News from our AIS Coordinator...

----- Original Message -----

From: Lawrence Eslinger

To: "Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@mail.co.oneida.wi.us

Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 11:58 AM

Subject: Update on efforts to prevent Invasive Asian Carp from entering Lake Michigan



J.B. VAN HOLLEN

ATTORNEY GENERAL



NEWS RELEASE



ATTORNEY GENERAL VAN HOLLEN SUES TO PROTECT GREAT LAKES



Van Hollen’s Action Seeks Immediate

BARRIER, BLOCK and POISON

To Stop Carp



For Immediate Release For More Information Contact:

July 19, 2010 Bill Cosh 608/266-1221



MADISON – Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced today that the Wisconsin Department of Justice, on behalf of the State of Wisconsin has filed a Complaint for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief in the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois against the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Wisconsin joins Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania to combat the threat.



“I am suing to protect the Great Lakes and to protect the Wisconsin jobs that depend on the health of the Great Lakes. The introduction of Asian Carp into Lake Michigan will irreversibly damage this important resource. The time for action is now,” said Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.



This complaint asks the federal district court to enter an injunction to use all available measures, consistent with the protection of public health and safety, to prevent the migration of big head and silver carp (Asian carp) through the Chicago Area Waterway System into Lake Michigan.



The complaint requests that the court order the Army Corps and the Reclamation District take the following actions: 1) block the passage of, capture, or kill big head or silver carp that may already be present in the Chicago Area Waterway System in areas north of the O'Brien Lock and Dam; 2) immediately install nets and other suitable temporary physical barriers to fish passage at strategic locations in the Calumet River; 3) immediately apply fish poison to all locations in the Chicago Area Waterway System where big head or silver carp have been observed or their eDNA have been detected; 4) temporarily close and cease operation of the locks at the O'Brien Lock and Dam and the Chicago River Controlling Works except as needed to protect public health and safety; 5) temporarily close the Sluice Gates at the O'Brien Lock and Dam, the Chicago controlling works, and the Wilmette Pumping Station except as needed to protect public health or safety; 6) immediately install grates or screens over the openings of certain gates; and 7) immediately install nets or other physical barriers to fish passage as needed in the Calumet River. Finally, but not least important, the complaint demands that the Corps expedite a feasibility study developing and evaluating options for the permanent physical separation of the Chicago Area Waterway System from Lake Michigan so as to prevent the transfer of Asian carp or other invasive species between the Mississippi River Basin and the Great Lakes Basin.



On December, 16, 2009, the Wisconsin State Assembly adopted a resolution (2009 Assembly Resolution 16) pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 165.25(1m) that authorized Attorney General Van Hollen “to vigorously pursue every legal means available to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes.” Today’s action, taken pursuant to that authority, is part of Attorney General Van Hollen’s continuing legal efforts to stop this invasive species from damaging the Great Lakes environment and Wisconsin’s economy.



Earlier this year, Attorney General Van Hollen, on behalf of the State of Wisconsin, collaborated with other Great Lakes states to move the United States Supreme Court to re-open a decades-old case that involved the Great Lakes and adjacent waterway systems. The states asked the United States Supreme Court to issue injunctive relief that would prevent Asian carp from invading Lake Michigan. The U.S. Supreme Court denied the request on April 26, 2010, but its order did not foreclose today’s action.



Since the Supreme Court’s denial, additional eDNA evidence suggests that the Asian carp are moving closer to Lake Michigan. The complaint filed today alleges that the defendants, through their inaction regarding protecting the lakes from the invasive Asian carp, are unreasonably interfering with a right common to the general public. In addition, the complaint requests judicial review of an unlawful agency action under the federal Administrative Procedure Act.



A copy of the complaint is available at:



http://www.doj.state.wi.us/news/files/complaint71910FINAL.pdf.

Lots of calls about the abundance of weeds.....

There have been several inquiries about the tangle of weeds that seems to be abundant this year. It's good that there have been some lake dwellers worried about the possibility that they might be of the invasive type. Here's what the DNR and our AIS Coordinator had to say about them.....

From The DNR and Lawrence Eslinger,  AIS Coordinator:




The nuisance weeds we're experiencing on the Northeast corner of our lake are Small Pond Weeds. They grow in 2-3 meters of water, are native and common i n Wisconsin lakes.

They are probably more prolific this year because of the warm water temperature and clarity of the water this Spring.



Glad to know that they aren't the dangerous ones, and glad that there are people keeping there eyes open and questioning.

LAKE THOMPSON ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL SUMMER PICNIC 2010

This year’s Annual Picnic will take place at Holiday Acres Resort on Sunday August 15, 2010 at 12:30. Please bring your own meat and a dish to share with your neighbors. Beverages, Grill, and Grill Master, will be provided. We’ll cross our fingers that the weather will cooperate, but in case of rain it will be held in the Coffee Shop at Holiday Acres.

We hope to see you there, in the meantime enjoy the photo below of the Snapping Turtle which I saw on Circle Dr. This guy was about as big as Home Plate!

Kathy Furda – Pres. Board Members

John Harwood – Vice Pres. Joan McEnroe Linda Krebsbach

Kari Zambon – Sec. Dennis Wittig Bob Rossi

Mike Rolling – Tres.

The Celeb....

Frosty autographs one of the Lake Thompson Stories books for his sister at the Annual Dinner meeting.

LAKE THOMPSON ANNUAL DINNER MEETING.....

Remember to make the document larger just click on it. Hope to see you all there.

LAKE THOMPSON HISTORY AND STORIES....

The book  LAKE THOMPSON HISTORY AND STORIES  compiled by Frosty Smith  will be the main topic of our Dinner Meeting this year. It will also be your first chance to to get your hands on a copy as they will be available for the first time at the Annual Dinner Meeting for a cost of $20.50. You can reserve a copy and pick it up at the Dinner by contacting Frosty Smith at 715-369-0520. Frosty has also generously donated the proceeds of the book, after costs, to the Lake Thompson Association. So reserve your copy now and pick it up at the meeting, where you'll have a chance to comment with your neighbors about how funny they looked back in 1952, or be amazed at the picture of N. Shore Dr. back in 1904.

THE NEWS YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.....

Yes, the long awaited book about Lake Thompson will be availble at the Annual Dinner Meeting. Frosty will be selling them there first for $20.50 a copy, with two or more copies priced at $18.50 each. This will be your first chance to obtain a copy so make plans to attend the meeting. After the that date, the price will be $22.50 each with two or more copies at $20.00. The volume contains 196 pages with 77 pages of photos dating from 1904 to the present. I'll have more info later.