Wisconsin's Natural Health Guide |
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PROTECTING OUR GREAT LAKES IS GOOD FOR WISCONSIN ECONOMY
BY MELISSA MALOTT
While lobbying one of our state representatives recently, I was
confronted with the typical false dichotomy that any environmental
regulation is bad for business and specifically, that the Great Lakes
Compact will negatively effect Wisconsin’s economy. How, I wondered,
could protecting our state’s greatest resource — the cradle of our
economy — be harmful towards our businesses?
Now, this assemblyman was drawing on an extreme ideological line of
thinking that all regulations on resources impede our economy. True,
regulations are limitations. But some limitations are good, especially
when they keep our precious resources from being stolen or abused.
The Brookings Institute recently did a study on the future of the Great
Lakes region. A major component of this research was recognizing the
amazing value the Great Lakes offer our region.
The Great Lakes:
Cradle to the Wisconsin Economy
Wisconsin’s three biggest industries are manufacturing, tourism and
agriculture. A large part of the manufacturing sector is forestry and
paper mills. Many of these industries directly rely on Great Lakes basin
waters. For instance, imagine what our paper industry would amount to
without the Fox Valley. Or how Wisconsin’s $12 billion per year tourism
industry would be diminished without Door County and the area around the
Apostle Islands. Truly, our Great Lakes are natural amenities without
which our three major industries would be much smaller. Clearly,
preserving the Great Lakes helps preserve our economic future.
The Great Lakes Compact: Growth for Our Economy and Communities
Looking at Wisconsin’s major industries, two assets stand out — our
natural resources and our way of life. Our Great Lakes sustain these
assets; they provide water vital for our economic engine and they are
the basis for our beloved way of life, whether found in aesthetics or in
the ability to spend time on the water with family and friends.
In order to continue to grow our economy we need a strong workforce and
business resources. The Great Lakes are at the heart of both.
Stopping the Brain Drain
We are beginning to hear Wisconsin is experiencing a brain-drain,
wherein highly educated graduates of our world-class universities and
entrepreneurs are moving to other states. These graduates are mobile and
looking for locations that offer a high quality of life; many of them
are looking for locales where they can be closer to nature and be
involved with outdoor activities. Wisconsin, like Colorado and Oregon,
offers beautiful back-to-nature experiences and outlets for outdoor
activities. Protecting our natural resources can help Wisconsin become
the Midwest outdoors mecca that people will flock to and help build
strong Wisconsin communities. Protecting the natural places in
Wisconsin, many of which are in the Great Lakes Basin, requires passage
of the Great Lakes Compact.
Protecting Our Greatest Economic Resources
Wisconsin’s Great Lakes are the backbone of our economy, providing water
for forestry and agricultural products and beautiful places to boat and
spend time with family and friends. Yet, this resource is threatened
with depletion from outsiders in the form of a huge pipe or more subtle,
“death by a thousand cuts” multitude of smaller pipes. Without Great
Lakes protections we are risking our most important economic asset, and
thereby our economy. Fortunately, the Great Lakes Compact will go far to
combat these threats. The Great Lakes Compact will outlaw outsiders from
taking our Great Lakes water and will require those allowed to tap the
Great Lakes to implement water conservation standards so as not to waste
it.
The Great Lakes Compact: Economic Security for Wisconsin
The Compact limits withdrawals from the Great Lakes, thus providing
security to our businesses and communities knowing that the preservation
of, and access to, our greatest asset is in place. Often we hear
business talk about the danger of uncertainty of rights and resources.
With the Compact, we will know exactly who has access to Great Lakes
water and who doesn’t. This will provide the certainty needed to
continue in our plans to grow our communities and businesses.
A Strong Great Lakes Compact for a Strong Wisconsin
The Great Lakes Compact will help Wisconsin’s economy by protecting our
biggest environmental and economic asset. However, we have the
opportunity to shape the Compact to better fit Wisconsin’s needs.
Tailoring the Great Lakes Compact through strong implementing language
will help us better protect and responsibly use our natural resources,
and will strengthen our state. Clean Wisconsin is working to strengthen
the compact in six ways:
Thresholds for increased uses will require monitoring and regulations
for large water users.
Strong conservation language for responsible use of our vulnerable water
resources.
Return flow requirements so that water diverted out of the Basin will be
treated and returned back to the Basin in a clean and sustainable way.
Fixed boundaries for who does and doesn’t qualify for Great Lakes water.
Eliminate the bottled water loophole so multinational corporations won’t
abuse our Great Lakes for their own profit.
Public Participation opportunities because YOU should have the right to
know how decisions are being made about your Great Lakes water.
Strengthening the Compact will help strengthen Wisconsin because it will
better protect the resources we rely on for life. To get more involved
in the Compact, please contact Melissa Malott at (608) 251-7020,
extension 13.
WISCONSIN’S ECONOMY TIDBITS
• Between 2000-2004 one of few Midwestern states to gain population.
• Since 2003 gained 179,000 jobs.
• 75,000 were high paying professional jobs.
• Thousands were in manufacturing, while OH, IL, IN, MI, and the overall
U.S. lost jobs
• Major R & D and corporate decision center
• University of Wisconsin ranks among top in nation’s R&D spending
• 34% increase in Wisconsin technological exports in 2005: increased to
$3.5 billion
• Technological exports make up 23% of all Wisconsin exports
• Great Lakes states and Ontario combined = 3rd largest economy in world
• Growing in global trade
• 17.6% increase in Wisconsin, while nation only increased 10.6%
Economic Benefits of Protecting the Great Lakes
• The Great Lakes help produce a high quality of life
• A high quality of life attracts people and businesses
• Businesses maintain and grow our economy
• Traditional industries strengthen
• Industries expand
• Global trade expands (and is quite literally linked to the shipping
goods on the Great Lakes)
• Recreational opportunities expand
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