Manitoba Challenges Devils Lake Project |
5 April 04 |
Water Stewardship Minister Steve Ashton announced March 29, 2004 that the Manitoba government is launching a legal challenge in the form of an appeal against North Dakota's Devils Lake water diversion project.Devils Lake is a closed sub-basin lake that has been isolated from the Hudson Bay drainage basin for over 1,200 years. Manitoba opposes the outlet plan because it could release dissolved solids, sulphates and harmful nutrients (40 more tonnes of phosphorus per year) as well as foreign fish pathogens and fish diseases to the Sheyenne River. The Sheyenne connects to the Red River and eventually flows into Lake Winnipeg. "North Dakota is unilaterally and aggressively moving ahead with construction of the outlet in spite of recent concerns raised by the U.S. Department of State," said Ashton. "Manitoba has pursued diplomatic options to raise our concerns with the project but all of these have been ignored by North Dakota." Manitoba has been calling for the Government of Canada to pursue a joint reference with the United States to the International Joint Commission on the Devils Lake project. Opposition to the project has also been expressed by the Government of Canada, the states of Minnesota and Missouri, the National Wildlife Federation and the Peterson Coulee Outlet Association. In February 2004, several American First Nations agreed to joint action to oppose the Devils Lake outlet project. The Red Lake Nation, Spirit Lake Nation, White Earth Reservation and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs participated in a First Nations and the Tribal summit. View the March 29, 2004 Manitoba Government press release Source: Government of Manitoba |
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