Gov. Evers Sends Letter to President Trump, Urging the Release of Already-Approved Federal Funding to Combat Invasive Carp in Great Lakes States
Despite recent claims that he is working with states to “save the Great Lakes” from invasive carp, President Trump has withheld funds for the critical Brandon Road Invasive Carp Interbasin Project for months
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers sent a letter urging President Trump to release already-approved federal funding for the Brandon Road Invasive Carp Interbasin Project, which would help combat invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes. The governor’s letter comes as the president, in recent weeks, has boasted about his efforts to “save the Great Lakes,” despite his administration’s actions to simultaneously hold up critical funds for the project for months, stalling the project’s momentum and hindering work to protect the Great Lakes ecosystem in Wisconsin.
As detailed in the governor’s letter, the Great Lakes are of local, regional, and national significance, representing a more than $3 trillion economic impact in the regional economy. Over 33,500 jobs are attributed to Great Lakes fishing as well, with 2,700 jobs in Wisconsin. However, when invasive carp become abundant, native fisheries are destroyed. In the most infested areas, families are deprived of their favorite on-the-water pastimes, popular sportfishing destinations no longer lure anglers from afar, and commercial industries and outdoor tourism businesses can lose their means of making a living.
The economic benefits of stopping invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes by completion of the Brandon Road project cannot be overstated, both nationally and in Wisconsin. That’s why, along with other Great Lakes governors, Gov. Evers has been a critical partner in the development and progress of the Brandon Road project for years. Wisconsin joined efforts to evaluate the risks and dangers invasive carp pose to these important waterbodies well over a decade ago. As the evidence of invasive carp moving up the Mississippi River drainage system increased, the state took action to track fish movement up the river and to detect any possible presence of invasive carp establishment in the Great Lakes. As a result, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has collaborated with partners for years, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Minnesota DNR, to conduct targeted mass invasive carp removals on the Mississippi River to reduce fish numbers and mitigate further migration upstream towards the Great Lakes.
To further address the spread of invasive carp, Wisconsin has also been an active member of the Great Lakes-focused Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC), and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSGP), where the critical Brandon Road Interbasin Project has been central to planning for over a decade. In partnership with the eight Great Lakes states, GLC and GSGP have closely coordinated to raise awareness and grow support for the Brandon Road project, including providing letters of support to federal leaders for the project as far back as 2015. Additionally, Wisconsin has participated in GLC’s Brandon Road States and Provinces Forum since 2019. The Forum has functioned as a venue for regional decision-makers to engage on the Brandon Road project, to discuss various options to prevent invasive carp from establishing in the Great Lakes basin, and to seek alignment among regional partners on this project of regional and national significance.
Managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), for the past six years, the Brandon Road project has focused on building layered technologies, such as electrical, bubble current, and acoustic deterrents within the critical pinch point at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. Pre-construction engineering and design of the project was initiated between the state of Illinois and the USACE Rock Island District on Dec. 29, 2020, during President Trump’s first term. The project moved into the construction phase in July 2024, when the states of Illinois and Michigan signed a partnership agreement with the USACE Rock Island District. According to the USACE website, this agreement allowed $274 million in federal funding and $114 million in state funding to be used for construction of the first of three construction increments for the estimated $1.15 billion project. One project increment has been completed, with three more remaining.
But now, a significant amount of federal funding has been held up for months by the Trump Administration with no clear reason, despite President Trump’s claims that he is working to “save the Great Lakes” from invasive carp. The pause in federal funds risks significant delays in the project and conflicts with the president’s own May 9, 2025, memorandum.
A transcript of the governor’s letter to President Trump urging the release of already-approved federal funds is available below.
Dear President Trump:
I write to urge you to release already-approved federal funding currently being held up by your administration to move the Brandon Road Invasive Carp Interbasin Project forward. Timely progress on this project is crucial to the health and economy of the Great Lakes and the states that border them. State leaders, myself included, have been leading the development and progress of this project for years, and the federal government must now step up and partner with us to ensure the Great Lakes are protected now and in the future.
As you know, Wisconsin is bordered by Great Lakes Michigan and Superior to the east and north, respectively, as well as the upper portions of the Mississippi River to the west. The vitality of these world-class, iconic waterbodies is central to our way of life, including keeping them healthy by combating invasive species, especially invasive carp. When invasive carp become abundant, native fisheries are destroyed. In the most infested areas, families are deprived of their favorite on-the-water pastimes, and popular sportfishing destinations no longer lure anglers from afar. Commercial industries and outdoor tourism businesses can lose their means of making a living.
Given the Great Lakes local, regional, and national significance, Wisconsin joined efforts to evaluate the risks and dangers invasive carp pose to these important waterbodies well over a decade ago. As the evidence of invasive carp moving up the Mississippi River drainage system increased, we took action to track fish movement up the river and to detect any possible presence of invasive carp establishment in the Great Lakes. As a result, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) has collaborated with partners for years, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Minnesota DNR, to conduct targeted mass invasive carp removals on the Mississippi River to reduce fish numbers and mitigate further migration upstream towards the Great Lakes.
To further address the spread of invasive carp, Wisconsin has also been an active member of the Great Lakes-focused Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC), and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSGP), where the critical Brandon Road Interbasin Project has been central to planning for over a decade. In partnership with the eight Great Lakes states, GLC and GSGP have closely coordinated to raise awareness and grow support for the Brandon Road project, including providing letters of support to federal leaders for the project as far back as 2015. Additionally, Wisconsin has participated in GLC’s Brandon Road States and Provinces Forum (Forum) since 2019. The Forum has functioned as a venue for regional decision-makers to engage on the Brandon Road project, to discuss various options to prevent invasive carp from establishing in the Great Lakes basin, and to seek alignment among regional partners on this project of regional and national significance.
The economic benefits of stopping invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes by completion of the Brandon Road project cannot be overstated, both nationally and in Wisconsin. The total GDP for the Great Lakes regional economy is $3.1 trillion, which is considerably larger than that of most countries throughout the world. Of that, anglers annually spend $4.9 billion on Great Lakes fishing, including $353 million in Wisconsin alone. Over 33,500 jobs are attributed to Great Lakes fishing as well, with 2,700 jobs in Wisconsin. Funding and completing the Brandon Road Interbasin project will protect these critical Great Lakes fisheries and the significant economies associated with them.
Wisconsin has and will continue to work with all partners, including the key partnerships we have with our fellow Great Lakes states and the federal government, on the Brandon Road project. The federal government plays a critical role in the Brandon Road project, with hundreds of millions of dollars having already been appropriated by Congress to work on the construction of the project. However, a significant amount of federal funding has been held up for months now with no clear reason, which risks significant delays in the project. I urge you to facilitate the release of the previously appropriated federal funds needed to move the Brandon Road project forward. Timing is critical as invasive carp continue to be detected just downstream of the Brandon Road lock and dam. Further, your release of the funds will be consistent with the White House Presidential Memoranda, “Protecting the Great Lakes from Invasive Carp” dated May 9, 2025, and will serve to protect the Great Lakes fisheries and recreational opportunities that are not only enjoyed by Wisconsinites but by all Americans who travel to enjoy these world-class resources.
Sincerely,
Tony Evers
Governor
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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Gov. Evers Sends Letter to President Trump, Urging the Release of Already-Approved Federal Funding to Combat Invasive Carp in Great Lakes States
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