LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday the state has entered an agreement that will keep invasive species out of the Great Lakes.
The Brandon Road Interbasin Project received $388 million in combined state and federal funding to initiate its first of three phases, according to the Michigan Executive Office of the Governor. The project, estimated to cost $1.15 billion in total, will keep invasive carp and other nuisances from coming into 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 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.”
We’re told the project focuses on the Brandon Road Lock and Dam outside of Joliet, Illinois, which is considered a “critical pinch point” in preventing the entry of invasive carp.
“This agreement is a pivotal step forward in preventing the spread of harmful, invasive carp throughout our Great Lakes,” says Sen. Gary Peters. “For years, invasive carp have threatened our environment, as well as key industries that rely on healthy Great Lakes to help power our state’s economy. I’ve repeatedly advocated and worked to secure resources for this vital infrastructure project, and I’m thrilled that it will soon be underway.”
The state adds it has worked alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers since 2011, celebrating a number of milestones toward the project in that time.
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