Two Michigan members of Congress fired a stern warning Thursday to colleagues in faster-growing, drought-stricken parts of the nation: Don't even consider using a seemingly harmless bill to study the nation's water usage as cover to begin a process aimed at taking Great Lakes water.
"I don't think I'm being too alarmist about this," said Rep. Candice Miller, a Harrison Township Republican. "Do not look to the Great Lakes to solve the nation's water problems."
Her Michigan colleague on the House subcommittee on water resources and environment, Grand Rapids Republican Vern Ehlers [pictured], predicted what might happen if anyone attempted a water grab."I would suspect we'd call up the militia and take up arms," Ehlers said. "We feel that serious about it."
You have to wonder how welcoming Michigan residents would be to a drought-driven diaspora of 5 to 10 million new residents, given that the Great Lakes states are already suffering for jobs. The meta message is more like this: 'we'll take your jobs and taxbase and maybe some of your best and brightest.'
Back to the call to arms provocation.
Their comments came Thursday during a discussion about legislation called the 21st Century Water Commission Act, which would authorize a study of how the nation uses water, where it comes from and how long it will last.
Apparently, the [Congressional] panel talking about the legislation included speakers from Arizona, Georgia and Texas -- and none from the Great Lakes region - while the commission and a possible national water policy were being proposed by someone representing a drought-stricken area.'
ViaDetroit Free Press, "Legislators: Hands off our water, Two House members from Michigan demand no diversion of the Great Lakes to other states" Link credit,treehugger.com