Asian Carp Barrier Act

A New Deal Could Keep the Terrible Asian Carp Away

A century ago, when the sage and wise in Chicago decided to reverse the flow of the Chicago River to keep their poop out of their drinking water (i.e., Lake Michigan) the dreaded Asian Carp were still in Asia. In the last couple decades, the imported fish have been terrible guests destroying habitats and fishing up and down the Mississippi and connecting rivers. Every moment of each day the precocious pests draw nearer and nearer to Lake Michigan, their gateway to North America’s fresh water seascape. Congress did approve funds to build a stronger, more permanent electric barrier to Read More » »

Carpe Vesper?

Last week the US Senate seized the evening approving a carp barrier to stop the rapidly reproducing Asian carp dead in its collective track. But was it soon enough?  

A commercial fishermen recently caught one of the incidious fish in the south end of Lake Huron. While we don’t know if this carp was a scout for fellow invasives perched just miles from Lake Michigan or part of a pioneering landing crew prepared to take over all the Great Lakes, at least the Senate did approve a permanent electric Carp Barrier for the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.
 
The barrier is part Read More » »

Coalition Supports Carp Barrier Authorization in Bill Passed by U.S. Senate

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (Sept. 25)—The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition today praised the U.S. Senate for authorizing key Great Lakes programs–including an electric barrier to keep out non-native Asian carp from the lakes–in a bill passed last night.

“We applaud the U.S. Senate for authorizing programs that are essential to restoring the Great Lakes and protecting our economy and way of life,” said Jeff Skelding, national campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “This bill needs to be signed into law. We urge President Bush to follow through on his commitment to restore the Great Lakes, because the longer Read More » »

A $20 Billion Carp Barrier

Tucked inside the massive $21 billion Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) reauthorization is $9 million for the Corps of Engineers to construct and maintain a permanent barrier that will keep non-native Asian carp from wreaking havoc on Lake Michigan’s ecosystem.  

It is too bad that the only way to stop the ferocious fish has involved nose pinching. While WRDA has attracted some unwanted attention as a piggy bank  for the Army Corps of Engineers, it holds within it one of the most significant programs for the survival and vitality Read More » »

Coalition Supports Carp Barrier Authorization In Bill Passed by U.S. House of Representatives

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (Aug. 2)—The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition today praised the U.S. House of Representatives for authorizing key Great Lakes programs–including an electric barrier to keep out non-native Asian carp from the lakes–in a bill passed last night.

“We applaud the House of Representatives and Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) for authorizing programs that are essential to restoring a resource that millions of people depend on for their jobs and way of life,” said Jeff Skelding, national campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We hope this provides momentum to the effort to comprehensively restore the Great Lakes, Read More » »

Congressman Kirk Goes to Bat for Great Lakes Funding

Last week Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) was busy fighting for the Great Lakes in the House Appropriations Committee. Rep. Kirk submitted an amendment to the FY 2008 Interior / EPA appropriations bill which said that of the $2 billion for Army Corps construction funds, $1.35 million shall be for the demonstration dispersal barrier (Barrier I) and $6.9 million shall be for the permanent barrier (Barrier II); and of the $126 million in O&M funds for the Great Lakes region, $500,000 shall be for each barrier (a total of $1 million).

His amendment faced an uphill battle because no earmarks were Read More » »

Asian Carp and the Water Resources Development Act

It’s looking like 2007 may be the year for the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) – and therefore the long overdue Congressional authorization for carp barrier funding – to finally be enacted into law. After the House of Representatives passed WRDA in April, the Senate voted in May to pass its version of the bill by a margin of 91-4. The bill will now go to a conference committee between the Senate and the House, in which discrepancies between the two versions of the bill will be resolved. Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure James L. Oberstar (D-Minnesota) has Read More » »

House Passes Asian Carp barrier Provisions

The House of Representatives today overwhelmingly (395 – 25) passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) – a gigantic bill that authorizes billions of dollars for Army Corps of Engineers projects. The bill includes a number of Great Lakes provisions. Most importantly, this bill will authorize at full federal expense the electronic barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.

Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL), in whose district the carp barrier exists, is to thank for the provisions found in WRDA. In a press release she had this to say:
“If the Asian Carp reach Lake Michigan and multiply in number,” Biggert Read More » »

Biggert and Durbin Take Action

Because Congress has never fully authorized the carp barrier project, the region has had to scramble for funding for years to keep it operational. With Asian carp knocking on the door of the Great Lakes, it’s time to take action.

Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL) and Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) have introduced legislation that would authorize funding to operate and maintain this critical barrier. The bills are called the Great Lakes Asian Carp Barrier Act (House version) and the Barrier Project Consolidation and Construction Act (Senate version). The entire Great Lakes delegation should co-sponsor and do everything they can to support this Read More » »

Congress Introduces Bill to Protect Great Lakes Boaters, Anglers, Fishery from Dangerous Non-Native Species

Bill Authorizes Funding for Last Line of Defense against Asian Carp

Ann Arbor, Mich. (January 19) - Congress introduced legislation yesterday to fund the last line of defense against the non-native Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes, causing havoc for boaters and anglers, and threatening the region’s $4.5 billion fishery. “Passing this legislation would be one step closer to fully protecting our Great Lakes,” said Tom Kiernan, president of the National Parks Conservation Association and co-chairman of the Healing Our Waters®-Great Lakes Coalition. “Asian carp present a danger to people’s health, the region’s economy, and recreational opportunities in national parks Read More » »