US News
N.M. governor Richardson under fire over Great Lakes water comments
By Karyn Chenoweth Oct 13, 2007, 21:25 GMT
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson reponds to a question during a debate held at Dartmouth College in Hanover New Hampshire USA 26 September 2007. EPA/CJ GUNTHER
Record drought in Georgia and the American west have sparked a war of words over water.
Comments made by New Mexico Gov. and Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson last week continue to reverberate among government and conservation officials in Wisconsin, Michigan and other northern and mid-west states that circle the Great Lakes.
CNN reports that Richardson told a Las Vegas newspaper that he would bring northern states into the discussion of how to help water-starved states in the Southwest solve their shortage problems.
"I believe the Western states and Eastern states have not been talking to each other when it comes to proper use of our water resources," he told the Las Vegas Sun.
"I want a national water policy. We need a dialogue between states to deal with issues like water conservation, water reuse technology, water delivery and water production. States like Wisconsin are awash in water."
The water levels of the Great Lakes have dropped, and local politicians have lashed out at the proposed "water-sharing" plans of Richardson.
Lake Superior's September average level was 1.6 inches lower than the previous record for the month set in 1926. Huron and Michigan are losing water three times faster than previously believed, according to a study by a Canadian homeowners group.
"Don't get us wrong. Mr. Richardson and his constituents in New Mexico are welcome to reasonable use of Great Lakes water," said Hugh McDiarmid Jr. of the Michigan Environmental Council, in a press release Thursday. "All they have to do is move to the Great Lakes region. They'll be free to enjoy all our best beaches, trout streams and great-tasting municipal water."
Reporter Jim Lynch of the Detroit News reports that U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, called for a congressional hearing on the factors contributing to the declining lake levels.
"It's outrageous, but not surprising," Miller said of Richardson's comments. "I've heard members of Congress from that part of the country express similar sentiments, so we need to be extremely vigilant.
"The unfortunate reality is we are continuing to lose political clout with each census update. And a lot of that clout is going to places in the Southwest."
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Older Talkback
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If things are so bad why is Al 'henny penny' Gore using electricity like we have too much?
Because he needs it to help him get the Gloabl Warming warnings through to boneheads like Omar
Governor...your state is in a desert. Time to wake up. No one is buying your schemes.
These politicians have been discussing this for four decades, Tonny. Where have you been?
The west has been the USA's, ethic cleanser, food basket, raw materials basket, shelter for persecuted groups, exile region, environazi laboratory, nuclear waste dump, etc. Thanks a pantload folks.
Now, they want the central region to ante up. What are the chances of that?
1960's. - Water diversion for Southern California from the Columbia river
1970's - water diversion from the Mississippi to the southwest.
1980's - water diversion from Canada for southwest United States.
1990's - water diversion from both sources to the southwest.
Forgive me, but weren't we going to have global cooling in the 1970's? As you can see Tonny, while global climate change might spur the issue in some way, it certainly isn't the progenitor of the issue.
Tonny, the world wasn't born yesterday...just you.
The Richardson comment I think was a bit blown out of proportion by those who are skewed by their own political precepts. Richardson comments are not at all unrealistic considering what is taking place with the warm climate cycle that is mostly natural but amplified by industrial pollution in the atmosphere as well as the water. From a wider perspective, outside of Michigan, many Western states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Utah) have already worked together on water conservation as policy for years (this is where Richardson in coming from - its called working together). So nothing new or alarming here or nor will water conservation issue will go a way in the future because it not just a regional issue. Governor Richardson is absolutely correct about the water conservation and resource management no matter where we live, Michigan or elsewhere. We need to manage our water resources wisely and protect it from industrial pollution so that it is easy to purify for human use whether you are Michigan or Nevada. Most likely based on Richardson's mind-set, we will see technology innovation from the western states like California to resolve water shortages out West and conservation steps to protected the Great Lakes from industrial pollution unlike years pasted. Richardson is certainly ahead of the curve on this issue.
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tonny from belgiumOct 13th, 2007 - 22:41:45
Meanwhile the neocon denial of climate change goes on ,they are currently busy lashing out at Al Gore for warning you about your problems,how silly.SP4,care to comment on the article?ANother inconvenient coincidence ?
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