SAVING GREAT LAKES WATER

SAFETY COMES ONE HOUSE AT A TIME
The U.S. Senate voted on Friday to approve a compact agreement that would prevent major diversions of water from the Great Lakes.
This means the compact's approval is well on its way to becoming law.
The eight Great Lakes states one by one approved it, with the last state -- Michigan -- signing off in July.
Now that the Senate has given the nod with a unanimous vote, it remains only for the U.S. House to approve it which is expected next month when the body resume its sessions.
President George Bush already has said he looks forward to approving the compact.
If you are wondering about possible future presidents. Both Sen. John McCain and Sen Barack Obama have said they support the bill.
The compact would stop countries or states outside the lakes' watershed from taking water from the five big lakes, except in rare circumstances.
One of the historic fears of people living on the Great Lakes is that such sun-dried states as Arizona and New Mexico might try to siphon away the Great Lakes water to green up their lawns and set their fountains to spewing.
The compact also requires that the Great Lakes states regulate their own large-scale water usage and institute conservation measures.