The Illinois Coast Guard Monday announced a temporary closure on portions of the Little Calumet River south of the economically vital O'Brien Lock and Dam at the request of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. This crucial commercial link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River could be shut down from May 21st through the 27th in response to the threat of Asian Carp.
Asian Carp, a group of four problematic invasive species, have moved into the Illinois River from the Mississippi and are currently being controlled through a variety of measures, including an electrified barrier halting their progress south of the locks. Although Asian Carp have not been found beyond the barriers, it's appearing increasingly likely that the Army Corps of Engineers may proceed with additional lock closures and disruptions that would be detrimental to the local and regional economy.
"While the potential environmental threat posed by Asian Carp slipping into the Great Lakes warrants serious concern, the actual immediate economic consequences posed by a closure of the locks is a nightmare for the entire Mississippi Valley and Midwest," said Mark Biel of the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois. "In this time of economic uncertainty, shutting the locks will have serious consequences for businesses throughout the region that depend on goods transported by river freight. Put bluntly, long term closure and disruption will cost jobs and force some facilities out of business.
"Last week, barges transported over 180,000 tons of materials, including coal, oil, steel, grain, and agricultural products through the O'Brien locks. That's the equivalent of more than 6,000 semi-truck loads of material rerouted, delayed, or often times unable to be delivered - a convoy that would stretch from Chicago all the way to Milwaukee. And that's just the result of one week's disruption.
"This river corridor truly is the lifeblood of our regional economy and there will be a heavy price to pay if the locks were to be closed, even intermittently. With Illinois' unemployment rate already at 11.5 percent, the state can ill afford shutdowns or cutbacks at the hundreds of facilities located along our inland waterways. The Army Corps of Engineers should carefully evaluate and consider the heavy costs associated with closure when deciding the best course of action. Hopefully this temporary closure is not a sign of thing to come."