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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Illinois must protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp. A toxic mess stands in the way.
Last week, Illinois officials took possession of a 50-acre stretch of riverbed in Chicago's shipping channel in a last-ditch effort to prevent an ecological disaster from reaching Lake Michigan. It is there, on a sliver of land where a coal-fired power plant once stood, that the state plans a last stand against the invasive Asian carp. It wants to build a $1.1 billion barricade, called the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, to keep the particularly voracious predator from muscling past the channel that connects the Mississippi River Basin with the Great Lakes. But to keep the fish from breaching the divide, the state needs more land. It has a couple of acres in mind, but there's a catch: The ground is contaminated by coal ash, the carcinogenic byproduct of burning that fossil fuel to generate electricity. No one knows for sure the extent of the pollution or its implications on public health because Midwest Generation, which ran the power plant, has refused to let anyone on the site before a deal is signed. But Illinois must remediate whatever land it acquires before turning it over to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to break ground on the project. Now Illinois is caught in a bind: Officials must stop the invasive carp from swinging an ecological wrecking ball into the Great Lakes with potentially grave implications for a multibillion-dollar fisheries and recreation economy. 'I do not know why Illinois is holding out on transferring the rest of the lands,' said Don Joddery, director of federal relations for the nonprofit Alliance of the Great Lakes. 'Those lands are needed right now.' Joddery's urgency reflects a grim calculus. The longer the state waits to secure and clean up the site, the longer the carp have an opportunity to infiltrate Lake Michigan and the waterways beyond. Just 40 miles separate the fish from the largest freshwater ecosystem on the planet. But stopping them means coming to terms with a legacy of toxic pollution that almost certainly leaves taxpayers, not Midwest Generation, to reel in the mess it left behind. Midwest Generation declined to comment on discussions regarding the property per an agreement with the state of Illinois, said company spokesman Erik Linden. Last week, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker praised the company, which declared bankruptcy in 2012, for its 'generous donation' of the 50-acre parcel, a critical piece of the first phase of the Brandon Road project. The governor had put the barrier on hold in February, worried that the Trump administration would kill federal funding for it. But the White House expressed wholehearted support for the effort earlier this month. A letter obtained by Grist disclosed that on May 8, the Army Corps assured Illinois officials it had secured $100 million for the first phase of construction. The donated parcel, officials confirmed, is not subject to remediation — only the remaining land remains locked in negotiation. Pritzker's office did not respond to a request for comment, but told Grist last year, 'We are concerned that Illinois taxpayers are being asked to foot the bill for environmental remediation associated with construction of the Brandon Road project. There are many unanswered questions regarding the ultimate scope and cost of this work, and we would like to finalize a remediation plan before committing to pay for it.' The term 'invasive carp' is shorthand for four species native to China: bighead, black, grass, and silver carp. They were introduced to fish farms in the southern United States in the 1970s to control algae. They escaped confinement about a decade after arriving and have since infiltrated the Mississippi River Basin. Research has shown that there are now more silver and bighead carp in stretches of the Illinois River than anywhere else in the world. 'It's a carp factory,' said Cory Suski, a biologist and environmental scientist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has studied the carp for more than 10 years. 'It's hard to really put into words until you've seen thousands of carp in the air jumping out of the water.' Silver carp, known for their 10-foot leaps when disturbed, have made stretches of the river dangerous for boaters and anglers alike. Below the surface, the fish — silver and bighead carp in particular — are wreaking havoc. The hardy critters are voracious and grow quickly, leaving little food or habitat for native species like gizzard shad and bigmouth buffalo, both of which are now in decline. Yet, the carp's once inexorable northward progress stopped about 40 miles from Lake Michigan. 'They've stalled,' said Suski. Scientists suspect pollutants in Chicago's wastewater effluent — though within legal limits and safe for humans — may be repelling the fish. 'There's something in the water,' said Austin Happle, a research biologist with Shedd Aquarium. 'There's likely something unaccounted for that is keeping this specific group of fish from migrating further.' Previous studies have detected pharmaceuticals and volatile organic compounds in the area. Scientists have found that Chicago-area water leaves the carp stressed and lethargic, and in some cases brings some individuals to a complete standstill. Illinois officials have gotten creative as they've tried to curb the carp since they arrived in Illinois back in the 1990s. They have rebranded the swimmers as 'copi' to spur demand among anglers and cooks. They have sponsored a program that pays commercial fishing operations an extra 10 cents per pound for the animals, and have even funded all-out harvests, one of which removed as much as 750,000 pounds of the pescine pests on the riverfront of Starved Rock State Park. The Brandon Road project is the most elaborate deterrent by far. The underwater fortress exploits a narrow stretch of the Des Plaines Rivers where engineers want to install a suite of four barricades aimed at repelling the carp via electric shocks, acoustics blasts, bubble curtains, and a lock that can flush out the aquatic annoyances. Read Next Inside a growing movement to turn the lionfish menace into a main course Maddy Lauria Beyond the fact the project's ideal site is heavily polluted lie other concerns. Documents obtained by Grist reveal bipartisan concerns about its cost that go back years. A 2018 letter from Republican Governor Bruce Rauner warned the Army Corps, 'If hazardous materials are eventually detected on the subject property, this will create potentially astronomical and unacceptable project right-of-way expenses for the state of Illinois.' Pritzker expressed similar fears last year. Last year, the corps worked out the agreement to build the barrier with support from Illinois and Michigan. The federal government agreed to cover 90 percent of the project's long-term costs. Michigan even pledged $30 million toward remediation. That money, however, is to pay for cleanup at the project site — a fraction of Midwest Generation's Joliet property. The state has been aware of the contamination since 2010, when Illinois regulators started requiring groundwater monitoring of coal ash deposits. That oversight led to the discovery of groundwater contamination at all four of Midwest Generation's coal plants: three in suburban Chicago, including the Joliet site slated for the Brandon Road project, and one in central Illinois. The Sierra Club and several other organizations have waged a 13-year fight with the Illinois Pollution Control Board to compel Midwest Generation to remedy the situation. Those proceedings reached a critical phase about a year ago. 'The Illinois Pollution Control Board indicated that Midwest Generation is indeed violating Illinois law at these four sites with its ash management and ash disposal practices,' said Faith Bugel, an attorney with Sierra Club who has worked on the case for over a decade. 'Now we are in the remedy phase, where the board is deciding what remedy to put in place in response to the violations.' In light of the state's recent transaction with Midwest Generation, Bugel remains concerned with the pending litigation and who will be left to clean up toxic pollution — and what it'll cost them. Meanwhile, the project's timeline remains tight. Preliminary site preparation kicked off in January and is expected to wrap up by the end of June. For now, Illinois is stuck between two crises: The carp are perilously close to Lake Michigan, and the best chance of stopping them requires dealing with toxic pollution. The only question is who'll be on the hook for cleaning it up. This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Illinois must protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp. A toxic mess stands in the way. on May 28, 2025.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Illinois acquires land for project to keep invasive carp from Lake Michigan
The Brief The State of Illinois said it acquired the land needed for a large project to keep an invasive carp species from reaching Lake Michigan. The $1.1 billion project has support from both Gov. JB Pritzker and President Donald Trump. The carp can exceed 100 pounds, spread rapidly, and outcompete native fish for food and space. JOLIET, Ill. - The State of Illinois said it acquired a 50-acre piece of land in southwest suburban Will County needed for a massive infrastructure project aimed at keeping the invasive Asian carp fish from entering Lake Michigan. The key part of the Brandon Road Interbasic Project involves the construction of deterrents near southwest suburban Joliet, which are meant to keep the carp away from the Great Lakes. Midwest Generation donated the land. The project has support from both Gov. JB Pritzker and President Donald Trump. The backstory While officials say keeping the carp away from the Great Lakes is integral to protecting the local environment, the project was recently stalled amid an exchange of accusations between Pritzker and Trump. Pritzker paused the project earlier this year, citing the Trump administration's threats to cut federal spending. The governor wanted reassurance that the federal government would follow through in providing more than $225 million allocated for the project during the Biden administration. Congress had previously agreed that the federal government would cover 90% of the operational and maintenance costs for the project after construction is finished, officials said. In total, the project is estimated to cost about $1.1 billion. Then, earlier this month, Trump endorsed the project and hit back at Pritzker for delaying the effort. RELATED: Trump endorses project to keep invasive Asian carp from Great Lakes What they're saying Pritzker announced the land acquisition on Friday, saying he "acted quickly" to close on the property. "Millions of people in the Great Lakes region rely on its ecosystem for their livelihoods and protecting it has been a top priority since I took office," Pritzker said in a statement. "After receiving the necessary assurances from the federal government, my administration acted quickly and formally acquired the land needed for construction. I thank Midwest Generation for their partnership in this project – their generous donation will benefit the Great Lakes region and nation for generations to come." Why you should care The carp, which can exceed 100 pounds, spread rapidly and outcompete native fish populations for food and space, authorities said. The carp were used in the southern parts of the U.S. decades ago to reduce nuisance vegetation, but the species began to reproduce and spread into the Mississippi River. Over the last two decades, the federal government built electric barriers along the Des Plaines River, including near Romeoville, to keep the carp from reaching Lake Michigan. Commercial fishermen have also been tapped to catch the carp to keep the population down. "The Brandon Road Project is critical in protecting the Great Lakes' exposure to invasive carp, a growing threat to our entire inland waterways system, our nation's economy and to the countless Illinois communities and businesses that rely on strong and vibrant aquatic ecosystems," said U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), in a statement. "We have been working for years to advance this project and I'm glad to see Governor Pritzker taking necessary action to move construction forward."
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Illinois finalizes deal for land near Joliet needed for stalled invasive carp prevention project
The state of Illinois on Friday finalized its acquisition of a 50-acre piece of land needed for a project to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp, construction that has drawn the support of both Gov. JB Pritzker and President Donald Trump. 'This is something that we've been waiting for for over a decade,' Marc Smith, policy director for the National Wildlife Federation, said. 'It's very good progress.' The state earlier this year postponed construction on the Joliet-area project, with state officials saying they didn't want to move forward because they anticipated a federal funding shortfall. Then, two weeks ago, the Trump administration announced it supported the project and that funding was available, though Pritzker and Trump still managed to snipe at each other at the time. Midwest Generation, an energy company that had owned the parcel, donated the land after the Illinois Department of Natural Resources approached the company about acquiring the property. Midwest Generation donated the land 'in support of the project,' company spokesperson Erik Linden said. Acquiring the land, which includes riverbed access for the Brandon Road lock, will help enable construction at the lock and dam there. The work is intended to stop the spread of invasive carp, which could pose a significant threat to the Great Lakes region's native species, ecosystems and billion-dollar fishing and boating industries. The property transferred Friday is needed to complete the first part of a three-phase project, according to IDNR spokesperson Jayette Bolinski. Additional upland property will eventually also need to be acquired, Bolinski said. The land transfer that was finalized Friday 'enables ongoing construction to proceed on schedule,' said Don Jodrey, director of federal relations at the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Trump earlier this month blamed Pritzker for not allowing the project to start, while the federal government, he said, has already begun work on it. The Pritzker administration said it halted the work earlier this year in part because it was worried needed federal funding wouldn't come through, as the Trump administration had pulled back on unrelated projects. The land had previously been a key sticking point for the project, with some advocates worried it might be contaminated as it's the site of a former coal plant. The agreement reached on the project included assurances that the land will be safe, Smith said. And the Pritzker administration last year said the state negotiated a deal ensuring taxpayers would not have to pay for remediation costs. So-called Asian carp, which are invasive across the United States, include silver, bighead, grass and black carp. Silver and bighead carp are particular threats to native species as they have no natural predators in American waterways and likely never will, meaning their populations can grow uncontrollably. Invasive carp were introduced in the 1960s to get rid of chemicals in aquaculture and other facilities without using chemicals. But after flooding in the 1980s and '90s, they escaped into the Mississippi River basin and spread to 31 states. Progress on the project has been a long time coming, Smith said. Congress identified the site as a place to deter invasive species in 2015, according to IDNR. 'We've had three presidents, multiple Congresses … two, three governors from Illinois, multiple governors from Michigan' as well as several project managers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he said. 'With this property secured, construction can move forward.'
Chicago Tribune
23-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Illinois finalizes deal for land near Joliet needed for stalled invasive carp prevention project
The state of Illinois on Friday finalized its acquisition of a 50-acre piece of land needed for a project to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp, construction that has drawn the support of both Gov. JB Pritzker and President Donald Trump. 'This is something that we've been waiting for for over a decade,' Marc Smith, policy director for the National Wildlife Federation, said. 'It's very good progress.' The state earlier this year postponed construction on the Joliet-area project, with state officials saying they didn't want to move forward because they anticipated a federal funding shortfall. Then, two weeks ago, the Trump administration announced it supported the project and that funding was available, though Pritzker and Trump still managed to snipe at each other at the time. Midwest Generation, an energy company that had owned the parcel, donated the land after the Illinois Department of Natural Resources approached the company about acquiring the property. Midwest Generation donated the land 'in support of the project,' company spokesperson Erik Linden said. Acquiring the land, which includes riverbed access for the Brandon Road lock, will help enable construction at the lock and dam there. The work is intended to stop the spread of invasive carp, which could pose a significant threat to the Great Lakes region's native species, ecosystems and billion-dollar fishing and boating industries. The property transferred Friday is needed to complete the first part of a three-phase project, according to IDNR spokesperson Jayette Bolinski. Additional upland property will eventually also need to be acquired, Bolinski said. The land transfer that was finalized Friday 'enables ongoing construction to proceed on schedule,' said Don Jodrey, director of federal relations at the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Trump earlier this month blamed Pritzker for not allowing the project to start, while the federal government, he said, has already begun work on it. The Pritzker administration said it halted the work earlier this year in part because it was worried needed federal funding wouldn't come through, as the Trump administration had pulled back on unrelated projects. The land had previously been a key sticking point for the project, with some advocates worried it might be contaminated as it's the site of a former coal plant. The agreement reached on the project included assurances that the land will be safe, Smith said. And the Pritzker administration last year said the state negotiated a deal ensuring taxpayers would not have to pay for remediation costs. So-called Asian carp, which are invasive across the United States, include silver, bighead, grass and black carp. Silver and bighead carp are particular threats to native species as they have no natural predators in American waterways and likely never will, meaning their populations can grow uncontrollably. Invasive carp were introduced in the 1960s to get rid of chemicals in aquaculture and other facilities without using chemicals. But after flooding in the 1980s and '90s, they escaped into the Mississippi River basin and spread to 31 states. Progress on the project has been a long time coming, Smith said. Congress identified the site as a place to deter invasive species in 2015, according to IDNR. 'We've had three presidents, multiple Congresses … two, three governors from Illinois, multiple governors from Michigan' as well as several project managers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he said. 'With this property secured, construction can move forward.'
