8/9/2019 American Waterways Operators Fact Sheet

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The American Waterways Operators 801 North Quincy Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22203 www.americanwaterways.com

Forcing a Choice Between Commerce and theEnvironment is Unnecessary and Harmful

In January 2010, companion bills were introduced in the House of Representatives (H.R. 4472) and the

Senate (S. 2946) that call for the immediate closure of the Chicago and OBrien locks in a counter-

productive attempt to reduce the threat of Asian carp movement from the Mississippi River system to

Lake Michigan. On February 8, 2010, a consortium of federal agencies announced that it would be

considering the implementation of modified lock operations, which would result in closing the locks for

days at a time on a regular basis.

Whether permanent or temporary, lock closures or modified lock operations are extremely unwise.

Lock closures would severely disrupt the transportation of goods to, from and through the Greater

Chicago area, decimating one of the greatest sources of economic activity and employment in the region.

A recent study by DePaul University estimated that $4.7 billion in economic activity would be lost if the

locks were permanently closed, as consumers and businesses in the region including other Great Lakesstates that rely on shipments of coal, industrial steel, iron ore, petroleum, home heating oil, road salt

and deicing liquid for airliners, would be negatively impacted, some catastrophically. In fact, this figure

likely understates the economic harm of lock closures, as the study did not consider all possible impacts,

including job losses. Moreover, air pollution and traffic congestion would exponentially increase if

traffic were forced off the water and on to overcrowded roads or rails. And, since the locks are not

watertight, closing them will not prevent the spread of small carp or their eggs, which can pass through

locks even when they are closed.

Options Exist to Combat Carp Migration While Preserving Navigation

There are many other short- and long-term actions that can stop the carp without harming the economy.

These include, but are not limited to:

Construction of bubble, light or acoustic barriers;

Commercial fishing, electro-fishing, netting, and targeted fish sampling, done in a planned and

scheduled time frame with clear objectives;

Sampling of barges and other vessels for potential carp eggs or small fish;

Assessment of further restrictions or law enforcement options to preclude the importation of aquatic

invasive species;

Research to develop effective biological control agents;

Expedited completion of electric Fish Barrier IIB;

Exploration of the possibility of a virtual eco-barrier through release of de-oxygenized water in a

stretch of the waterway;

Conducting tagged fish research to validate the effectiveness of barriers; and,

Expedited and immediate completion of structures to guard against carp entering the Great Lakes

when floods occur.

Ask: Given the number of viable options that can be pursued without introducing negativeeconomic impacts, AWO urges Congress to oppose H.R. 4472, S. 2946 and other attempts toclose the Chicago-area locks.

Protect the Environment and the Economyin the Chicago Region by MaintainingWaterborne Commerce

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