Corps of Engineers releases interim aquatic nuisance species report to Congress

Corps of Engineers releases interim aquatic nuisance species report to Congress for the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study

CHICAGO - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) today released the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) 90-Day Interim Report, transmitted by the Secretary of the Army, Civil Works, to Congress, Oct. 4.

The 90-Day Interim Report outlines anticipated milestones, required resources and a plan for the completion of the GLMRIS Report, which will evaluate a range of options and technologies to prevent the transfer of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins by aquatic pathways, by December 2013, as required by Section 1538 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.

The 90-Day Interim Report will be available for download on the GLMRIS website at www.glmris.anl.gov.

"The GLMRIS Report will provide Congress and other stakeholders with an analysis of potential ANS control alternatives, as well as additional pertinent information for decision makers. The information we are providing to our stakeholders must be as thorough as possible, as a potential recommendation may affect various groups," said GLMRIS Program Manager Jack Drolet.

Initiation of any action beyond the study is contingent upon a decision by the Secretary of the Army that a project is justified. USACE anticipates that the GLMRIS Report will identify additional requirements that must be completed after its release, including detailed design analyses, completion of the environmental compliance analysis and required internal and agency reviews. If the Secretary of the Army determines that a project is justified and consistent with Corps missions, the additional requirements will be completed as part of the effort leading into preconstruction engineering and design of an ANS control alternative.

"Though the expedited timeframe will be challenging, we will make the GLMRIS Report as comprehensive as possible," said Drolet. During the study, the Corps will be actively engaged in numerous activities to deter the transfer of ANS. Drolet emphasized that "Active prevention projects are ongoing and effective, such as operation of the electric barriers in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and partnering with other members of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee to aggressively monitor the canal to determine location and abundance of fish."

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