Congresswoman Candice Miller
U.S. Representative Candice Miller (MI-10), the Co-Chair of the House of Representatives’ Great Lakes Task Force, sent the following request to the Army Corps of Engineers to provide a review of the inter-basin diversion of water from the Great Lakes through the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal as it relates to the impact it is having on the water levels in the Great Lakes. The last published review of this kind was conducted in 2009. “With Great Lakes’ water levels at nearly historic lows, we must look for every possible way to mitigate the dramatic impact that this has on our economy and the environment. One factor that cannot be ignored is the diversion of more than 340 billion gallons of Great Lakes water each and every year through the Chicago Diversionary and Ship Canal. I have fought against the diversion of this water for more than 30 years, and with our water levels dropping to dangerously low levels that threaten the economic vitality of tourism dependent communities and the ability to move commerce along the Lakes it is long past time to stop this dangerous practice,” Miller said. “I am calling on the Army Corps of Engineers to provide sufficient review of the inter-basin diversion of water from the Great Lakes through the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and down the Mississippi River. Not since 2009 has there been a published review of this kind, and we must consistently monitor this practice of water diversion in the Great Lakes. I have become fed up with the fact that the health of Great Lakes have been asked to take a back seat to other issues in our battle against the Asian carp and now declining water levels. It is time to fight back because this natural treasure needs to be protected. My constituents are demanding answers and actions, and I intend to answer their call.”
