Chicago, IL (January 19, 2022) – In response to the release of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 2022 Construction Work Plan earlier today, Alliance for the Great Lakes Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Programs Molly Flanagan issued the following statement:
“Today the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers included nearly $226 million for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project, meant to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes, in its Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 2022 Construction Work Plan. This represents the full amount of federal funds needed to complete preconstruction, engineering and design (PED) for the project in Joliet, IL (about 50 miles downstream of Chicago). The Corps also included initial federal funds needed to begin construction at the completion of PED.
This is an historic step forward for this critically needed project to add a chain of smart technologies to the waterway that will stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan.
The Alliance for the Great Lakes applauds President Biden and his administration, Senators Durbin and Stabenow, Representatives Kaptur and Joyce, and the Great Lakes Congressional delegation for their leadership on this issue. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to adjust the cost share for construction at Brandon Road to 100% of federal funds in the upcoming Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The eight Great Lakes governors sent a letter to the Environment and Public Works Committee supporting this cost-share adjustment. This change would allow the project to move immediately to construction at the conclusion of the design phase and ensure that we continue moving with urgency to protect our states’ greatest natural resource, the Great Lakes, from the threat of invasive carp.”
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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.