Legislation introduced by Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) to stop the spread of Asian carp and other invasive species in the Great Lakes received support from members of Canada’s Parliament on Friday.
Miller’s Defending Against Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 2014 would authorize the separation of the hydrologic connection between the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan.
The bill would require design work for the project to begin within 180 days of its passage and for construction to begin within an additional180 days.
“As a member of Congress I had the opportunity to join a group called the American-Canadian Intra-Parliamentary Exchange which brings together American and Canadian lawmakers to discuss issues of importance to both of our nations,” Miller said. “I joined this group not only because Canada is our nation’s largest trading partner and our economies are so dependent upon each other, but also because responsible stewardship of the Great Lakes has always been one of my top priorities and this challenge cannot be accomplished without international cooperation. Now several Canadian lawmakers are calling on America to take action to deal with the Asian carp threat to the Great Lakes, specifically urging support for my legislation.”
Complete separation of the watersheds would prevent 95 to 100 percent of Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan, according to a recent study by the University of Notre Dame, the U.S. Forest Service and Resources for the Future.