July 01, 2024

Duckworth, Durbin, Quigley Applaud Illinois, Michigan & Army Corps of Engineers for Signing the Project Partnership Agreement for Brandon Road to Help Protect the Great Lakes

The Project Partnership Agreement is necessary to ensure that the Brandon Road Interbasin Project moves forward and does not lose valuable federal funding for its construction

 

[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) applauded Illinois, Michigan, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for signing a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) regarding the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP).  The BRIP will construct a new engineered channel at Brandon Road in Joliet, Illinois, that will be used to test and deploy a range of technologies that will prevent invasive carp from moving further north to the Great Lakes.

“The Brandon Road Project is critical in protecting the Great Lakes’ exposure to invasive carp, a growing threat to our entire inland waterways system, our nation’s economy and to the countless Illinois communities and businesses that rely on strong and vibrant aquatic ecosystems,” Duckworth said. “I want to thank Governor Pritzker for signing this critical Project Partnership Agreement to move this project forward. I’ll keep working with federal and state leaders to ensure Brandon Road continues to receive necessary support from all levels of government.”

“One of our region’s greatest assets and resources is our Great Lakes.  Right now, invasive carp pose a serious economic and environmental threat to that resource.  The Brandon Road Project will play a vital role in protecting the Great Lakes from the irreparable harm of this invasive species,” said Durbin.  “I thank Governor Pritzker as well as the Army Corps of Engineers for signing this vital PPA and look forward to continuing to work with all partners to support the project at the federal level as it moves forward.”

“For decades, I have been proud to take the lead on efforts to keep invasive carp out of Lake Michigan. Invasive carp can out-compete native species, putting ecosystems in danger and threatening to disrupt a billion dollar fishing industry,” said Quigley. “It is evident that stopping their migration is not just an environmental priority, but an economic one that deserves federal assistance. Now that this agreement has been signed, we can take the next steps to address the threat that invasive carp pose to our Great Lakes.”

Duckworth, Durbin and Quigley have been tireless advocates for the Brandon Road Project and finding a comprehensive approach to protecting the Great Lakes from the threat of invasive carp.  Through previous Water Resources Development Acts, they secured authorization for design and construction of the Brandon Road Project and increased the federal cost-share for construction of the project.  Last month, Durbin and Duckworth announced that they had also secured an increase to the federal cost share for the project’s operation and maintenance costs after the project is completed.

The Senators previously secured $225.8 million in construction funding for the project from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and $47.3 million in the Fiscal Year 2023 government funding bill.

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