State DEC head slated for Save the River event

CLAYTON — State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Alexander B. "Pete" Grannis and other speakers will discuss the impact of aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes and the latest status of the Asian carp invasion at Save the River's 21st annual Winter Weekend Conference.

"This is a great opportunity for community members and local representatives to hear from experts on the latest issues and learn how to get involved," said Jennifer J. Caddick, executive director of the Clayton-based environmental organization.

This year's event will be Feb. 5 and 6 at the Clayton Opera House, 405 Riverside Drive.

Ms. Caddick said scientists believe there are at least 186 invasive species in the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes that cause damage to the region's ecosystem, municipal water systems and recreation and fishing industry.

Earlier this month, the Army Corps of Engineers reported that DNA from Asian carp has been found along the Chicago River near Lake Michigan. The giant carp grows up to 100 pounds and can consume up to 40 percent of its body weight daily in plankton, starving out smaller native fishes.

To prevent a carp invasion into the Great Lakes, Michigan and other Great Lakes states have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to order the immediate closing of two navigational locks in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.

"If these things come in, it's going to cause extraordinary problems," said Jeff Alexander, an award-winning author and journalist who will be the keynote speaker at Saturday's dinner reception.

Mr. Alexander has been covering Great Lakes issues for several Michigan papers over the past 20 years and wrote "Pandora's Locks: The Opening of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway," which explores the history and effect of invasive species in the Great Lakes.

He said the U.S. and Canadian governments have been "negligent" in dealing with ballast water regulations to prevent the introduction of new aquatic invasive species.

The two governments have implemented better, stricter regulations in recent years, but there is still room for improvement, he said.

"Prevention is the only solution," Mr. Alexander said. "But the door is still open to new species coming in."

Ms. Caddick said the conference also will cover other topics including water level regulations, natural habitat conservation and Save the River's school programs.

Panelists at the conference include Mr. Grannis; Tony Maas, director of the Fresh Water Program at World Wildlife Fund-Canada; John M. Farrell, a wildlife biologist at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse; John Casselman, a biologist at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario; Paul Lloyd Sargent, a multidisciplinary artist; Kathleen Morris-Kortz, Save the River's education curriculum consultant, and Jennifer Nalbone, campaign director with Great Lakes United.

Save the River will hold an informal cocktail hour at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, at the Opera House to kick off the weekend event.

The conference begins at 9 a.m. Feb. 6 and will end with an evening reception and silent and live auction. Conference registration is $25 per person, including lunch, and begins at 8:30 a.m.

The cocktail reception begins at 5:30 p.m. that day followed by a silent auction and live auction. Saturday's dinner reception is $75 and begins at 7 p.m.

Reservations should be made by Wednesday, as space is limited.

For more information or to make a reservation, call Save The River at 686-2010.