The Michigan Legislature is doing something it has never done before-it is working on bills that regulate the use of water. On one hand, some people look around and say that given our abundance of water there is no reason to regulate its use. This line of thinking has resulted in disaster after disaster throughout Michigan's environmental history.

The other line of thinking is that water is too critical to Michigan's future to leave its fate to chance. Michigan needs to protect its natural resources, insure water is being used efficiently, and all efforts to prevent an unwise diversion of our water are being taken.

Unfortunately, Michigan's ability to stop a diversion is being challenged. A federal law, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), gives each of the eight Great Lakes governors the authority to veto an out-of-basin diversion. The Nestle Corporation has filed a lawsuit asking the court to strip the governors of that power.

The prospect of losing our veto power should concern all residents (and elected officials) of Michigan. Now is not the time to sit on the sidelines and watch. The Legislature should immediately pass a bill requiring approval by the Legislature for any proposal to divert water from Michigan.

"In Michigan, water is a public resource to be used for the benefit of all citizens," said Cyndi Roper, Great Lakes policy director of Clean Water Action. "We need to insure that our laws do not allow that resource to be abused for private gain. As fresh water becomes scarcer, the potential for abuse will increase."

A second line of defense is good policy under any circumstance. The fact that an active lawsuit is trying to strip the governor of our first line of defense should make this bill the highest priority of the Legislature. Learn more about our Great Lakes, Great Michigan plan and how to do your part to protect the lakes on MEC's web site, www.mecprotects.org, or at www.GreatLakesGreatMichigan.org.