Feingold Among Great Lakes Senators Asking President to Assign a Federal Coordinated Response Commander to Defend Great Lakes from Asian Carp
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is part of an effort by senators from Great Lakes states calling for the prevention of Asian carp invasion in the Great Lakes to be elevated to national priority status. The senators are urging the president to strengthen the coordinated effort to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp after an adult Asian carp was found six miles from Lake Michigan, beyond the electric barrier and last lock and dam. Feingold co-signed a letter led by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) calling on the president to immediately appoint a federal Coordinated Response Commander for Asian carp to coordinate the multiple federal, state and private sector efforts to contain the invasive species. A copy of the letter is available here.
“We cannot afford to further delay our efforts to prevent the Asian carp from devastating an important sector of Wisconsin’s economy, as well as our treasured Great Lakes,” Feingold said. “All options to stop these carp must be on the table, and I have supported a host of efforts to do just that. As agencies at all levels of government, as well as private sector efforts, continue to work to contain the carp, a point person is critical to make sure efforts run smoothly and effectively.”
Feingold is backing several efforts to address the Asian carp. He is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Close All Routes and Prevent Asian Carp Today Act of 2010, legislation sponsored by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) to help take immediate steps to protect the Great Lakes as a permanent solution is worked out. This week, Feingold urged the Army Corps of Engineers to expedite its long-term response to the Asian carp threat, and pursue permanent hydrological separation of the Mississippi River and Great Lakes basins to prevent the spread of invasive species between the two.
Feingold strongly supports continuing to fully fund the Great Lakes Initiative, which Congress fully funded at $475 million in fiscal year 2010, and which, in part, would go to fighting Asian carp and other invasive species. Feingold is also a cosponsor of the Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act to list the bighead Asian carp—such as the one discovered this week in Lake Calumet—as harmful under federal law to limit intentional movement of the species and help prevent an intentional introduction of the carp into the Great Lakes and other Wisconsin waters.
