A resolution from state Rep. Greg VanWoerkom asking the state of Illinois to come through on a promise to protect the Great Lakes was approved today by the Michigan House.

House Resolution 77 urges Illinois governor JB Pritzker to move forward with the Brandon Road Interbasin Project to ensure Asian carp do not spread into the Great Lakes. In February, Pritzker postponed the first phase of construction due to concerns about the availability of federal funding. Last month, President Donald Trump pledged to protect Lake Michigan from the invasive fish, communicating an understanding on the economic and environmental ramifications of delaying remedial efforts.

“Asian carp are not waiting on news of federal funding or basing their movements on what state leaders decide to budget. They are moving closer to the Great Lakes with every passing day,” said VanWoerkom, of Norton Shores. “Michigan has already invested more than $73 million in this project because we understand what’s at stake. President Trump has been very vocal about this project needing to go forward and what the Great Lakes mean for our state and national economies. It’s time for Illinois and Gov. Pritzker to honor the commitments they have made to protect a lake both our states share. We can’t afford more political hesitation or posturing. We need action.”

In 2020, Michigan and Illinois finalized an intergovernmental agreement to jointly support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the design phase of the Brandon Road project. The plan will use layered technologies, including electric barriers, underwater sound, bubble curtains and a flushing lock to stop Asian carp from moving up further towards Lake Michigan while still allowing commercial navigation. The Brandon Road Lock and Dam, located near Joliet, Ill., is a critical chokepoint in the Chicago Area Waterway System.

The fish have been documented as little as 47 miles away from Lake Michigan. They reproduce quickly, eat vast amounts of organisms at the base of the food chain and quickly outcompete native fish populations. If they reach the Great Lakes, Michigan’s $7 billion fishing and tourism industry that communities like ones across West Michigan rely on would be at risk of collapse.

“The Brandon Road project is the most effective plan we have to stop this from happening. It’s the result of years of planning by scientists, engineers, and both state and federal agencies,” VanWoerkom said. “There is confidence that it will work to keep this invasive species at bay, but it won’t work if everyone isn’t all-in on starting the project. This resolution sends a very clear message to Gov. Pritzker: stop kicking the can on Brandon Road.”

PHOTO INFORMATION: State Rep. Greg VanWoerkom speaks on House Resolution 77 on Wednesday, May 7 at the state Capitol in Lansing. VanWoerkom’s resolution urges Illinois governor JB Pritzker to move forward with the Brandon Road Interbasin Project to ensure Asian carp do not spread into the Great Lakes.