(WI) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - At the same time nearly a half billion dollars is headed toward the Great Lakes as part of President Barack Obama’s ambitious ecosystem restoration program, nobody at the moment appears to have the dollars to allow the U.S. Army of Corps of Engineers to do regular maintenance on the new $9 million Asian carp barrier.

That maintenance is needed about every six months and it requires shutting down the barrier for a day or two. The barrier, which is about 20 miles downstream from Lake Michigan on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, was first turned on in April. More