Last week we discussed the urgent need for Great Lakes states to move forward on a coordinated water management strategy through passage of the Great Lakes Compact.

Noah Hall, an assistant law professor at Wayne State University, offers a quick yet thorough read of the history and future of Great Lakes legal protections in a law review article:

"For over one hundred years, federal and state governments have struggled with management of the Great Lakes. A vast resource shared by two countries, ten states and provinces, and hundreds of Indian tribes and First Nations, the Great Lakes are a quintessential commons that have seen their share of tragedies. Addressing the potentially competing pressures of
economic development and environmental protection is only part of the challenge. The real struggle has been in governance. How is management of an international transboundary resource best accomplished under the legal and political limitations of constitutional federalism? This question is not unique to the Great Lakes. With the federal government stepping back (or being pushed back) from environmental protection, states need to explore new options for managing resources and environmental problems that cross political boundaries."

If you are lucky enough this winter to be among the fortunate snowbirds who can spend a little time on a beach in a southern climate, consider taking along a copy of Hall's article. The beach "down there" will likely pale in comparison to the beauty of the Great Lakes, but the reading will help you prepare as a citizen for what will be one of Michigan's most important public policy issues for decades to come.