Kelly to Join Upton to Protect Great Lakes Fishing

Press Release

Asian Carp Threat Would Cost 800,000 Jobs in Great Lakes Regions

Mike Kelly (R-Butler), the Republican nominee for Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District, was joined by Congressman Fred Upton (MI-6) on a campaign swing through Erie County this afternoon. They held a news conference together at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC) to discuss the immediate threat Asian Carp, an invasive species, poses to Great Lakes fishing and Great Lakes region jobs. Recognizing the importance of Lake Erie's effect on the regional economy, its delicate ecosystem, and its importance to the community, Kelly announced that if elected, he will join Congressman Upton and other Great Lakes legislators in a bipartisan manner to fight against the threat of Asian Carp and to fight for policies that are beneficial to Great Lakes communities like Erie County.

National media outlets have been well documenting the invasion of Asian Carp in Illinois' waterways. Asian carp have been found just miles away from Lake Michigan. They will have access into Lake Michigan's waterways if they reach the Chicago shipping locks.

Asian carp can grow to 100 pounds and they eat up to 40% of their body weight daily. Due to their enormous size and reproduction rates, Asian carp could single handedly destroy the Great Lakes fishing industry and irreparably damage the Great Lakes ecosystem. So far, the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to issue an injunction to close the Chicago-area shipping locks at the request of Michigan's Attorney General.

Consequently, Upton has led a bi-partisan coalition of Michigan's legislators to push for two pieces of legislation to immediately stop the immediate threat and study how to permanently prevent the spread of Asian carp into the Great Lakes. The CARP ACT, H.R. 4472, will immediately close the locks in the Chicago Area Waterway System, which connect Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River. The Permanent Prevention of Asian Carp Act, H.R. 5625, would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct and expedite a study detailing engineering options to determine the best way to permanently separate the Mississippi River Basin from Lake Michigan. If Asian carp reach Lake Michigan, they will eventually make their way into Lake Erie and the rest of the Great Lakes, destroying commercial and recreational fishing.

"One of the themes of this campaign has been good government and proper planning," said Kelly at the news conference. "So far, the Michigan delegation has been leading this fight but the threat of Asian carp affects all of the Great Lakes. This is a great example of how Members of Congress with regional similarities can and should work together in a bipartisan fashion."

"All Members of Congress that represent a Great Lakes district should be extensively engaged in this issue. If elected, I will join Congressman Upton and other Great Lakes legislators in trying to prevent this disaster to Erie's fishing industry and Lake Erie's fragile ecosystem," concluded Kelly.

Source