April 26, 2019 (Chicago) — Earlier today, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It confirms the state’s intent to serve as the non-federal sponsor for a project to implement Asian carp prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam located near Joliet, IL. The Brandon Road facility, operated by the Corps, is a logical choke point in the waterways leading to Lake Michigan. The Corps has proposed a suite of structural measures at the lock to fortify efforts to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.
In response to the letter, Alliance for the Great Lakes Vice President for Policy Molly Flanagan released the following statement:
“The Alliance for the Great Lakes applauds Governor Pritzker for submitting a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers committing Illinois to moving forward with this important project. It formally kicks off the process to establish Illinois as the non-federal sponsor for the critical work needed at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam. This is an important step forward in efforts to keep Asian carp from reaching Lake Michigan.
“In his letter Governor Pritzker expressed concerns over the current cost estimates for the project. And we share those concerns. However, we need to move quickly to the next step in this process — Pre-construction Engineering and Design — to gain clarity on cost. We are pleased to see Illinois commit to moving forward to this next step.
“Asian carp pose a clear and present danger to the Great Lakes. Time is of the essence. The entire Great Lakes region will benefit from preventing Asian carp from reaching the lakes. We are glad to see that the State of Illinois wants to work with other Great Lakes states to ensure that additional Asian carp prevention measures are installed at the Brandon Road facility. We encourage the Great Lake states to work together on this project and urge the federal government to support the project.”
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For additional information, read Illinois Governor J.B. Pritker’s press release, which also includes comment from U.S. Senators Dick Durban and Tammy Duckworth.
Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org