Governor Jim Doyle didn’t get everything he wants from Monday’s “carp summit.” Governors from the Great Lakes states met with President Barack Obama and administration officials to discuss how to best meet the latest threat posed by an invasive species. Following Monday’s Asian Carp Summit at the White House, Doyle says he’s pleased by the attention the issue has finally received in Washington: the White House unveiled a 46-page Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework which includes more than $78 million in funding.
The governor says a study will determine whether or not the locks on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal ought to be closed. Doyle says that’s the preference of the majority of Great Lakes governors, although he adds that the Army Corps of Engineers explained that the locks are not designed as fish barriers and would require further work. Closing the locks could impact shipping through Chicago, but Doyle believes the potential for long term damage to the Great Lakes outweighs short term disruptions in shipping traffic.
