What actions have the states and provinces taken to control water removals?
The Great Lakes governors and the governments of Ontario and Quebec also acted quickly to address the issue of large-scale water withdrawals with the aim of avoiding future threats. The eight governors and the premiers of Ontario and Quebec set up a process to protect and manage the Great Lakes collectively by strengthening their own agreement, the Great Lakes Charter. The Great Lakes Charter is an agreement signed in 1985 by the eight governors of the Great Lakes states and the premiers of Ontario and Quebec. The original voluntary agreement outlined a series of principles for the collective management of the lakes. The governments agreed that no state or province would proceed with a new or increased diversion or consumptive use over 5 million gallons a day without seeking the consent of the other affected governments. After the Nova controversy, the governors and premiers agreed to develop a more binding agreement to manage the Great Lakes. In June 2001 they signed a supplementary a
