Michigan Cosponsors Project to Protect Great Lakes from Invasive Species

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Illinois to cosponsor construction of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project to help stop the spread of invasive carp in the Great Lakes.

The agreement with the Biden administration allocates $274 million in federal and $114 million in state funding for the first three phases of the $1.15 billion project. The Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois, is a critical point to stop invasive carp and aquatic nuisance species from entering the Great Lakes.

“Today’s agreement will help us get shovels in the ground as soon as possible on the critical Brandon Road project,” says Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “The Great Lakes are the beating heart of Michigan’s economy, and Brandon Road will help us protect local communities and key industries, including fishing and boating, that support tens of thousands of good-paying jobs. I am grateful to Governor Pritzker in Illinois, the Army Corps of Engineers, and our champions in Congress for their long-term partnership on this monumental task. Together, we will get the job done so we can protect our lakes and power economic growth for generations to come.”

To learn more, visit michigan.gov.