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Þivisie¡n of Water, Bureau óf Wêter Res*ure e Management
625 Broadway, Albany, New York 12233-3508
P: (518)

402-8086

I F: (518)

402"9029

wwv;.dec.ny.gov

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DNR Drinking Water and Groundwater Program DG/5
Attn: Adam Freihoefer
PO Box7921
Madison, Wl 53707-7921

Re:

21,2418

SËNT BY EMAIL ANÞ
ANN RËGULAR F¡R.ST
CLASS MAIL

City of Racine Water Diversion Application

Dear Mr. Freihoefer:
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ("NYSDEC") submits
the following comment with respect to the application by the City of Racine to diveñ up
to an annual average of 7 million gallons of water a day outside the Great Lakes-St.
Lawrence River Basin to an area within the straddling community of the Village of Mt.
Pleasant. Prior to processing the application, it must first be determined whether the
proposed project is excepted from the prohibition against diversions under the Great
Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (the "Compact").
ln this regard, Section 4.8 of the Compact includes a prohibition on new or increased
diversions except as provided for in Article 4 of the Compact. ln order to qualify for the
straddling community exception, Section 4.9.1 of the Compact states that "regardless of
the of the volume of Water transferred, all Water so transferred shall be used solely for
Publie Water Supply Purposes within the Straddling Community." Section 1.2 defines
"Public Water Supply Purposes" to mean "water distributed to the public through a
physically connected system of treatment, storage and distribution facilities serving a
group of largely residential custome,rs that may also serve industrial, commercial, and
other institutional operators." (Emphasis adcieci.) Here, it is unciear that ihe proposed
diversion is largely for residential customers where the water is intended to facilitate the
eonstruetion and operation of the future industrial site of the Ëoxconn facility.
Seetion 4.9.1 (b) of the e ompaet also requires that a proposal meet the Ëxeeption
Standard if it "results from a New or lnereased lVithdrawal of 100,000 gallons per day or
greater äverage over any 90-day period." Here it is unclear whether the propeisal
represents ä Rew or inereased withdrawal and whcther or not that withclrawal meets the
ffixeeption Standard as provided fCIr in Seetion 4.9.4 nf the Compaet.
In light of the general prohibition against new ür inereased eliversions (Seetion 4.8), the
üompaet favors, and potentially mandates, that proposals for ffixceptions be subjeet to
Couneil Review. $ee- Seetian 8,,7 of the e ompaet. Furthermore, the e ompaet vests the
Çouneil with the authority tÕ "review and take aetion on Frerposals in aeeordanee with
this ûompaet and the Standard of Review and Decision." This authority is consistent
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renewable but finite Waters of the Basin for the use, benefii and enjoynrent of all their
citrzens, inctuding generairclns to corrle"" Seetion ¡.3. ¡ (f) (errt¡:irt*sls uuciea).

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Does the proposed diversion meet the Exception Standard?
tìnee rhe r-;omnaci rer':uire ihe ComBaei Cor-rncii io r"eview and take action on ihe
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NYSDEC respeetfully requests that DNR respond to these questions prior to taking any
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Sincerely,
 

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Chief, Water Quantìty Management Section
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