Action against Asian carp threat in Lake Michigan needs public feedback

While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released a final plan to stop Asian carp from taking over Lake Michigan in late November, according to Molly M. Flanagan, Vice President for Policy, Alliance for the Great Lakes (AGL), they need to hear from the public. 

The urgency for action is that the voracious fish was just nine miles from Lake Michigan last year. In 2013, Asian Carp Monitoring and Response Plan (MRP) was released.

The most recent plan to stop the Asian carp has added more protection by taking the battle to the Des Plaines River, downstream from Chicago and Lake Michigan. The points of concentration are at Brandon Road Lock and Dam. This is a logical choke point in the waterways between the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan, according to AGL.

"Tell the Corps to act now, before it's too late," says Flanagan. "Your voice can make a difference." 

She urges that three points be in letters of encouragement to the USACE. They are:

• Move rapidly to construction
• Commit funding to the next phase of the project
• Expedite the project wherever possible 

Making it easier for supporters, AGL has a web page where it is easy to personalize an already constructed email. Click here to add your voice to these efforts.

Photo courtesy of Jason Lindsey