State officials head to Washington for Asian Carp talks

Talk about it

Gov. Jim Doyle and DNR Secretary Matt Frank travel to the White House today to hear the latest federal plan for keeping Asian Carp out of the Great Lakes.

Doyle and other Midwest leaders requested the summit with White House officials, after carp DNA was found in a Chicago harbor. Today’s meeting is scheduled with Nancy Sutley, who heads the Council on Environmental Quality, and officials from other federal agencies.

DNR Secretary Frank says he's interested in hearing the Obama Administration’s plans, and it’s not too late for the federal government to make a difference in the battle against Asian Carp. He says he hopes closing locks in Chicago area shipping canals is on the table.

The governors of Michigan and Illinois will also be at the meeting. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has opposed closing the Chicago locks. Henry Henderson of the Natural Resources Defense Council says he hopes Quinn doesn't have the most clout in the discussions.

If the White House doesn't say what Wisconsin and Michigan leaders want to hear today, then Michigan is likely to press ahead with its second attempt to get the Supreme Court to take action against the invasive fish.

Tags: invasive species, news, wisconsin