An ongoing debate in the Great Lakes region is the proposed diversion of water to areas of the country that have grown well beyond the ability of local water sources to support them. And rather than build a couple desalinization plants on their own shoreline, they're fighting for the right to divert freshwater from thousands of miles away, with no apparent regard for the damage this would do to the local ecosystem.
Supporters say it's a way to make a few bucks, while addressing a real need in the southwest. They claim it's just like oil, a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder. Global warming is just a crock, and they'll stop before it affects lake levels.
Opponents claim it's raping the environment and destroying an irreplaceable natural resource, not unlike stripping coral reefs. Lake levels have been dropping as average temperatures rise, and are projected to drop further, even without the diversion of water, affecting both the ecosystem and the local tourism economy.
2007-04-08
03:44:54
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6 answers
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asked by
kena2mi
4
in
Environment