December 10, 2010 – Following a federal judge’s refusal to close Chicago’s
locks as a result of an emergency suit five Great Lakes states have filed out
of concern over Asian carp, the Chicago
Tribune offers this opinion, “We hope this ruling . . . will persuade our
Midwestern neighbors to abandon their money-wasting, finger-pointing
lawsuit. It isn’t helping
anything.” [Chicago Tribune, December 10, 2010] The paper concedes that the fish do pose a
threat although there is little evidence that they have made it close to the
lake – or that they even want to head there.
Yet, the editorial states, “The consequences of closing the locks,
meanwhile, would be devastating and immediate.
More than $29 billion in goods move through the locks each year on
barges. Tour boats and recreational
boaters also pass through on their way to and from the lake . . . Nobody on
this side of the locks wants the carp to get into Lake Michigan, either. Illinois has spent more than $13 million to
keep them out, not counting the resources wasted on this ridiculous legal
fight. We’re all in the same boat,
neighbors. Drop that suit.”
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment