Ohio lawmakers Tuesday moved to make the state the sixth to approve an agreement aimed at protecting the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes Compact is a framework between eight states and two Canadian provinces. It would prevent most diversions of water from the lakes' basin to arid states in the South and Southwest.
Ohio had been a major obstacle to the pact because of a disagreement over whether the plan would inadvertently violate property rights for groundwater on privately owned land.
Two more states are considering the compact.
