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WASHINGTON - Congressman Tom Petri says he is working for the Great Lakes Compact and will participate in a Washington press conference Wednesday with Gov. James Doyle and other members of the area gubernatorial and congressional delegations to push for congressional ratification of the agreement reached by the Great Lakes governors, with an annex signed by the premiers of Ontario and Quebec.
"To take effect, the Compact has to be approved by Congress and signed by the President. That's an absolute necessity to protect our environment and economy, and I'm working diligently with my colleagues here to make sure it gets done," said Petri, a member of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force.
The Compact would impose regulations and reporting requirements on large diversions of water from the lakes, and mandate conservation programs to protect the region's water supply.
As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Petri participated in an April Green Bay field hearing on low water levels in the lakes. He has communicated with the International Great Lakes Study (IGLS) board of the International Joint Commission, and with the governors of the Great Lakes states to express concerns about low water levels, emphasizing the economic and environmental importance of the lakes, and to advocate the Compact.
A press conference will be held on the Compact Wednesday, July 23 at 9:45 a.m. EDT in S207 of the U.S. Capitol. Petri will join Gov. Doyle and others at the event.
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