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Committee urges Illinois to resume Brandon Road project to stop Asian carp; resolution reported
Summary
The committee reported House Resolution 77 urging Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to resume the Brandon Road interbasin project to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes; sponsor and multiple members debated federal funding and intergovernmental coordination before the resolution passed in committee.
The Michigan House Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism on record reported House Resolution 77, which urges Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to resume the Brandon Road interbasin project intended to prevent the spread of Asian carp into the Great Lakes.
Representative John VanWoerkom, the resolution sponsor, described the Brandon Road project as a critical “pinch point” for preventing Asian carp movement and noted past state and federal funding for the project. He said Michigan has invested tens of millions of dollars and that the project protects a multi‑billion‑dollar fishing and tourism economy and tens of thousands of jobs.
Members questioned the status and availability of federal funds and the appropriate target for the resolution. Representative Weiss asked whether federal funds have been released; VanWoerkom said funds have been allocated and that the project is phased by the Army Corps of Engineers. Representative Johnson and others emphasized that interstate agreements and the Great Lakes partnership informed the state’s investment and supported urging Illinois to proceed.
The resolution was moved and the clerk called the roll. The committee reported the resolution with a recorded vote: 10 yays, 4 nays and 2 pass. The committee instructed that copies of the resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States and the governors of Michigan and Illinois, per the resolution language.
No formal amendments were adopted in committee. Committee members repeatedly referenced the Army Corps of Engineers and prior state appropriations. Speakers credited earlier state and federal appropriations; Representative VanWoerkom said Michigan’s initial appropriation in 2018 was $8 million and that Michigan’s contribution had grown to about $73 million. Members requested that federal funds be released to avoid further delays.
