Last of 8 states approves pact governing the Great Lakes

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A compact designed to prevent remote regions or countries from tapping into the Great Lakes was approved Wednesday by the last of the eight states that surround one of the world’s largest sources of fresh water.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed legislation approving the compact during a ceremony Wednesday at Oval Beach in the Lake Michigan town of Saugatuck. A day earlier, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell announced he had signed a ratification bill.

“This is a defining moment in Michigan history,” Granholm said. “We must do our part to ensure that our Great Lakes are protected and preserved for generations to come. This legislation fulfills that promise.”

The pact still needs approval of Congress and the White House. The Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec have adopted a nearly identical document but cannot join the compact because U.S. states cannot make treaties with foreign governments.

The agreement outlaws diversions of Great Lakes water from its natural drainage basin with rare exceptions, while requiring the states to regulate their own large-scale water use.