Klobuchar, Franken push for new Asian carp action

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken are backing a new bipartisan effort to help prevent the spread of Asian carp which threatens Minnesota’s economy.

The senators are cosponsoring the reintroduction of the Strategic Response to Asian Carp Invasion Act, which would create a coordinated federal response to the Asian carp threat and enable the federal government to work more effectively with state and local entities in the fight to end the spread of the invasive species in waterways around the country.

“The spread of Asian carp into the Great Lakes not only threatens the health of our waterways, it also threatens Minnesota’s recreation and fishing industries that are vital to our state’s economy,” Klobuchar said. “This legislation will ensure that we have all hands on deck to fight this invasive species and protect our economy and our ecosystems.”

Although several federal agencies have been working to combat Asian carp, none has been designated as the lead agency to coordinate the federal response with state and local partners in the Ohio and Upper Mississippi River Basins.

Under the bill, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will coordinate a new federal multi-agency effort that includes the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and Army Corps of Engineers. These agencies would provide high-level technical assistance, coordination, best practices, and other means of support to state and local governments that are working to protect economies and ecosystems in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basin from Asian carp.

The senators have worked diligently with members of both parties on legislative efforts to stop Asian Carp from destroying the Great Lakes’ ecosystem. In June 2012 they helped to pass the Stop Invasive Species Act, which requires the expedited creation of a plan to block Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes through a number of rivers and tributaries across the Great Lakes region.

Franken originally introduced the Strategic Response to Asian Carp Invasion Act with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) in 2012.