AR16: Resolution Text

LRB-3968/1

SRM:bjk:ph

2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE

2009 Assembly RESOLUTION 16

December 15, 2009 - Introduced by Representatives Richards, Bies, Sinicki, Stone, Van Roy, Benedict, Kessler, Soletski, Milroy, Bernard Schaber, Pasch, Cullen, Honadel, Zigmunt, Ziegelbauer, Hraychuck, Berceau, Turner, Hintz, Molepske Jr., A. Williams, Steinbrink, Gottlieb, Schneider, Barca, Hixson, Clark, Black, Van Akkeren, Pope-Roberts, Hilgenberg, Townsend, Hebl, Zepnick and Mursau. Referred to Committee on Rules.

AR16,1,2 Relating to: urging and authorizing the attorney general to pursue every legal means available to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes.

AR16,1,5 Whereas, the state of Illinois constructed the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal over 100 years ago, connecting the Great Lakes Basin to the Mississippi River Basin in order to move Chicago's sewage away from Lake Michigan; and

AR16,1,8 Whereas, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, in addition to diverting billions of gallons of water from Lake Michigan each day, also opens a channel of communication between the lake and the lower Mississippi basin; and

AR16,1,11 Whereas, Asian carp, an invasive, non-native species, have migrated northward through the Mississippi River Basin, advancing as close as 20 miles from Lake Michigan; and

AR16,1,14 Whereas, an invasion of Asian carp into Lake Michigan would devastate native wildlife and cause incalculable economic loss and irreversible damage to recreational fishing on the Great Lakes and the resulting tourism industry; and

AR16,2,2 Whereas, the well-documented threat of invading Asian carp has been known to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state officials in Illinois for years; and

AR16,2,5 Whereas, the state of Illinois has constructed an inadequate and ineffective electric barrier to prevent Asian carp from migrating through the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal; and

AR16,2,7 Whereas, much more aggressive measures must be taken to avert the impending ecological and economic disaster; and

AR16,2,9 Whereas, aggressive legal action will force the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state of Illinois to act speedily and effectively; now, therefore, be it

AR16,2,13 Resolved by the assembly, That pursuant to section 165.25 (1m) of the Wisconsin statutes, the assembly urges and authorizes the attorney general to vigorously pursue every legal means available to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes.

AR16,2,14 (End)