Defending Our Great Lakes Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1135
Sponsor: Rep. Miller, Candice S. [R-MI-10]
Introduced: 2015-02-26 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Aquatic ecology
Dams and canals
Fishes
Floods and storm protection
Great Lakes
Illinois
Indiana
Lakes and rivers
Marine and inland water transportation
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi River
New York State
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Water quality
Water storage
Watersheds
Wisconsin

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: 

Defending Our Great Lakes Act of 2015

 
This bill requires federal agencies to take immediate actions to prevent the upstream transfer of aquatic nuisance species from the Mississippi River basin to the Great Lakes basin through the Brandon Road Lock and Dam site. The actions must place a special focus on Asian carp species and other aquatic nuisance species of concern to the Great Lakes referred to in the Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 
 
The Army Corps must implement measures to improve the site to prevent the upstream transfer of Asian carp and other aquatic nuisance species swimming through the lock and dam, including by constructing an engineered channel in the approach to the site from the Mississippi River direction.
 
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must implement all appropriate measures around the site on the Illinois River to prevent the upstream transfer of swimming and floating aquatic nuisance species, with a focus on Asian carp species.
 
 Federal entities must take actions for the long-term prevention of the transfer of aquatic nuisance species between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes basins, including through the Chicago Area Waterway System. The Army Corps must design, engineer, and construct flood mitigation and water quality measures on the Chicago Area Waterway System related to preventing such transfer.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
action_date: 2015-02-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E260-261)
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Introduced in House