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SAMPLE LETTER TO CANADIAN LEGISLATORS

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Dear Member of Parliament

I am sending you this letter to express my concern over current “crisis” high water levels on the middle Great Lakes. Our government agencies are trying to blame this entirely on the weather but in fact the levels data and satellite imagery tells another story and points to decreased conveyance capacity in the St. Clair River so that water is simply not able to flow out of Lakes Michigan/ Huron and Georgian Bay. However, I am concerned about the lack of action on the part of our political leadership to reduce these levels through existing methods such as reducing inflows into Lake Superior from the Long Lac-Ogoki Diversion and increasing outflows through the Lake Michigan Diversion at Chicago. I understand that using these diversion canals will only reduce extreme levels by a moderate amount, but we need any help that we can get now! We want all options to be implemented.

I ask you to formally request the Ontario government and Ontario Power Generation to immediately temporarily reduce the discharges from the Long Lac and Ogoki diversion. Further, I ask you to request that the US State Department work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to increase temporarily the Chicago diversion immediately. These measures would provide relief for all the Great Lake’s current high water level conditions. Furthermore, both Americans and Canadians want the International Joint Commission to establish an international working committee that includes riparian representatives to assess unreported changes that have been occurring in the St. Clair – Detroit River system. We need our governments and their agencies to focus their attention on ensuring that the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system is more resilient to climate extremes over the remainder of this century. Our Great Lakes need this emphasis today.

Sincerely,

Contact information for Canadian Legislators

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Phone or snail mail more your style? Look elected officials up on the internet. FEDERAL and ONTARIO.

SAMPLE LETTER TO U.S. LEGISLATORS

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Dear Senator/Representative xxxxx :

I am sending you this letter to express my concern over current water levels on the Great Lakes. I know that we have received substantial high-water supplies that have pushed up lake levels. However, I am concerned about the lack of action on the part of our national leadership to reduce these levels through existing methods such as reducing inflows into Lake Superior from the Long Lac-Ogoki Diversion and increasing outflows through the Lake Michigan Diversion at Chicago. I understand that using these diversion canals will only reduce extreme levels in a moderate amount, but we need any help that we can get now! We want all options to be implemented.

I ask you to sign on letters being compiled by Senators Stabenow and Peters to formally request the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to work towards implementing these two fixes immediately. Furthermore, we want the International Joint Commission to establish an international working committee that includes riparian representatives to assess changes that have been occurring in the St. Clair – Detroit River system. We need these agencies to focus their attention on ensuring that the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system is more resilient to climate extremes over the remainder of this century. Our Great Lakes need this emphasis today.

Sincerely,

Contact information for US Great Lakes Congressional Delegation

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