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Paulsen Applauds Step Forward in Combating Asian Carp Threat

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 25th, 2013

Philip Minardi, (202) 225-9203 or Philip.Minardi@mail.house.gov 

Paulsen Applauds Step Forward in Combating Asian Carp Threat

Natural Resources Committee Holds Hearing on Pivotal Asian Carp Legislation 

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Erik Paulsen (MN-03) issued the following statement after the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs brought up two bills important to combating the threat of Asian Carp in Minnesota waterways. The first bill, the Strategic Response to Asian Carp Invasion Act, which Paulsen co-sponsored with Rep. Betty McCollum, directs the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, and the United States Geological Survey, to lead a multiagency effort to slow the spread of Asian Carp in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins and tributaries. The second bill brought up before the subcommittee was the Upper Mississippi Conservation and River Protection Act which is co-sponsored by Paulsen and Rep. Keith Ellison. The bill authorizes the Secretary of the Army to take actions, including potentially closing the St. Anthony Falls Lock, to manage the threat of Asian carp traveling up the Mississippi River in Minnesota.

“The threat of Asian Carp in our waterways continues to jeopardize Minnesota’s ecological and economic health,” said Rep. Paulsen. “Time is running out to protect Minnesota from another invasive species and we need to provide our state more tools to combat the spread of Asian Carp and ensure these destructive fish don’t create anymore harm to our lakes, streams, and rivers.”

Asian Carp can grow to the length of more than four feet, weigh up to 110 pounds, and eat as much as twenty percent of their body weight daily. These fish are a threat to our ecosystem of over 158 different species of fish, Minnesota's economy and its $11 billion annual sales from tourism, and the thousands of Minnesotans whose livelihood depend on our lakes, rivers and streams.

Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus.

For more information on Rep. Paulsen’s work in Congress visit www.paulsen.house.gov.

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