Context:

The Trump administration has assured Illinois it will contribute financially to a $1.2 billion project aimed at preventing invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes, resolving a previous funding stalemate. The project, involving the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state officials, utilizes advanced technologies like bubble curtains and electric fields to deter the carp at the Des Plaines River near Joliet, Illinois. Although construction began in January, progress was initially stalled due to a federal freeze on grants and loans. Illinois Governor Pritzker demanded federal commitment before proceeding, and the administration has now promised to support the effort, urging Illinois to finalize property deals by July. The project, crucial for protecting a fishing industry valued at $7 billion, is expected to be completed by 2032, with a renewed sense of cooperation and urgency among stakeholders.

Dive Deeper:

• Illinois is moving forward with a plan to purchase property to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes, following a resolution of financial disputes between the state and the Trump administration. The project, valued at $1.2 billion, aims to implement various deterrent technologies like bubble curtains and electrical fields.

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with Illinois and Michigan officials, has been working on a plan since 2020 to install deterrent technologies in the Des Plaines River to keep carp away from Lake Michigan. An agreement in 2024, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, allocated $226 million towards the project.

• Initially, the Trump administration halted federal funding to review its alignment with administration priorities, causing a delay in property transactions necessary for the project's progress. However, following reassurances of federal financial support, Illinois is expected to complete property closures soon.

• Governor JB Pritzker, a vocal critic of Trump, paused the property deal demanding assurances of federal commitment to the project's financial support, which the administration has now provided, urging the state to finalize the deal by July.

• The invasive carp, originally imported to the U.S. to manage algae in fish farms, have spread through the Mississippi River and its tributaries, posing a significant threat to the Great Lakes' ecosystem and a fishing industry worth $7 billion.

• The new project aims to create an additional protective barrier at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam as a crucial choke point between the Illinois River and Lake Michigan, enhancing existing fish-repelling measures deemed inadequate by critics.

• With the Trump administration's renewed commitment, there is optimism that work on the project will proceed without further delays, providing a critical layer of defense against the spread of invasive carp into the Great Lakes.