A robust turnout this week at a public meeting of the International Joint Commission in Traverse City proves that while the Great Lakes are in a checkered condition at best, the state of public awareness and concern about the Great Lakes is flourishing.
Over 200 people turned out to express concerns about the Line 5 pipelines at the Straits of Mackinac, privatization of water, invasive species, high water levels, water diversions and climate change. There was plenty of passion in the room, perhaps fostered in part by the reading of “Love Letters to the Great Lakes” by a team headed by author Anne-Marie Oomen as the program began.
Established by a US-Canadian treaty in 1909, the IJC has the mission of preventing and resolving disputes in the boundary waters — but more important to this region, it has the job under the US-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of independently assessing and reporting on the progress of governments in stewarding the Lakes. This makes it one of the few citizen-friendly public forums in the Great Lakes watershed, enabling anyone to speak up on any subject related to the Lakes.
Unfortunately, the IJC has no authority to improve Great Lakes quality. It advises and recommends only. Most of those present in Traverse City were aware of that, but for those who weren’t, this was a rude awakening.
Which raises the question: why don’t we have a forum where any citizen of the Great Lakes can appear and, when warranted, get something done directly? It is only a little bit cynical to suggest that the governments like it the way it is. The IJC’s role deflects criticism aimed at the two federal governments, leaving them to govern largely as they see fit.
Perhaps it’s time to think of a better way.