Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) today applauded the states of Illinois and Michigan and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for signing a project partnership agreement (PPA) for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project. This project, which was originally authorized in 2020, is a key component of the region’s longstanding efforts to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp.

“Preventing invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes is a team effort, and the Great Lakes community is stepping up to meet the moment,” said Erika Jensen, executive director of the GLC. “Signing the Brandon Road PPA is a critical step in keeping invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. Illinois, Michigan, and the Army Corps of Engineers all deserve enormous credit for the years-long effort to address this threat. The GLC is also especially grateful for our Great Lakes congressional delegation, who have worked tirelessly to secure federal funding and policy changes necessary to move forward with construction.”

The GLC has worked for over 30 years on efforts to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species, including support for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project. Since 2019, the GLC has convened the Brandon Road States and Provinces Forum, which has served as an important venue for information-sharing and problem-solving.

The Brandon Road Interbasin Project is located at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River in Joliet, Illinois. This project will include installation of technologies that will prevent invasive bighead, black, and silver carp from entering Lake Michigan through the Chicago Area Waterway System. Invasive carp present a significant threat to the Great Lakes, including their impacts on ecosystems, fisheries, and recreation, all of which help to drive the Great Lakes regional economy.

The Great Lakes Commission, led by chair Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.