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Illinois and federal officials announced plans
Wednesday to again dump fish poison into a Chicago-area waterway to
help them determine whether the invasive Asian carp has come any
closer to the Great Lakes.

      Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of about a dozen lawmakers from
Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin continued to pressure
congressional leaders to bring up for quick action their
legislative proposal that would force the closure of locks between
the waterway and Lake Michigan.


      "We're talking about a $7 billion recreational fishing
industry, a $16 billion recreational boating industry and, frankly,
our way of life," Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said at a Capitol
news conference.


      Illinois politicians argue closing the locks could prove too
costly to industries that rely on area shipping.

      The plans announced Wednesday involve using the fish toxin
rotenone in a stretch of the Calumet-Sag Channel that links Lake
Michigan and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, to find out
whether there are any Asian carp in an area where positive carp DNA
samples have been found.


      A similar mass fish poisoning was conducted in the canal in
December, when no carp were found. Officials say rotenone kills
carp and other fish but poses no risk to people or other wildlife
when properly used. The poison will be applied about a mile
downstream from the lock and dam May 20, and a stretch of the
waterway will be closed for about five or six days.


      "These new monitoring efforts will help us make the most
strategic decisions for keeping Asian carp from becoming
established in the Great lakes," said Charlie Wooley, deputy
regional director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. "The new
monitoring plan will provide the quantitative information necessary
to determine the most successful control methods for Asian carp, if
they are present in the area."

      Proponents of legislation that would require the Army Corps of
Engineers to close the lock, at least temporarily, said they were
pleased the Obama administration was moving in what they consider
to be the right direction.


      "Obviously, there is much more we need to do," Rep. Dave Camp,
R-Mich., said. "We'd like to see established additional barriers,
reinforcing the barriers and closing the locks temporarily, taking
into account the economic hardship that may happen as a result of
that, as well as any potential flooding and other natural causes
that would occur."

      Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., said he and other lawmakers would be
willing to work with members of the Illinois congressional
delegation to reach an agreement on how to deal with the economic
impact of closing locks.

      "We know it has an impact," he said. "We want to help through
that impact."

      Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate's second-highest ranking
Democrat, has concluded closing the locks is "not the best
solution - for Illinois or the region," according to spokeswoman
Christina Mulka.

      "He supports the Obama administration's approach and has
consistently advocated working with federal, state and local
officials to find a comprehensive solution that will protect the
Great Lakes, while preserving jobs and promoting economic activity
in the region," Mulka added.

      The Obama administration in February announced a $78.5 million
carp control plan that rejected lock closure.

      Not a single carp has turned up thus far, although scientists
say they have detected genetic material from the carp in waterways
past an electronic barrier, which is about 25 miles (40 kilometers)
from Lake Michigan, and even in the lake itself.

Gallery

U.S. Supreme Court decided today to stay out of Asian carp dispute

NY senator seeks study of potential Asian carp harm

Illinois and federal officials announced plans
Wednesday to again dump fish poison into a Chicago-area waterway to
help them determine whether the invasive Asian carp has come any
closer to the Great Lakes.


New testing for Asian carp in Great Lakes waterway

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