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.

Materials relating to the report:

Press Release: "Lock Closure Would Have Modest Impact on Freight Movement"

Factsheet: "Chicago Lock Closure Would Have Modest Impact on Freight Movement"

Full Report: "Chicago Waterway System Ecological Separation: The Logistics and Transportation Related Cost Impact of Waterway Barriers"

For more information on the report:

Dr. John C. Taylor
Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management and Director of Supply Chain Programs
Wayne State University
(517) 719-0275
taylorjohn@wayne.edu

James Roach
President
J.L. Roach, Inc. transportation consulting firm
(517) 285-6727
jlroach7@comcast.net
 

Debunking the Myths of Ecological Separation:

Great Lakes United has partnered with the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Healing Our Waters Coalition, the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Defense Council to separate the myths from the facts regarding lock closure and ecological separation.

Factsheet: "The costs and benefits of changing operations in the Chicago Waterway System"