MACKINAC ISLAND, MI (AP)-- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn says he's willing to consider placing barriers in Chicago-area waterways to keep Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes.
Meeting Saturday with fellow governors from Great Lakes states, Quinn said separating the lakes from the Mississippi River watershed is the "ultimate solution" to prevent migration of Asian carp and other invasive species between the two systems.
The Democratic governor's statement on Michigan's Mackinac Island represents a potential breakthrough in a longstanding dispute between Great Lakes states. Illinois and Indiana have resisted re-engineering Chicago's network of rivers and canals, saying it would disrupt commerce and cause flooding.
Michigan and four other states unsuccessfully sued Chicago over the issue. Scientists say if Asian carp reach the lakes, they could threaten native species and the region's fishing industry.
