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Judge Rules Chicago Shipping Locks Will Remain Open
(IRN)-A federal judge has ruled against five states hoping to stop Asian Carp from invading the Great Lakes by closing Chicago-area shipping locks. The judge ordered the locks to remain open, saying that while potential harm from the invasive species could be great, plaintiffs did not present enough evidence that the harm was imminent.

Michigan, Minnesota , Ohio , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin officials wanted the locks closed and barriers installed to prevent the giant fish from slipping into the lakes and potentially decimating a $7 billion a year fishing industry.

Opponents say that closing the locks would undermine critical flood control measures in the Chicago region and hurt commerce.

Thom Cmar, an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, says regardless of the judge's decision, we still have a massive problem on our hands in how to deal with the invasive species.

"We need to begin talking about real solutions, ones that work for Chicago economically and don't pit state against state and interest group against interest group," Cmar said after the ruling. "We can't wait for the jail break. We can’t wait for Asian Carp to get into Lake Michigan and start breeding and then expect that we will be able to stop them."

The Michigan attorney general is asking President Obama to confront the threat of Asian carp by at least temporarily closing locks in Chicago.

(Contributing: Associated Press)
(Illinois Radio Network)
12 03 10 by Newsroom
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