Federal agencies budget $42M for Asian carp prevention

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - Federal officials say they'll continue efforts to prevent Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, despite uncertainty about what Donald Trump might propose.

The Obama administration has spent over $388 million since 2010 to shield the lakes from the invasive fish, which could disrupt food chains and compete with valuable native species.

Officials say they've budgeted $42 million this year for Asian carp projects. They include further study of ways to fortify defenses at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam complex on a carp-infested Illinois waterway leading to Lake Michigan.

Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters of Michigan urged the Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday to finish the study this month, instead of in 2019 as planned.

Agencies also plan more work on potential carp detection and control technologies.