Michigan’s senior U.S. senator is accusing the Trump administration of siding with “special interests” by delaying the release of a new report on Asian carp and the Great Lakes.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been studying ways to prevent Asian carp from getting into Lake Michigan through the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois.
But the corps’ draft plan will not be released as expected this week. A corps spokesman says more time is needed to “coordinate” with other agencies and stakeholders. He wouldn’t give a new release date.
Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow accuses the White House of interfering. In a written statement, Stabenow calls the delay in releasing the plan “alarming."
“It appears the Trump administration has decided to delay the release of today’s plan which is a critical part of our efforts to stop Asian carp and other invasive species from reaching our Great Lakes,” says Stabenow. “I call on the administration to fully explain the rationale for this delay and to provide a date for when this plan will be released.”
Officials in Illinois object to any carp control effort that could restrict navigation on that state’s rivers.
Environmentalists and others say Asian carp pose a serious threat to the Great Lakes ecosystem and sport fishing industry.
