the current session.

“The Compact is critical for the long-term protection of the water resources of the Great Lakes Basin, which represents twenty percent of the world’s fresh surface water,” said David J. Miller, Executive Director of Audubon New York.  “This Compact will allow the Great Lakes region to maintain control of its waters as demand continues to grow throughout the nation and worldwide, and we thank Governor Pataki for all his efforts in creating this strong and effective plan.”

This agreement would impose restrictions on the depletion of water from the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River ecosystem. It would protect the Great Lakes from harm by implementing a strong and effective water management plan, including strong protections against water diversions out of the basin and unwise water use within the basin.  In order to take effect, the Compact must now be ratified in each of the eight Great Lakes States, and by the U.S. Congress. 

“The Legislature must act swiftly to approve the Compact to ensure New York’s Great Lakes and dependent industries, like hydropower, navigation, fishing, and recreation remain vibrant,” Dereth Glance, Program Director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) stated.  “As a ‘downstream’ state, New York is particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts from decreasing lake levels, which only exacerbate existing strains on this fragile ecosystem from pollution and invasive species.”  Glance concluded.

The Great Lakes are the world's single largest source of fresh surface water. They represent 95 percent of the fresh surface water of the United States.  The water of the Great Lakes represents a critical resource for the State, providing drinking water for millions of people in the region, numerous industrial and agricultural uses, navigation, hydroelectric power and energy production, recreation, and important fish and wildlife habitat. Although seemingly abundant, less than 1 percent of the Great Lakes water is renewed annually, making the Lakes highly vulnerable to depletion. 

“The Great Lakes are an international treasure and an irreplaceable resource,” said Robert J. Moore, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York. “Governor Pataki has taken a historic step to safeguard the waters and the health of the Great Lakes, as well as the future of the three million New Yorkers who live within its watershed. Environmental groups look forward to working with New York State lawmakers to secure passage of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Resources Compact before the end of the legislative session.”

If left unchecked, increasing withdrawals of water out of the basin can pose serious environmental harm to the entire Great Lakes ecosystem. Lowering water levels could result in an increase in shoreline and stream erosion and make the Great Lakes more susceptible to invasive species and contamination from pollution.

“The Great Lakes are the backbone of our economy and our quality of life,” declared Great Lakes United Senior Coordinator Reg Gilbert. “Protecting them from diversion and abuse should a top priority for every basin state legislature.”

Protecting the water resources of the Great Lakes from depletion is an essential step toward ensuring the long term restoration of the Lakes.  Currently, national efforts are underway to put into practice priority recommendations of a multi-billion dollar Great Lakes clean-up strategy released in December as part of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration.  The Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act (S.2545/H.R.5100) has been introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate, with strong bi-partisan support from New York’s Congressional delegation, and will begin to improve the health of the Lakes.

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Audubon New York, the 50,000 member State program of the National Audubon Society, is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitats that supports them.  Our national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences.

Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) is an 80,000 -member, non-profit, non-partisan, advocacy organization working to protect public health and the natural environment throughout New York State and Connecticut. For more information please visit www.citizenscampaign.org.

Environmental Advocates of New York is the state’s government watchdog, holding lawmakers and agencies accountable for implementing policy that protects natural resources and safeguards public health. Founded almost 40 years ago as the Environmental Planning Lobby, Environmental Advocates has more than 7,000 individual and 130 organizational members. The nonprofit organization is a 501© (3) and is the New York State affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation. For more information call 518.462.5526 or visit www.eany.org. 

Great Lakes United is an international coalition of 170 environmental, hunter-angler, labor and community organizations in the United States, Canada, and Tribal Nations dedicated to protecting and restoring the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River ecosystem. For more information see www.glu.org.