The Times Herald in Michigan reports that, “The drain commissioner of (Cheboygan County) with Lake Huron shoreline plans to sue if a plan (by Genesee County) to tap the lake for 85 million gallons (322 million litres) of water a day is approved by the state.”
“The ($400 million) plan calls for as many as 85 million gallons of water to be pumped daily from Lake Huron and piped (in a 6-foot diameter pipeline) to serve as the public water supply for (inland) Genesee County, Flint and portions of Lapeer, Sanilac, Saginaw and Shiawassee counties.”
“The area the withdrawal would serve now uses the Detroit Water System, which gets water from Lake Huron at a site about four miles from Genesee’s proposed site. Because of that, Genesee County officials argue there would be no net loss to the lake because it is coming from the same source.”
The Drain Commissioner of Cheboygan County Dennis Lennox argues that Detroit has made no promise to reduce its withdrawals from Lake Huron under this plan.
“The state’s Department of Environmental Quality, which must approve the plan, has opened a public comment period (until July 15) to allow input on the proposal. A decision is expected later in the summer.”
Mr. Lennox recently wrote in an opinion piece that, “Should the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality approve the pipeline to Lake Huron, a dangerous precedent will be set that will spawn identical projects across the Great Lakes region resulting in mass diversions and the commercial exploitation of water resources.”
Mr. Lennox argues that the water pipeline would violate the Great Lakes Compact and risk additional water pipelines in Michigan and Ontario.
Sarnia radio station 99.9 FM reports that, “Sarnia’s Mayor welcomes the intervention (by Mr. Lennox). …Mike Bradley says he’s been very concerned about the great lakes for a long time. …If needed, Mayor Bradley says, he will ask the Great Lakes Mayor’s Group, and the Provincial and Federal Governments to make sure Canada’s views are known.”
The Times Herald article is at http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20090610/NEWS01/906100306&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL.
The opinion piece is at http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20090614/OPINION03/906140320/Genesee-water-bid-demands-close-scrutiny.
The Sarnia radio report is at http://www.foxfm.com/newsstory.php?newsid=14562.
