The state governments of Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and New York have all ratified the Great Lakes Basin Compact, an environmental agreement aimed at protecting the waters of the five Great Lakes. Earlier this month it looked like Wisconsin was close behind. The compact legislation passed in the state Senate by a 26-6 margin but was tabled in the state Assembly by Republican lawmakers. The state Legislature then adjourned for the summer.
But the fact that lawmakers aren't in session, doesn't mean the debate has ended. Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle has announced that he will call a special session to ratify the agreement if lawmakers can reach a compromise.
At issue is a provision in the compact that allows any governor from one of the eight Great Lake member-states to veto water diversions authorized by another member state. In plain English: if one state wanted to take water and give it to a region outside of the water basin, it would need the approval of all seven other Great Lakes states.
Wisconsin Republicans, however, have voiced their opposition to this provision and their foot-dragging might sink the entire compact:
Not bending on that point might destroy the compact because all eight governors likely would never relinquish their individual veto power, but nobody at this point is saying they want to kill the deal.
Meanwhile, those states that have already approved the agreement -- including Illinois -- are watching Wisconsin with fingers crossed. The governors of all eight states have issued a statement (PDF) decrying the last-minute efforts by Wisconsin Republicans to change the language of the compact. Environmental groups have also condemned the action.
In the end it might be the Wisconsin electorate that pressures their lawmakers into ratifying the contract. A poll conducted in January found that 80 percent of the state population wants to see the compact made into law. Considering it's an election year, that's a lot of voters for Republican lawmakers to cross.
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