Michigan Shows Great Lakes Leadership, Again: Wisconsin Does Not

The Detroit Free Press urges Michigan to show leadership by passing the Great Lakes Compact as has Minnesota and the Province of Ontario.

At least Michigan has a bill to work with.

Wisconsin's study committee set up to draft a similar bill for our state hasn't met since December.

And this is the second time in a few weeks that Michigan has shown the way: in April, it sought to organize action against ocean-going ships bringing invasive species into the Great Lakes.

Gov. Doyle is chairman of the Great Lakes Council of Governors. He'll be more effective as the leader of this organization by taking more firmer control of water policy in Wisconsin.

If the state's legislative study committee cannot or will not meet, with the stalemate principally traceable to obstructionism from Waukesha County business leaders and partisan Republicans, then Doyle should take what the committee has managed to do and fold it into a new, more focused policy-making group.

Wisconsin needs to adopt the Compact. Now.