The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, today announced a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for proposed methods to detect, eradicate and control several high-priority invasive aquatic plants that negatively affect the health of the Great Lakes. The final environmental assessment and FONSI both are available at http://1.usa.gov/1zm2E7g.
The Michigan DNR had proposed the use of herbicides to help control European frog-bit, European water-clover, flowering rush, parrot feather, water hyacinth, water lettuce and other invasive plants of concern. Plant-control efforts will be focused in four main areas of the state including Southeast Michigan, Saginaw Bay, the Thunder Bay watershed in Alpena County and Munuscong Bay in Chippewa County.
The Service has determined that the proposed application of herbicides to control invasive aquatic plants is not a major federal action that will significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the meaning of Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Accordingly, an Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared.
Funding for the project came in part from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. For more information on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s role in the implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, please visit http://www.fws.gov/glri/.
Learn more about Michigan’s invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species at the DNR website www.michigan.gov/invasivespecies.
