The document discusses efforts to engage the public and lawmakers to support separating the Great Lakes and Mississippi River systems to prevent Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes. It notes that over 20,000 postcards were delivered to Congress and the White House between 2010 and 2011. As a result, support increased for legislation like the Stop Asian Carp Act. It also outlines plans for a new coalition called Healthy Water Solutions that aims to build support within Illinois for separation by highlighting the many environmental and economic benefits beyond just preventing Asian carp.

2. o Where Are The Critters Now?
o Congress Takes Action (Really!)
o How You and Your Friends Made It Happen
o A New Coalition To Support Separation

5.  Congress passes Stop Asian Carp Act; Obama signs July
6, 2012
o Corps reports to Congress 1st week of October
o Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study to be
completed by early January 2014

6.  Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans Releases
Comprehensive Risk Assessment in July
o Confirms substantial risk to Great Lakes should Asian
carp invade, even in low numbers
o Closes the book on questions of potential harm

7.  Keep In Mind
o Complete Separation Will Take Years, So We Need
More, Better, Faster in the Interim
o 39 High Risk Species Between Great Lakes and
Mississippi River
o Regional Unity and Expanding Our Base of Support Is
More Critical Than Ever

8. Great Lakes Restoration Conference
Engaging Great Lakes Citizens to Stop Asian Carp
Melanie Napoleon Welch
Associate Director
melanie@freshwaterfuture.org

9. Josh Mogerm
Michigan Sea Grant

10. Objectives
• To give people concerned
about Asian carp an opportunity
to engage in a larger effort to
stop them
• To demonstrate constituent
support for separating the
Mississippi and Great Lakes
systems to decision makers

12. Public Engagement
• Freshwater Future - Developed and organized
the post card campaign, recorded data and
delivered the post cards in D.C. Put together
information packets for Member meetings
including a list of signatures that came out of
each district.
• Alliance for the Great Lakes - Sent invitations
for the Congressional briefing and lined up
speakers.
• Great Lakes United - Organized meetings with
Members of Congress and helped to identify
Congressional districts from the post card data.
• HOW - Made on-the-ground arrangements for
the Congressional briefing and the meeting
with the Asian Carp Director.

13. Public Engagement
• In 2010 over 11,000 post cards and over 2,000 petition
signatures were delivered to the White House

14. Public Engagement
• In 2011, we continued the effort and delivered another 10,000
post cards

15. Public Engagement
• Freshwater Future worked with 63
sport fishing, marina, charter fishing,
and faith based organizations to
distribute post cards to their
constituents.
• Organized 12 groups around the
region to meet, for the most part, in-
district and deliver the post cards with
our message.
• Submitted several Op-Eds around the
region to raise awareness of what
needs to get done.

16. Outcomes
• Increased co-sponsorship of the
Stop Asian Carp Act of 2011
• Stop Invasive Species Act was
signed into law Summer 2012
Josh Mogerman

17. What’s Next?
• Local resolutions to help build even more support
• Social media action site – freshwaterfutureaction.org

18. Melanie Napoleon Welch, melanie@freshwaterfuture.org
Cheryl Kallio, cheryl@freshwaterfuture.org
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

19. ASIAN CARP & ILLINOIS
Robert Hirschfeld
Water Resources Specialist
Prairie Rivers Network

20. HEALTHY WATER SOLUTIONS
Building an Illinois Coalition
healthywatersolutions.org

21. WHY AN ILLINOIS
COALITION?
• Different
strategy, message needed for Illinois
stakeholders
• Important for Illinois citizens to make opinion heard
• Ability to target levers of power within state
• Facts on the ground are quite different

22. It’s too late for Illinois.*
*We don’t believe this and we’re not giving up the fight. Nevertheless . . .
Perception vs. Reality

23. WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO
ACCOMPLISH?
Moving beyond regional conflict
Making Illinois a willing partner
Highlight win-win-win scenario*
*This has to be about more than Asian carp

24. TEN GOOD REASONS
(besides carp)
TO SEPARATE
1. Dozens of other invasive species
2. Clean water
3. Flood management
4. Jobs/Commerce
5. Tourism
6. Recreation
7. Aesthetics
8. Responsibility
9. Pride
10. $$$

25. GOOD NEWS
•Illinois does care about carp
•57% of Chicagoans support a permanent barrier
•Support for barrier at 77% if other environmental,
infrastructure problems are solved concurrently
•Bigger than carp, bigger than Chicago, bigger than
Illinois
•Illinois wants to engage, will need support of region,
nation

26. HEALTHY WATER SOLUTIONS
Building an Illinois Coalition
healthywatersolutions.org