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State Representative Rick Hansen
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-6828
For more information contact: Ted Modrich 651-296-5809
Press/News Releases
REP. HANSEN ON INVASIVE CARP: TIME TO MOVE INTO CONTAINMENT PROCESS
(ST. PAUL) – Today the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced that environmental DNA testing show that invasive carp may be present in the waters just above the Coon Rapids dam. Nineteen of the 48 tests near the dam showed silver carp DNA, with three positive tests upstream from the dam.
State Representative Rick Hansen (DFL – South St. Paul) released the following statement regarding today’s news:
“It’s time for us to assume that silver carp have moved into our waters and for Minnesota to move into a containment process. Each eDNA test progressively shows that the carp continue to invade more Minnesota waterways, and if they have passed the dam, it’s only a matter of time before they invade northern Minnesota rivers, streams and potentially lakes. We have to keep them from crossing watershed boundaries and getting into our great lakes, and the Great Lakes.
“The one positive is that the tests continue to indicate that the silver carp population remains small, leaving us a window of opportunity to contain and control their movement. Minnesotans understand the severity of this issue and the damage these invasive species could cause to our important waterways and vibrant tourism industry.
“Science requires replication and analysis. We’ve had reports and plans on this issue for years now; we need to use the best available information to make decisions. It’s time to get to work implementing steps to contain this problem. Since the DNR did not anticipate these results we need to also immediately test other waterways where we assume the carp are not present.
“This should be an issue we can work on together within Minnesota and with our surrounding states. The cost of the spread of these carp is greater than the costs needed now to contain them."
News Items
- House Passes Environment, Natural Resources, & Agriculture Conference Committee Report - (Posted: May 19 2013 12:00AM)
- Rep. Hansen: Legacy Bill Good For Environment, Cultural Institutions - (Posted: May 13 2013 12:00AM)
- House Passes Rep. Hansen's Sick Time Leave Legislation - (Posted: May 21 2013 11:51AM)
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