CHICAGO — In a powerful display of unity and urgency, 40 groups representing conservation and environmental organizations from across the country have sent a letter urging Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to sign the Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. This agreement is crucial for initiating the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project, a pivotal measure to prevent invasive carp from entering Lake Michigan and threatening the Great Lakes ecosystem. 

The letter highlights the urgency of this situation, stating that delays in finalizing the PPA could allow invasive carp to advance closer to Lake Michigan and emphasizes the significant financial and environmental stakes.

Invasive carp are a clear and present danger and are swimming closer to the Great Lakes, and Governor Pritzker can help secure an agreement to finalize the Brandon Road project that will help protect the Great Lakes, its economy, and its ecosystem for all who call the region home.

Invasive carp pose a severe threat to the economic health of the Great Lakes, specifically the region's $7 billion commercial and sport fishing industry and its $16 billion recreational boating industry. The USACE has identified building additional structural measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, near Joliet, IL, as the most feasible way to prevent the upstream migration of invasive carp. The only remaining action required for the Brandon Road project construction to begin is for the State of Illinois to sign the PPA. The agreement must be finalized by June 30, 2024 to take advantage of a planned lock closure at Lockport Lock near Brandon Road, allowing construction to commence later this year.

By signing the PPA, Governor Pritzker can help secure millions in federal investments, create good-paying jobs, and protect the ecological and economic vitality of the Great Lakes. The coalition of stakeholders calls on the Governor to act decisively to prevent this environmental threat and safeguard the future of one of the nation's most vital water resources.