January 13,  2010

            Lansing -  Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox today launched StopAsianCarp.com, an online petition enabling residents across the Great Lakes region to help convince federal and local authorities responsible for carp infested waters to close the locks connecting them with Lake Michigan and protect the region's $7 billion fishing industry and over 800,000 Michigan jobs connected to the health of the Lakes.

        Though the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers itself admitted that allowing Asian carp into the Great Lakes would be an "ecological and economic disaster," the Obama administration and Illinois officials continue to oppose Cox's efforts to protect the Great Lakes from the Asian carp, an aggressive invasive species that could quickly devastate Great Lakes fish populations and the millions of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity across the Midwest which they support.

        "Families can visit StopAsianCarp.com and join us as we fight to protect the Great Lakes and thousands of Michigan jobs from the biological threat known as Asian carp," said Cox. "If we don't protect the Lakes today, we won't have another chance tomorrow."

        The Obama administration last week filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court and yesterday Illinois officials held a press conference opposing Cox's efforts to protect the Lakes from Asian carp. Since filing his suit on December 21, 2009, Cox has been joined by the states of Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin and the Province of Ontario.  The State of Indiana has also expressed support for Michigan's action.

        Attorney General Cox's suit came after Illinois and federal authorities reportedly executed the largest fish kill in Illinois history in response to the discovery of Asian carp DNA just miles from Lake Michigan.  That action uncovered a carp near the electrical barrier, causing Cox to call for immediate action to once and for all address the potential devastation of the Great Lakes, before it is too late.

        StopAsianCarp.com offers residents the opportunity to voice their opinion directly to President Obama and leaders in Congress and offers a one-stop-shop for information and materials connected with Cox's efforts before the United States Supreme Court.

        Cox's office has aggressively protected Michigan's water resources, previously suing the federal government multiple times to compel them to address the threat to our waters from invasives.  He also went to court to successfully defend Michigan's first-in-the-nation ballast water statute.

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