White House issues memo to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes

Yahoo

10-05-2025

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — The White House has issued a memorandum calling for the swift completion of the project to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.
The has been in the works for years to make sure that four invasive carp species that have infested the Mississippi River system don't make it into Lake Michigan. According to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan is funding half of the 10% non-federal cost of the project, with Illinois funding the other half.
Asian carp species are a destructive nuisance that can out-compete native fish and grow to more than 100 lbs. The project would create barriers in the river system to prevent the fish from reaching the Great Lakes and harming the state's huge recreation industry.
'This game-changing project, built at a critical water junction, will protect the Great Lakes from invasive species of carp. These fish, if allowed to enter the lakes, would destroy the ecosystem below the water and devastate our economy above it,' says Whitmer. 'The Great Lakes are home to 3,500 plant and animal species and they support 1.5 million jobs that generate than $60 billion in wages a year across the entire region.'
The White House memo says the federal government is ready to do its part for the projhect as long as the government in Illinois quickly acquires the needed land near the city of Joliet.
Governer Gretchen Whitmer applauded the announcement, saying it is a big win for the White House to express continued support fo th lock and dam project.
She says she advocated for this funding face-to-face when she visited President Donald Trump in the White House.
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