Illinois governor finally signs key agreement to protect Great Lakes from invasive carp

Illinois has signed onto a key agreement that will unlock federal funds for a must-anticipated project to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker had until the end of June to sign a partnership agreement with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or the project would face additional costs and delays. He waited until the end.

The Brandon Road Interbasin Project is a state-of-the art defense system at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam along the Des Plaines River in Joliet, Illinois. It's an important choke point where many have long feared that invasive carp could make their way into Lake Michigan from the Mississippi River, jeopardizing the multi-billion dollar fishing and recreation industries and destroying ecosystems.

But now, after more than a year, the project can move forward.

“By signing the agreement, Governor Pritzker and Governor Whitmer [of Michigan] cemented their legacies as strong defenders of the Great Lakes. Invasive carp are poised to wreak havoc on Lake Michigan, and because of their actions, we now have the chance to stop them at Brandon Road,” said Molly Flanagan, chief operating officer at the Chicago-based Alliance for the Great Lakes, in a statement.

Flanagan previously told the Journal Sentinel that if the governor met the June deadline, construction would likely begin in early 2025. The invasive carp barricade is being built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the states of Illinois and Michigan.

What does the invasive carp project entail?

Invasive carp is a term for fish that were first introduced in the U.S. in the 1970s. The invasive fish take a catastrophic toll on the environment and outcompete native fish by eating nearly half their body weight each day. Bighead and silver carp are currently the biggest threat to the Great Lakes.

The Brandon Road Interbasin Project will be a barricade at the 100-year-old Brandon Road Lock and Dam. The system will use electricity, sound and bubbles to deter the giant fish as well as a locking mechanism that will flush them out of the water.

The federal government is providing $1 billion for the Brandon Road project, while both Illinois and Michigan have appropriated roughly $114.6 million in total to cover the rest.

What took Illinois' governor so long to sign?

It wasn't clear why Gov. Pritzker waited until the deadline to sign the agreement considering all state and federal funds were lined up, Flanagan previously told the Journal Sentinel. However, the governor did express some concerns publicly, such as the land needed for the project may contain hazardous materials from a retired coal-fire plant. Although risk analyses by state and federal agencies showed that the potential for contamination was low.

Gov. Pritzker stated that he didn't want to overcommit funds and hoped to find ways to save money, WBEZ Chicago first reported. He also expressed frustration that Illinois and Michigan should not be the only states to provide funds and expertise given the project’s significance to the region.

Caitlin Looby is a Report for America corps member who writes about the environment and the Great Lakes. Reach her at clooby@gannett.com or follow her on X@caitlooby.

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