Wisconsin's decision to let Foxconn draw water from Lake Michigan may set a precedent for water use that resonates across the Great Lakes region and beyond. But an emerging challenge to it is really a battle over how to interpret the Great Lakes Compact, the 10-years-young eight-state agreement that governs access to one of the world's most voluminous supplies of freshwater.

On 5/25 Midwest Environmental Advocates filed a suit to challenge the recent DNR approval of diverting water from Lake Michigan to suppy the upcomfing Foxconn project.  The gist of the suit is that the DNR mis-interpreted the provision in the Great Lakes Compact allowing water diversions. The compoact requires that water diversions be made for public water supply purposes. Racine had argued that since the city primarily uses residential water that the diversion was appilcable.

The spill from the pond at Hi-Crush yesterday is currently moving down the Trempealeau River toward the MIssissippi and is reportedly still visible. 

A panel of local leaders discuss the advances they have made in sustainability, and those they intend to implement in the future. A  Q&A session followed. The panel includes Randy Eide (Menomonie Public Works Dept.), Ron Verdon (Tainter-Menomin Lake Assoc.), Eric Turner (Dunn Co. Development), Amanda Haffele (Solid Waste & Recycling), Dan Prestebak (Dunn Co. Conservation), Jody Hagman (Men. Chamber of Commerce), and Laura Donovan (UW Stout Sustainability).