Great Lakes Water Issues Require Doyle's Leadership

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel carries another major piece about falling Great Lakes water levels.

The Corps of Engineers is probably responsible for a portion of the falling levels, but there are other factors - - warming temperatures, thinning winter ice, more rapid evaporation - - so there is a need for coordinated evaluation and action planning to avoid a bad situation getting worse.

And the entire question of the value of the St. Lawrence Seaway, when measured against the costs of the invasive species brought into the Great lakes by ocean-going vessels, should be addressed. Now.

Then there is the ongoing furor over Lake Michigan pollution being allowed to worsen, courtesy of the State of Indiana's permission to British Petroleum allowing added dumping of added daily tons of ammonia and toxic sludge.

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle is the chairman of the Council of Great Lakes Governors. The Council can focus science, technology and media on the quality and quantity problems now plaguing the Great Lakes.

Other than convening the December, 2005 meeting of the region's governors and Canadian premiers to sign the draft Great Lakes Compact, Doyle has not assertively called the Council to meet and to act.

With serious issues facing tens of millions of Great Lakes residents, and recreation, shipping and fishing economies looking at problems too expensive and expansive to be handled by any one state, Doyle should energize the Council - - and the public - - with an aggressive agenda.

What better time than now?