The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, taking action in the fight against invasive carp, has awarded the first construction contract for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project near Joliet, Illinois. Announced on November 27, the contract, worth $15.5 million, signifies a leap in progress for the endeavor aimed at safeguarding the Great Lakes from ecological threats. According to the State of Illinois' official news release, the contract was granted to Miami Marine Services for the critical tasks of site preparation and riverbed rock removal, in collaboration with Michels Construction of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker celebrated the milestone, attesting to the importance of the Great Lakes as both a natural treasure and an economic powerhouse. "Awarding the first construction contract is an exciting and important step forward for this long-anticipated project," Governor Pritzker shared in a statement. Illinois and Michigan, partnering as non-federal sponsors, have fostered the launch of the project by contributing to funding alongside federal investments. The partnership endeavors to incorporate a gamut of deterrent technologies at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam to curb the migration of invasive carp up the Illinois Waterway.
The Brandon Road project, with an estimated budget of $1.15 billion, involves a three-phase construction initiative. A formal project partnership agreement was inked on July 1 between Illinois, Michigan, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This solidified $274 million in federal contributions and $114 million from state coffers, earmarked for constructing the barrier project and inflecting with defensive measures against the invasive species.
Spanning several years of expert collaboration, the project has absorbed the insights and expertise of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in areas such as water resources, capital planning, and fisheries. According to the Illinois news release, these efforts are also synchronized with broader enhancements to the state's aquatic infrastructure, including proposed upgrades to the Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery in Mason County, designed to address potential impacts on the Des Plaines River initiated by the construction.
As the Brandon Road Interbasin Project advances, public and environmental stakeholder attention remains high. Further details and updates regarding the project's progress and implementational specifics can be accessed on the State of Illinois website, ensuring transparency and open dialogue as this environmentally critical venture evolves.
