Great Lakes (Almost) Protected

The Great Lakes account for about 20 percent of the world's surface freshwater and 84 percent of North America's, and the region has extraordinary political clout this year, since it's full of swing states that could determine the winner of the presidential race. This helps explain why Congress just passed the Great Lakes Compact, a major piece of legislation designed to guard the region's ecosystems and increasingly coveted supplies of drinking water. Both major presidential candidates, for example, have repeatedly promised voters in states like Michigan to help protect the lakes.

But as noted by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the compact has at least one significant hole that will need to be monitored closely:

"Although the compact was designed to prohibit large-scale diversions of water outside the region, it does allow water to be exported if it leaves in containers that are 5.7 gallons or less. The provision will allow the region's bottled water industry to continue to thrive, but [some critics worry] it could inadvertently open the door to large-scale water grabs."

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