On Thursday, February 18, 2010, Great Lakes United hosted a briefing by Dr. John C Taylor and Jim Roach on the economic impact of the emergency closure of the O'Brien and Chicago locks.

Their report "Chicago Waterway System Ecological Separation: The Logistics and Transportation Related Cost Impact of Waterway Barrier", examines the impacts to freight movement if the Chicago and O’Brien locks on the Chicago Waterway System are closed temporarily. The study finds that previous estimates of economic and transportation impacts of emergency lock closure to have been seriously exaggerated.

The study was included as part of expert testimony for the Michigan Attorney General’s Office in a lawsuit brought before the Supreme Court by the state of Michigan. The state is seeking temporary, emergency closure of the Chicago and O’Brien Locks to prevent Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes.

Click here for a press release, the full report, and factsheets