article: AND ENFORCEMENT ``Section 7.1. Good Faith Implementation. ``Each of the Parties pledges to support implementation of all provisions of this Compact, and covenants that its officers and agencies shall not hinder, impair, or prevent any other Party carrying out any provision of this Compact. ``Section 7.2. Alternative Dispute Resolution. ``1. Desiring that this Compact be carried out in full, the Parties agree that disputes between the Parties regarding interpretation, application and implementation of this Compact shall be settled by alternative dispute resolution. ``2. The Council, in consultation with the Provinces, shall provide by rule procedures for the resolution of disputes pursuant to this section. ``Section 7.3. Enforcement. ``1. Any Person aggrieved by any action taken by the Council pursuant to the authorities contained in this Compact shall be entitled to a hearing before the Council. Any Person aggrieved by a Party action shall be entitled to a hearing pursuant to the relevant Party's administrative procedures and laws. After exhaustion of such administrative remedies, (i) any aggrieved Person shall have the right to judicial review of a Council action in the United States District Courts for the District of Columbia or the District Court in which the Council maintains offices, provided such action is commenced within 90 days; and, (ii) any aggrieved Person shall have the right to judicial review of a Party's action in the relevant Party's court of competent jurisdiction, provided that an action or proceeding for such review is commenced within the time frames provided for by the Party's law. For the purposes of this paragraph, a State or Province is deemed to be an aggrieved Person with respect to any Party action pursuant to this Compact. ``2. a. Any Party or the Council may initiate actions to compel compliance with the provisions of this Compact, and the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder by the Council. Jurisdiction over such actions is granted to the court of the relevant Party, as well as the United States District Courts for the District of Columbia and the District Court in which the Council maintains offices. The remedies available to any such court shall include, but not be limited to, equitable relief and civil penalties. ``b. Each Party may issue orders within its respective jurisdiction and may initiate actions to compel compliance with the provisions of its respective statutes and regulations adopted to implement the authorities contemplated by this Compact in accordance with the provisions of the laws adopted in each Party's jurisdiction. ``3. Any aggrieved Person, Party or the Council may commence a civil action in the relevant Party's courts and administrative systems to compel any Person to comply with this Compact should any such Person, without approval having been given, undertake a New or Increased Withdrawal, Consumptive Use or Diversion that is prohibited or subject to approval pursuant to this Compact. ``a. No action under this subsection may be commenced if: ``i. The Originating Party or Council approval for the New or Increased Withdrawal, Consumptive Use or Diversion has been granted; or, ``ii. The Originating Party or Council has found that the New or Increased Withdrawal, Consumptive Use or Diversion is not subject to approval pursuant to this Compact. ``b. No action under this subsection may be commenced unless: ``i. A Person commencing such action has first given 60 days prior notice to the Originating Party, the Council and Person alleged to be in noncompliance; and, ``ii. Neither the Originating Party nor the Council has commenced and is diligently prosecuting appropriate enforcement actions to compel compliance with this Compact. The available remedies shall include equitable relief, and the prevailing or substantially prevailing party may recover the costs of litigation, including reasonable attorney and expert witness fees, whenever the court determines that such an award is appropriate. ``4. Each of the Parties may adopt provisions providing additional enforcement mechanisms and remedies including equitable relief and civil penalties applicable within its jurisdiction to assist in the implementation of this Compact. ``ARTICLE 8 ``ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS ``Section 8.1. Effect on Existing Rights. ``1. Nothing in this Compact shall be construed to affect, limit, diminish or impair any rights validly established and existing as of the effective date of this Compact under State or federal law governing the Withdrawal of Waters of the Basin. ``2. Nothing contained in this Compact shall be construed as affecting or intending to affect or in any way to interfere with the law of the respective Parties relating to common law Water rights. ``3. Nothing in this Compact is intended to abrogate or derogate from treaty rights or rights held by any Tribe recognized by the federal government of the United States based upon its status as a Tribe recognized by the federal government of the United States. ``4. An approval by a Party or the Council under this Compact does not give any property rights, nor any exclusive privileges, nor shall it be construed to grant or confer any right, title, easement, or interest in, to or over any land belonging to or held in trust by a Party; neither does it authorize any injury to private property or invasion of private rights, nor infringement of federal, State or local laws or regulations; nor does it obviate the necessity of obtaining federal assent when necessary. ``Section 8.2. Relationship to Agreements Concluded by the United States of America. ``1. Nothing in this Compact is intended to provide nor shall be construed to provide, directly or indirectly, to any Person any right, claim or remedy under any treaty or international agreement nor is it intended to derogate any right, claim, or remedy that already exists under any treaty or international agreement. ``2. Nothing in this Compact is intended to infringe nor shall be construed to infringe upon the treaty power of the United States of America, nor shall any term hereof be construed to alter or amend any treaty or term thereof that has been or may hereafter be executed by the United States of America. ``3. Nothing in this Compact is intended to affect nor shall be construed to affect the application of the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 whose requirements continue to apply in addition to the requirements of this Compact. ``Section 8.3. Confidentiality. ``1. Nothing in this Compact requires a Party to breach confidentiality obligations or requirements prohibiting disclosure, or to compromise security of commercially sensitive or proprietary information. ``2. A Party may take measures, including but not limited to deletion and redaction, deemed necessary to protect any confidential, proprietary or commercially sensitive information when distributing information to other Parties. The Party shall summarize or paraphrase any such information in a manner sufficient for the Council to exercise its authorities contained in this Compact. ``Section 8.4. Additional Laws. ``Nothing in this Compact shall be construed to repeal, modify or qualify the authority of any Party to enact any legislation or enforce any additional conditions and restrictions regarding the management and regulation of Waters within its jurisdiction. ``Section 8.5. Amendments and Supplements. ``The provisions of this Compact shall remain in full force and effect until amended by action of the governing bodies of the Parties and consented to and approved by any other necessary authority in the same manner as this Compact is required to be ratified to become effective. ``Section 8.6. Severability. ``Should a court of competent jurisdiction hold any part of this Compact to be void or unenforceable, it shall be considered severable from those portions of the Compact capable of continued implementation in the absence of the voided provisions. All other provisions capable of continued implementation shall continue in full force and effect. ``Section 8.7. Duration of Compact and Termination. ``Once effective, the Compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each and every Party unless terminated. ``This Compact may be terminated at any time by a majority vote of the Parties. In the event of such termination, all rights established under it shall continue unimpaired. ``ARTICLE 9 ``EFFECTUATION ``Section 9.1. Repealer. ``All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are to the extent of such inconsistency hereby repealed. ``Section 9.2. Effectuation by Chief Executive. ``The Governor is authorized to take such action as may be necessary and proper in his or her discretion to effectuate the Compact and the initial organization and operation thereunder. ``Section 9.3. Entire Agreement. ``The Parties consider this Compact to be complete and an integral whole. Each provision of this Compact is considered material to the entire Compact, and failure to implement or adhere to any provision may be considered a material breach. Unless otherwise noted in this Compact, any change or amendment made to the Compact by any Party in its implementing legislation or by the U.S. Congress when giving its consent to this Compact is not considered effective unless concurred in by all Parties. ``Section 9.4. Effective Date and Execution. ``This Compact shall become binding and effective when ratified through concurring legislation by the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and consented to by the Congress of the United States. This Compact shall be signed and sealed in nine identical original copies by the respective chief executives of the signatory Parties. One such copy shall be filed with the Secretary of State of each of the signatory Parties or in accordance with the laws of the state in which the filing is made, and one copy shall be filed and retained in the archives of the Council upon its organization. The signatures shall be affixed and attested under the following form: ``In Witness Whereof, and in evidence of the adoption and enactment into law of this Compact by the legislatures of the signatory parties and consent by the Congress of the United States, the respective Governors do hereby, in accordance with the authority conferred by law, sign this Compact in nine duplicate original copies, attested by the respective Secretaries of State, and have caused the seals of the respective states to be hereunto affixed this ____ day of (month), (year).''. SEC. 2. RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND, OR APPEAL. Congress expressly reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act.
summary: Grants congressional consent to and approval of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact entered into between the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act.