Pete Hoekstra: No doubt Asian carp could devastate Michigan's environment, economyBy The Grand Rapids Press staff, found at Mlive.com
January 26, 2010
Asian Big Head Carp swim, with a White Bass, bottom center, in an exhibit at Chicago's
Shedd Aquarium earlier this month. (AP File Photo)By Peter Hoekstra:The threat posed by Asian carp to the Great Lakes is real and needs to be addressed. There is no doubt that should the carp enter Lake Michigan it will devastate Michigan's environment and economy.
Experts have been sounding the alarm on this problem for years, yet bureaucrats have dragged their feet in implementing measures to slow the Asian carp's migration toward the Great Lakes. Congress authorized an electric barrier to be installed in the Chicago shipping canal in 1996, yet it only became operational in 2002.
The result: Scientists using a new test have found traces of Asian carp DNA beyond the electric barrier. The discovery does not mean that Asian carp are in Lake Michigan as the sample could be from scales, fecal matter or processed fish. But we cannot wait to act until we find a live carp.
Anyone who has dealt with a government agency knows of the red tape involved in finishing a project, which is why I will introduce legislation that will provide the Army Corps of Engineers with the emergency authority to expeditiously address the Asian carp. It will streamline the bureaucracy so that immediate action can take place, and we won't need to wait six years to construct more barriers.
First, we need to establish a framework that allows for the Army Corps of Engineers to immediately implement short-term measures. We are no longer in a situation in which we can wait for bureaucrats to study, file paperwork and pass it along to the next agency for more study.
Second, we need to install new barriers for short-term prevention. The Army Corps of Engineers is nearing completion of Electrical Dispersal Barrier IIB, which is a complement to barrier IIA. We need to further implement additional strategically placed barriers including electrical, air-bubble and sound barriers that disorient fish.
Third, the government needs to be prepare to apply fish poisons to the surrounding area should one of these fish be found. Rotenone, an effective fish poison, must be on hand and ready for use.
Along those lines, we need to expedite the research and development of toxins that are specific to Asian carp. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission has had success in this area in dealing with sea lamprey control.
Closing the locks alone will not stop the Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan. The locks are not fish barriers and are not watertight. As the Solicitor General noted, fish could pass even a permanently closed lock. Additionally, the Asian carp could bypass the locks through different entrance points.
We need a more comprehensive strategy for the short- and long-term.
For the long-term, we need to pursue an eco-separation strategy that separates the Great Lakes and Mississippi basins. It can be accomplished in a regional manner that accommodates commercial traffic.
Right now, the bureaucracy needs to act with the urgency exhibited by the people of Michigan who are demanding immediate action to stop the Asian carp.
There are more than 10 different agencies that share jurisdiction on this issue. Michigan cannot afford turf battles and bureaucratic delay. We need action on measures that can be implemented immediately.
Immediate action is necessary to prevent the Asian carp from habituating in the Great Lakes. My colleagues and I are continuing to work in a bipartisan manner to prevent Asian carp from causing irreparable harm to the Great Lakes.
U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra represents Michigan's 2nd Congressional District. He is a Republican candidate for governor.
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