Canada and U.S. renew pact to protect Great Lakes

Asian carp found near Lake Michigan in 2010

By Jamey Dunn

The United States and Canada have signed a renewed agreement to protect the Great Lakes. The new version of the pact, which was updated today for the first time in 25 years, focuses on prevention and addresses new subjects, such as invasive species.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the goal of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement is “to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the waters.” The agreement was first signed in 1972 and updated in 1987. “Joint stewardship of the Great Lakes — a treasured natural resource, a critical source of drinking water, essential to transportation, and the foundation for billions of dollars in trade, agriculture, recreation and other sectors — is a cornerstone of the Canada-United States relationship,” Canada’s Minister of the Environment Peter Kent said in a prepared statement. “The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement supports our shared responsibility to restore and protect this critical resource and builds on 40 years of binational success.”

The agreement focuses on areas that were not subjects of the previous pact, including invasive species, habitat protection and climate change. The deal sets timelines for several goals, including plans to reduce phosphorus, a chemical that is often associated with runoff from agriculture and lawn maintenance, in Lake Erie to combat algae growth. Under the plan, projections will be created to assess the potential effects of climate change on the Great Lakes. The agreement also calls for the development of a plan to quickly identify and respond to the threat of invasive species.

Fears over a mass invasion of Asian carp into the Great Lakes have sparked debate and litigation among Illinois and its neighboring states. Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox unsuccessfully appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2010 to close Chicago’s navigational locks in an effort to stop the spread of the species. Those in favor of closing the locks say that the fish could do irreparable damage to lake ecosystems as well as the fishing and tourism industries. Opponents said that closing the locks would put an unnecessary burden on shipping and could cause flooding and sanitation concerns.

A recent search for Asian carp DNA conducted by the state of Wisconsin in Lake Michigan turned up no evidence of the fish. A search of Lake Erie by the Ohio and Michigan natural resources departments and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not turn up any Asian carp either, but carp DNA has been found in the lake before.

“I’m pleased that after 25 years, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement is being updated to better reflect our scientific understanding and focus resources on the most pressing threats to this natural treasure,” Michigan Democratic U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, who co-chairs the Senate Great Lakes Task Force along with Illinois Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, said in a prepared statement. “With its emphasis on prevention of environmental damage, the agreement reflects a more cost-effective use of resources, as preventing damage is generally less costly than cleaning up ruined ecosystems. I am also pleased the agreement focuses on invasive species which are a continuing threat.”

Kirk echoed Levin’s support of updating the agreement to include new concerns while continuing to focus on threats the lakes have faced for years, such as chemical pollution. “I am fully committed to preventing toxic chemicals from poisoning our food supply and invasive species from damaging our ecosystem.”

'Carp czar' greeted with some skepticism

By Jamey Dunn

The selection of a federal so-called carp czar to help solve the debate over the best way to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp was met with concern from stakeholders on both sides of the issue.

President Barack Obama chose John Goss, former head of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana Wildlife Federation, to coordinate the federal response to the potential spread of the invasive species into the Great Lakes.

Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and Pennsylvania are seeking an injunction in federal court to have the Chicago’s navigational locks closed immediately to keep the carp from reaching the lakes. Hearings for the case are expected to wrap up tomorrow. Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox argues that the carp, which eat plankton that serves as a food source for other species, could decimate the fishing industry and cause serious environmental and economic damage. The U.S. Supreme Court has twice denied his request to close the locks.

Cox has said several times that he is worried Obama will not remain impartial in the issue because it involves his home state. "We hope [Goss] shows independence from what is essentially a Chicago-based White House, one which protects Illinois' interests over those of the Great Lakes. Will he even be allowed to advocate for closure of the locks? Time will tell, but the experts say we don't have much time left," John Sellek, a Cox spokesperson, said in a written statement.

Mark Biel, chairman of UnLock Our Jobs — an industry group that opposes the closure of the locks — said Goss is the best possible choice for the job; both because of his experience and his distance from the issue. “They couldn’t choose somebody from Illinois. They couldn’t choose somebody from Michigan,” he said.

However he said he is worried that officials do not understand how seriously lock closure would damage the shipping industry and other businesses that rely on the Chicago canals to transport goods and commodities. He added that closing the locks would also lead to flooding and waste water management issues.

"While I respect the administration's efforts on this issue, I believe the only way to achieve a long-term, comprehensive solution to this problem is by allowing all relevant stakeholders to come to the table and voice their concerns. I can only hope that is exactly what Mr. Goss intends to do moving forward,” Biel said in a written statement.

U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin said a “carp czar” would help organize national efforts to address a problem that affects several states. Durbin is pushing legislation that would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a study on carp containment. “The Asian carp threatens the native fish and natural wildlife of the lake and in turn, the economy of the entire Great Lakes region. If allowed to enter Lake Michigan, the Asian carp have the potential to not only to devastate a national ecological treasure but to debilitate a multibillion-dollar fishing industry and significantly impair the tourism industry as well,” Durbin said in a written statement.

Correction: The new Carp Czar is named John Goss.

Company to get grant for selling Asian carp

By Jamey Dunn

Illinois is embarking on a new plan to help tackle its Asian carp problem based on the idea that one person’s ecological threat is another one’s dinner.

Gov. Pat Quinn announced a public-private partnership with an Illinois and Chinese company to catch and sell the fish overseas.

“They’re 100 pounds, 5 feet long and they jump out of the [water] when they hear a motorboat. We’d better find a way, an American way, to take this challenge and convert it into an economic opportunity,” Quinn said at a Chicago press conference.

The invasive species, which is prevalent in downstate waterways, has become a point of controversy and the basis of a lawsuit because of concerns that it might find it’s way to into the Great Lakes. The carp can damage the ecosystems they invade by competing with native species for resources.

Under the new plan, Illinois will award a $2 million grant through the Illinois Department of Economic Opportunity to the Big River Fish Corporation, a processing company located in Pearl. The company will use the funds to update that plant and expand with new facilities in Pittsfield. According to Quinn, Big River Fish will create 61 new positions.

Under the agreement, the company is expected to harvest 30 million pounds of Asian carp that it will then ship to the Chinese company, Beijing Zhuochen Animal Husbandry Company, for sale in international markets.

Commercial fisherman currently remove carp from Illinois lakes and rivers under a contract with the Illinois Department of Natural resources.

Asian carp found near Lake Michigan

By Jamey Dunn

A single live bighead Asian carp was found yesterday beyond an electronic barrier meant to keep the invasive species out of the Great Lakes. The discovery could revive a legal battle to close Chicago’s navigational locks in an effort to stop a possible migration.

The Illinois Department of Natural (IDNR) Resources announced today that a commercial fisherman, contracted by the department to search for carp, caught the almost-20-pound male specimen in Lake Calumet—about 6 miles from Lake Michigan. This is the first carp found beyond the barrier.

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox unsuccessfully appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to close the locks to keep the fish out of Lake Michigan. He said thousands of jobs depend on the environmental health of the lake. Invasive animals can severely damage ecosystems they pervade as they compete with existing organisms for resources.

Cox called on President Barack Obama to intervene. "Our worst fears were realized with the discovery of Asian carp near the Great Lakes," Cox said in a written statement. "Responsibility for this potential economic and ecological disaster rests solely with President Obama. He must take action immediately by ordering the locks closed and producing an emergency plan to stop Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan."

Cox added that his agency is considering further legal action.

“At this time there is not intention to close the locks,” said Mike White, director of programs for the Great Lakes and Ohio River division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “At this time we see no reason, relative to the threat that has been identified, to take any step toward permanent lock closure.”

John Rogner, assistant director of the IDNR, agreed that one fish does not necessarily mean the threat has become more significant. He said carp DNA has been detected beyond the barrier, but no fish have been found, so the assumption has been that if there are fish, they are few in number. He said the discovery of only one carp would support that theory.

Rogner said the first task is to find out whether the fish is part of a greater population of carp. Tests may be able to determine if the fish has been in the lake for a while, or if it was recently introduced. Researchers also may also be able to find out if it was born in the wild or captivity. People dumping bait or stocking fishing areas can accidentally introduce Asian carp to waterways.

“We set out on a fact-finding mission, and we have found what we were looking for. This is important evidence, and the more information we have about where Asian carp are, the better chance we have of keeping them out of the Great Lakes,” he said.

The IDNR plans to step up its search for Asian carp both in the Calumet area and other spots throughout the Chicago Area Waterway System, as well as efforts to remove the fish downstate before they can reach the barrier. They will also begin a risk assessment analysis to help determine whether more action is needed to prevent the fish from reaching the Great Lakes.

Supreme Court will not close Chicago locks

By Rachel Wells

The U.S. Supreme Court will not reopen a nearly 100-year-old lawsuit, as requested by Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, who sought closure of Chicago navigational locks as a way to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in a written statement today that she was pleased with the court’s decision and that Illinois will continue to work with other states and the federal government to combat Asian carp.

Cox continues to urge President Barack Obama and Congress to push for immediate action, and Cox’s office said it would now review whether to take the case to federal district court.

In initial filings with the U.S. Supreme Court, Illinois argued that the case did not belong in the highest court but in federal district court because it was not a state versus state issue. The locks Michigan sought to close are controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Supreme Court Justices declined to hear Michigan’s lawsuit but did not offer reasons for denying it. They previously denied two requests from Michigan for immediate closure of the locks.

Supreme Court keeps locks open

By Rachel Wells

The U.S. Supreme Court will not force immediate closure of two Chicago waterways locks.

Justices had denied a similar motion earlier this year, but Michigan renewed its request citing new evidence that Asian carp were nearing the Great Lakes. The invasive species has been moving up Illinois waterways for years, devastating other aquatic populations as it eats large quantities of plankton, the basis of the food chain.

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox said he expects the Supreme Court to consider taking up the remainder of the lawsuit – the issue of reopening a nearly 100-year-old case over Chicago’s diversion of Lake Michigan water – on April 16.

Michigan asks for locks to be closed, again

By Rachel Wells

Michigan is once again asking for Chicago-area navigational locks to be closed immediately to protect Lake Michigan from Asian carp.

The U.S. Supreme Court already dismissed the matter once, despite Michigan’s claims that the invasive and ecologically damaging fish would destroy its lake-based industries.

In the new filings, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox pointed to DNA test results that were previously omitted. The tests showed evidence that Asian carp had likely advanced to Calumet Harbor. Cox also alleged that the estimated economic costs of closing the locks were exaggerated in earlier court documents.

The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to consider permanent lock closure. February 19 is the deadline for interested parties to file positions on the case.

Congressmen seek Asian carp funds

By Rachel Wells

As a lawsuit seeking to close two Chicago navigational locks remains under review by the U.S. Supreme Court, Great Lakes leaders on Wednesday agreed to seek $20 million for an Asian carp management and control plan.

According to Christina Mulka, press secretary for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, congressmen are seeking the money to study target specific poisons, advocate increased Asian carp commercial fishing and research pheromones and other technology that would lure the overbearing fish away from Lake Michigan.

Lawmakers have not proposed a specific source for the funding. The money could come from the $475 million in federal funds already appropriated for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a regional approach to invasive species and pollution, said Mulka.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' work in containing Asian carp includes the construction of underwater electric barriers. Since 1998, $41.2 million in federal funding has gone toward the barrier project. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has also spent $700,000 to kill Asian carp during barrier maintenance, according to news releases from Durbin's office.

"We're looking for a solution outside of the courtroom," Mulka said. With support from several other Great Lakes states, Michigan filed suit in December asking the Supreme Court to close two Chicago navigational locks to keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan.

U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert also hosted today's meeting of Great Lakes leaders. Phone calls placed to Michigan legislators, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, were not immediately returned. Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox also could not be reached for comment.