MSU Participates in EPA 'Water Wars' Debates!

Director of Debate Greta Stahl, Debaters Garrett Abelkop and Carly Wunderlich, and Head Coach Will Repko in the Intersate Commerce Commission Room at EPA Headquarters

On April 22, 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted the 'Water Wars' Debates at its headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Water scarcity has become one of the most contentious issues around the globe, pitting communities, states and nations against each other resulting in political dissent, protracted litigation and even military confrontations. As a part of the 2008 Earth Day activities, four universities wereinvited to publicly debate these contentious topics. Along with Wake Forest, Mary Washington, and Howard Universities, MSU was privileged to be one of these four.

Junior Garrett Abelkop (Alpharetta, GA) and sophomore Carly Wunderlich (Brookfield, WI) traveled to Washington with Director Greta Stahl and Head Coach Will Repko to take on Wake Forest University on the question of states' rights and water regulation. Wake Forest defended that:

Resolved: That downstream States (i.e. Louisiana) be given authority to directly control discharges and sources of pollutants from upstream States, and impose fines for violations.

Garrett and Carly argued against this proposal, and persuaded many audience members that such patchwork regulation posed threats to environmental federalism and economic growth. Given its educational (rather than competitive) nature, the debate was officially declared a tie.

MSU was honored to be invited to this event by John W. Davis II, the founder of DebateSolutions.com, and Mr. Ibrahim Goodwin, an Environmental Scientist at EPA's Office of Water, Office of Science and Technology.

The event also featured a speech by Jeff Porro, the author of the recent hit film The Great Debaters.

Abelkop and Wunderlich prepare for their debate in the Interstate Commerce Commission room inside EPA Headquarters.

Wunderlich and Abelkop with John W. Davis II, founder of DebateSolutions.com

Wunderlich and Abelkop with the debates from Howard University, the University of Mary Washington, and Wake Forest University.