Reps. Miller, Accavitti, Ball, Bieda, Brandenburg, Byrnes, Byrum, Clack, Condino, Donigan, Elsenheimer, Emmons, Farrah, Gaffney, Garfield, Gillard, Gleason, Gonzales, Green, Hansen, Hopgood, Jones, Kolb, Kathleen Law, Lemmons, III, McDowell, Mortimer, Murphy, Palsrok, Pearce, Plakas, Polidori, Rocca, Sak, Alma Smith, Tobocman, Zelenko, Acciavatti, Farhat, Lipsey and Sheltrown offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 313.

            A resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to approve full federal funding for the barriers designed to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp.

            Whereas, Two species of Asian carp are on the verge of invading the Great Lakes. Silver carp and bighead carp have advanced up the Mississippi River since they escaped from Arkansas fish farms in the early 1980s, and now have been identified as close as 50 miles to Lake Michigan in the Illinois River near Chicago; and

            Whereas, Asian carp pose a significant risk to the ecology and economy of the Great Lakes region. Asian carp can grow as large as 100 pounds and are voracious feeders. They would compete with native fish and could become a dominant species in the Great Lakes, threatening the Great Lakes' $4 billion commercial and recreational fishery. In addition, silver carp can jump up to 10 feet out of the water when disturbed, posing a risk to recreational boaters. In several states, leaping carp have injured boaters; and

            Whereas, Asian carp are the latest in a long line of exotic species to threaten the Great Lakes. Past invasions of the Great Lakes by exotic species like zebra and quagga mussels and sea lampreys have severely affected the Great Lakes. It is estimated that over $40 million per year is spent to control these two exotic species. Scientists project that Asian carp could have a similar impact on the Great Lakes; and

            Whereas, The United States Army Corps of Engineers operates a temporary demonstration barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to prevent the movement of Asian carp into the Great Lakes. In addition, the Army Corps and the state of Illinois are constructing a permanent electrical barrier to replace the temporary barrier; and

            Whereas, Over $12 million has been spent to date on construction and operation of the electrical barriers. To help match federal funding, the state of Michigan has contributed nearly $70,000 toward the completion of the permanent electrical barrier; and

            Whereas, Current funding is insufficient to complete construction of the permanent barrier and only covers operation of the temporary barrier through the first half of fiscal year 2007. In addition, there is no funding to renovate the temporary barrier as a permanent backup to the new barrier; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the United States Congress to approve full federal funding to complete construction and ensure permanent operation and maintenance of both electrical barriers in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.