Asian carp: Battle lines are drawn at Chicago ship canal

[marmar]

BY TINA LAM
DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER


Third in a six-part series.

• Part 1: The truth about Asian carp
• http://www.freep.com/article/20110718/NEWS05/107180327">Part 2: How deadly would Asian carp be to Great Lakes?


The most contentious issue in the debate over Asian carp is whether to barricade the superhighway for the fish -- and future invasive species -- created by the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.

Businesses that use the waterway to ship goods such as oil and coal to the nation's heartland say a three-part electric barrier is working to keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan and the rest of the Great Lakes. Environmental groups, mayors and commissions throughout the Great Lakes say it isn't, and that the canal needs to be sealed off to keep the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes apart forever.

They say it is only a matter of time before the fish -- sporadically found in the canal -- find their way past the barrier.

But although the drumbeat to close off the canal is loud and clear, the solutions -- the actual methodology for how and where to do it -- are not. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.freep.com/article/20110719/NEWS05/107190387/Part-3-Asian-carp-war-battle-lines-drawn-Chicago-ship-canal?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE