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Dayton asks Congress for help with invasive carp

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Sep 13, 2011 at 8:12 am

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Gov. Mark Dayton says it's urgent for Minnesota to stop invasive Asian carp from spreading widely into its waters.

Dayton convened what was billed as a "carp summit'' Monday, where a Department of Natural Resources specialist outlined an action plan that would include permanently closing the Upper St. Anthony Falls lock and dam to prevent the fish from getting upstream.

The first-term governor says he wants to hear more about the options and is pressing Congress to give the state and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers more authority to close dams if the invasive fish are found downstream.

The meeting brought together representatives from the federal government, Wisconsin, the state Legislature and congressional staffers. Dayton says he wants another meeting involving Minnesota members of Congress next month.