MUCC signs onto a letter asking Congress for carp related appropriations

lschultz • March 25, 2019

Michigan United Conservation Clubs signed a letter asking Congress for specific appropriations to combat the threat of Asian carp. Having this funding will help to make the battle against Asian carp a targeted, national effort, rather than a state and local effort. These appropriations will help the Great Lakes as well as the Ohio, Mississippi, Tennessee and Cumberland River Basins.

The specific asks for funding included:

  • Provide at least $3.8 million in FY2020 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin
    pre-construction engineering and design of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam plan to help
    keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes;
  • Provide at least $300 million in FY2020 for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative that
    will help Asian carp control actions
  • Increase the base budget of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission by at least $1 million so
    that the Commission may facilitate a multi-jurisdictional effort to prevent invasive grass
    carp from becoming established in the Great Lakes;
  • Provide at least $500,000 in FY2020 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete a
    feasibility study to prevent two-way transfer of aquatic nuisance species, initiated with
    the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS);
  • Provide at least $25 million in FY 2020 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to
    undertake control actions to stop the spread of Asian carp throughout the Mississippi,
    Ohio River and Tennessee Cumberland River basins; and
  •  Provide at least $4.4 million to advance funding for each state Aquatic Nuisance Species
    plan throughout the Mississippi River basin.

MUCC joined several other conservation organizations in signing the letter including National Wildlife Federation, Indiana Wildlife Federation, Kentucky Waterways Alliance, Minnesota Conservation Federation, Iowa Wildlife Federation, Mississippi Wildlife Federation, Tennessee Wildlife Federation, Ohio Conservation Federation, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, West Virginia Rivers Coalition and Prairie Rivers Network.

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