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As you may know, the Great Lakes are
threatened by the spread of the invasive Asian carp, an extremely large fish
that is so aggressive and reproduces so rapidly that it could devastate our
fish populations. These fish can weigh up to 100 pounds and grow to up to four
feet in length. They were accidentally released into the Mississippi River
system in the 1990s and have been steadily moving upstream.
Today, I introduced the CARP ACT in the
U.S. Senate. This bill directs the Army Corps of Engineers to construct
additional barriers and immediately close the locks between the Chicago
waterway and Lake Michigan to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp.
Congressman Dave Camp (R-Michigan) has also introduced the companion
legislation in the House of Representatives.
Yesterday, scientists announced that
carp DNA has been detected above the electrical barrier that was placed in the
locks to prevent the carp from entering the Great Lakes. While finding the DNA
is not conclusive proof that carp have actually crossed the barrier, it is
urgent that we respond quickly to keep them from crossing into the Great Lakes.
These fish pose a grave risk to our state, especially Michigan's $7 billion
boating and fishing industry.
I have been working to ensure that
federal and state experts have all the tools they need to protect the Great
Lakes from the Asian carp, and so far, the efforts have been very successful.
However, the recent announcements by scientists are a troubling development
that requires an urgent response. Therefore, the bills that Congressman Camp
and I introduced call for immediate action to:
Immediately close the barriers and locks into the Great Lake
Expedite the
installation of interim barriers in rivers where no barriers currently exist
Enhance
existing barriers and monitoring systems to prevent fish from crossing into the
Great Lakes
Grant full
authority to the Army Corps of Engineers to eradicate the Asian carp and
prevent them from entering the Great Lakes.
As your Senator, I will continue to work
to protect our Great Lakes, which are critical to our state's livelihood. As
always, please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance to you
or your family.
Sincerely,
Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator
Cass County Water Resources Commissioner
Bruce Campbell reported Wednesday, “I heard from a number of
residents on Shavehead Lake in Porter Township that their rain gauges
registered seven inches of rain water.” Campbell
urges boaters to use good judgment until waters return to normal
levels.
Water levels on most of the county lakes are very high and wakes can
cause damage to seawalls, lawns, piers, boats, docks and, in some cases, even
homes.