Durbin Leads Great Lakes Senators In Demanding Answers On Trump Administration’s Repeated Pauses Of The Brandon Road Project

Durbin Leads Great Lakes Senators In Demanding Answers On Trump Administration's Repeated Pauses Of The Brandon Road Project

In today's letter, the Senators emphasized that the Brandon Road Project Interbasin Project cannot be halted again as invasive carp have been found dangerously close to Lake Michigan

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), today sent a letter to the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works demanding answers about why the Trump Administration has allowed for two administrative pauses to the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP) without an adequate justification. While the second administrative pause has been lifted and the project has resumed, these repeated pauses raise concerns about the possibility of future delays and the Trump Administration's commitment to the project despite the President's endorsement.

"We write to once again express serious concern about the recent second administrative review and pause of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project," the lawmakers said. "We request a meeting to discuss the circumstances surrounding the pause and steps the Administration will take to ensure the project is completed as quickly as possible. … This second pause and review-after work on the project already was halted last fall-was put in place without advance notification to the state partners and without clear explanation, putting the completion of the project in jeopardy."

The lawmakers underscored that any future halts to the BRIP could result in invasive carp entering the Great Lakes and irreparably disrupting the lakes' ecosystem. In August, juvenile invasive carp were found just 80 miles downstream from Lake Michigan-reflecting the upstream advancement of adult invasive carp.

"While completing the long-delayed BRIP was already an urgent priority, a recent development underscores the urgency. Last month, young invasive carp were found in the Marseilles Pool of the Illinois River, just 80 miles downstream from Lake Michigan. This is the closest to the Great Lakes that young invasive carp have ever been found. It also suggests that a spawning event could have occurred even further north… If invasive carp were to become established in the Great Lakes, they would threaten existing fish populations, permanently damage ecosystems, and significantly impair the $7 billion Great Lakes economy," the lawmakers wrote.

"As we noted in previous letters about this issue, invasive carp already have created significant problems in waterways by outcompeting native species, disrupting habitats, posing recreational hazards, and harming both commercial and recreational fishing… The best tool we have to combat this growing environmental threat is the immediate completion of the BRIP," the lawmakers continued.

The lawmakers concluded their letter by emphasizing President Trump's public support for the project and further reiterated their request to meet with the Trump Administration to ensure there are no further pauses to BRIP.

"Given President Trump's clear support for the project, the clear threat posed by the invasive carp, and substantial funding and commitment provided by Congress, we urge the Administration to ensure the Brandon Road Interbasin Project moves forward without further interruption," the lawmakers wrote.

"We look forward to meeting with you to discuss the project's pauses and the Administration's plan to keep the project on schedule," the lawmakers concluded their letter.

Durbin has been a tireless advocate for the Brandon Road Project and finding a comprehensive approach to protecting the Great Lakes from the threat of invasive carp. Through previous Water Resources Development Acts, Durbin has secured authorization for design and construction of the Brandon Road Project, and in December 2024, Durbin successfully included a provision in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA) to increase the federal cost share for the Brandon Road Project. Under the provision, the federal government will pay 90 percent of the operation and maintenance costs for Brandon Road after the project's construction is complete, significantly lowering the costs of maintaining the infrastructure for Illinois.

In July 2024, Durbin applauded Illinois, Michigan, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for signing a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) regarding the Brandon Road Project, which was necessary to ensure that the Brandon Road Project moves forward and does not lose valuable federal funding for its construction.

Durbin also previously secured $225.8 million in construction funding for the project from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), $47.3 million in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 government funding bill, and $28 million in the FY26 Energy and Water Appropriations bill.

Durbin was instrumental in forcing the release of the original Brandon Road Study, a draft plan that paved the way for the project, after the first Trump Administration stalled the report's release.

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

September 22, 2026

Dear Acting Assistant Secretary Forsgren:

In light of a recent discovery that young invasive carp were found just 80 miles downstream from Lake Michigan, we write to once again express serious concern about the recent second administrative review and pause of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP). Although this pause was lifted on September 2, the lack of explanation for it raises concerns about this Administration's commitment to the project and the possibility of future delays. We request a meeting to discuss the circumstances surrounding the pause and steps the Administration will take to ensure the project is completed as quickly as possible.

On July 24, 2026, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued its second stop work order for BRIP, placing the project under administrative review. This second pause and review-after work on the project already was halted last fall-was put in place without advance notification to the state partners and without clear explanation, putting the completion of the project in jeopardy. As a result of these delays, project costs are increasing and contractors have been forced to modify their schedules. Although the project final completion date remains on schedule, these delays continue to put that timeline at risk.

Congress first authorized the BRIP in 2020. In 2022, Congress provided $225 million for the construction of the BRIP, an additional $47 million in 2023, and $28 million more in 2026. Illinois and Michigan, the project's non-federal sponsors, have invested more than $100 million in the project.

While completing the long-delayed BRIP was already an urgent priority, a recent development underscores the urgency. Last month, young invasive carp were found in the Marseilles Pool of the Illinois River, just 80 miles downstream from Lake Michigan. This is the closest to the Great Lakes that young invasive carp have ever been found. It also suggests that a spawning event could have occurred even further north. According to experts, the presence of the juvenile carp is "a significant step in the invasion process." If invasive carp were to become established in the Great Lakes, they would threaten existing fish populations, permanently damage ecosystems, and significantly impair the $7 billion Great Lakes economy.

As we noted in previous letters about this issue, invasive carp already have created significant problems in waterways by outcompeting native species, disrupting habitats, posing recreational hazards, and harming both commercial and recreational fishing. Research has shown that just 10 breeding pairs of invasive carp introduced to the Great Lakes' ecosystem could bring irreversible damage. The best tool we have to combat this growing environmental threat is the immediate completion of the BRIP.

President Trump has highlighted the importance of stopping the invasive carp, saying "it is sort of a bipartisan thing when you get right down to it's a very expensive thing . . . I looked at the numbers. I said, well, but we have to save Lake Michigan because these fish that they eat everything in their way, including the other fish." President Trump reiterated that support in a memorandum from May 9, 2025, saying, "My Administration fully supports preventing the spread of invasive carp . . . I am directing my Administration to achieve maximum speed and efficiency at the Federal level . . . This includes supporting the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, through deadline-oriented investments of taxpayer dollars . . ."

Given President Trump's clear support for the project, the clear threat posed by the invasive carp, and substantial funding and commitment provided by Congress, we urge the Administration to ensure the Brandon Road Interbasin Project moves forward without further interruption. We also urge consistent and transparent communication with the non-federal sponsors in the future in advance of any changes to the project.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss the project's pauses and the Administration's plan to keep the project on schedule.

Sincerely,

-30-