* Press release…
Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-05) partnered with Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-01) and other members of the Michigan Republican Delegation to send a letter to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker calling for him to reverse course on a recent politically charged decision that would jeopardize efforts to keep invasive Asian Carp out of the Great Lakes. The letter highlights that the delay is both unjustified and dangerous to the continued health of our Great Lakes.
Recently, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker halted the Brandon Road Interbasin Project - a critical piece of infrastructure being built to prevent invasive carp from migrating from the Mississippi River basin into Lake Michigan.
In a hard-hitting letter to Pritzker, the Members of Congress noted, “We write to express our profound dismay at your decision to unilaterally suspend Construction Increment IA of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP), administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Rock Island District. As you know, the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois, has been identified as the critical chokepoint for preventing the upstream movement of invasive carp and other nuisance species from the Mississippi River basin into the Great Lakes through the Illinois Waterway. This unnecessary and unfounded obstruction trades responsible governance for partisan grandstanding, putting our Great Lakes, economy, and communities at needless risk.”
Additionally, the Members noted that Pritzker’s move reflected either a “fundamental misunderstanding or a deliberate disregard” of longstanding federal financial law.
The letter was signed by Congressmen Tim Walberg (MI-05), Jack Bergman (MI-01), John Moolenaar (MI-02), and John James (MI-10).
The letter is here.
* I asked the governor’s office for a response…
Our position here has not changed. The Trump Administration has shown it cannot be trusted to legally uphold its financial commitments to the State of Illinois and has not made any additional assurances related to this project. Despite court orders, the Trump Administration continues to withhold funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources – to create jobs cleaning up abandoned mines and gas wells that are polluting air and water in rural communities. Governor Pritzker’s responsibility is protecting Illinois taxpayers. If the federal government continues to not live up to its obligations, Illinois will unfairly suffer the burden of hundreds of millions of dollars of liability.
We cannot move forward until the Trump Administration provides more certainty and clarity on whether they will follow the law and deliver infrastructure funds we were promised. These members of Congress should also be advocating to other Great Lakes states to assist in the non-federal cost share required for this project. To date, only Illinois and Michigan have contributed. We must do business with partners operating in good faith, and the Trump Administration has yet to show us they are capable of that.
- Macon Deliberations - Friday, Apr 11, 25 @ 2:00 pm:
Hey now, it’s copi fish.
- Jeff George - Friday, Apr 11, 25 @ 2:05 pm:
Are the Michigan reps going to fund the project?? Cus if not lol get lost
- Michelle Flaherty - Friday, Apr 11, 25 @ 2:07 pm:
Once again, the responsibility falls to Bath.
- JS Mill - Friday, Apr 11, 25 @ 2:12 pm:
=In a hard-hitting letter to Pritzker,=
Self professed. Funny.
Their argument is with their fancy pants New York City born and bred leader.
- Norseman - Friday, Apr 11, 25 @ 2:49 pm:
Let them carp at Trump for creating the lack of stability in Fed funding.
- Perrid - Friday, Apr 11, 25 @ 2:49 pm:
Like with basically everything else Trump does, chaos creates risk and uncertainty, and whether it’s government or private businesses no one like making big investments in an uncertain environment.
Send angry letters to the Trump administration.
- MyTwoCents - Friday, Apr 11, 25 @ 3:14 pm:
Frankly I’ve never understood why 1 penny of Illinois tax dollars are being spent on keeping Asian carp out of Lake Michigan. Illinois is not responsible for this mess. It should be 100% federally funded & if Michigan wants to after any state, go after the states in the South where this problem originated.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Apr 11, 25 @ 3:42 pm:
JB found money for migrant healthcare - but not for efforts to protect the freshwater that is essential for millions of folks in the Great Lakes basin. If the Hypophthalmichthys molitrix or Asian Carp are established in Lake Michigan, the entire ecosystem is at risk - but I guess JB needs his PR