The Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (HF 110) will reportedly be up for a vote before the full House body tomorrow (Thursday). The Senate companion (SF 38) passed out of its last committee on Monday and should come on the floor in the near future. It is expected to pass both bodies handily, though I am sure a few amendments may be brought up for discussion.
While the Compact is not expected to create much change in Minnesota, once passed by each of the eight Great Lakes states and Congress, it will create a uniform set of standards to oversee the withdrawal of water from within the Lakes’ watershed. There remains some work to be done, such as addressing the shipment of water in containers for water coolers and smaller, but it certainly is a good step forward. For more information on the Compact, check out the MEP fact sheet.