Hearing to be Held for Hydrologic Separation of the Mississippi River and Great Lakes Systems

WASHINGTON – U.S. Congresswoman Candice Miller (MI-10), a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, praised the Committee’s passage of provisions to aid in the fight against Asian carp out of committee. The provisions that were included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2010 (H.R. 5892) are: directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study the potential for hydrologic separation of the Mississippi River and Great Lakes systems and identify specific measures to prevent the movement of invasive species; Authorizes the construction of additional barriers or other fish deterrents at locations in the vicinity of the Chicago Area Waterway System; Upgrades and makes permanent Barrier I of the Electrical Disbursal Barrier; and authorizes the acquisition of real estate necessary for construction, operation and maintenance of the barrier system

“Including this language in the bill, which passed put of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and next goes to the full U.S. House of Representatives, is a huge step forward in our fight against the Asian carp,” Miller said. “I fully support our committee holding a hearing to bring the issue of hydrologic separation of the Mississippi River and Great Lakes systems. We are now paying the price for changing Mother Nature when we reversed the flow of the Chicago River all those years ago – something that never would be allowed today. I look forward to working with our committee to take aggressive actions against this invasive species.”

Congresswoman Miller has repeatedly called for the immediate closure of the Chicago-area locks and develop permanent solutions to stopping the spread of Asian carp. Recently, a Bighead Asian carp was found above the electric barrier in Lake Calumet, approximately six miles downstream of Lake Michigan.

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