The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in a joint effort with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, International Joint Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Department of State announced on Nov. 18 $150,000 in emergency funds for the purchase and installation of backup power hardware for an electrical barrier to defend against the spread of Asian carp into the Great Lakes region.
G. Tracy Mehan, III, Assistant Administrator for Water at the EPA said, "The specter for large, prolific Asian carp in the Great Lakes has motivated our coalition of government agencies to act swiftly. We have learned from hard experience the environmental and economic havoc caused in the Great Lakes by aquatic invasive species such as zebra mussels, sea lamprey and round gobies. The latest threat from Asian carp underscores the serious problems posed by invasive species and the urgent need to prevent further introductions. The Great Lakes simply cannot afford another aquatic invasion."
This action marks an unprecedented level of speed and cooperation.
Source: EPA
