Latest news with #WaterResourcesDevelopmentAct
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Federal funding continues for Midland County flood mitigation research
Fifth anniversary of historic flooding in Midland County, Michigan Fifth anniversary of historic flooding in Midland County, Michigan Fifth anniversary of historic flooding in Midland County, Michigan The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has received additional funding to continue its research on flooding mitigation for Midland County, Michigan. The $1.4 million for the Tittabawassee Watershed Flood Risk Management Study was approved under the Fiscal Year 2025 Work Plan, according to a press release issued Tuesday. The Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, is working with Midland County, the City of Midland and the Midland Business Alliance on the study. The Tittabawasee Watershed region includes the Chippewa, Pine, and Tittabawassee Rivers. The Midland area has seen significant flooding numerous times, including in 1986, 1996, 2013, 2017 and 2020. In response to the situation, community officials asked for federal help in identifying potential solutions. "Flood risk management is one of our most important missions in the Detroit District, because it presents an opportunity for us to use our technical expertise in a largescale way to help local communities," Lt. Col. Wallace Bandeff, Corps of Engineers Detroit District commander, said in the press release The study began under authorization of $3 million under the 2022 Water Resources Development Act. Once the study is completed, the Corps of Engineers will present its suggestions such as retention basins or levees. Any final recommendations would need to go to Congress for funding and implementation. The above video aired on May 19, 2025.
12-05-2025
- Business
Trump administration promises Illinois it will pay to keep carp out of the Great Lakes
A stalemate between President Donald Trump and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker that threatened a $1.2 billion plan to keep invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes appears to have been settled after the Trump administration offered assurances it will cover its share of the costs. After a delay that has stretched on since February, Illinois officials are set to resume closing on property they need to continue work on a project that will generate vast bubble curtains to deter the carp, stun them with electrical fields and play sound frequencies to disorient them. Here's what to know: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers along with state officials in Illinois and Michigan have been planning since 2020 to install a gantlet of technologies in the Des Plaines River near Joliet, Illinois, to deter invasive carp from entering Lake Michigan. The Corps and the states signed a deal in 2024 to work together on the project using $226 million allocated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. And elements of the Water Resources Development Act adopted last year call for the federal government to cover 90% of operating and maintenance costs. Construction on the project began in January. Pritzker's administration was set to close in February on a parcel of property for the project and transfer it to the Corps. Everything appeared on track until late January, when the Trump administration froze federal grants and loans as it reviewed whether spending aligned with Trump's priorities on issues such as climate change and diversity. The administration rescinded the freeze less than two days later but questions persist about the federal government's spending commitments. Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel empire and a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, is one of Trump's fiercest critics. He has described the early months of the Trump administration as 'true villainous cruelty by a few idiots.' Days before Illinois was to finalize a property deal for the carp project, Pritzker hit pause and demanded assurances that the federal government would honor its spending commitment. Site preparation has continued since then, but substantial work to install technology has been on hold. The White House issued a memo late Friday saying the Trump administration recognized the threat invasive carp pose to Great Lakes recreation and fishing and that it's committed to protecting the lakes. The federal government is prepared to do its part so long as states cooperate, according to the memo, which calls on Illinois to complete the property deal by July 1 and promises the federal government will streamline permitting and environmental reviews. 'My Administration fully supports preventing the spread of invasive carp,' the memo said. 'The State of Illinois, where the (project) is located, must cease further delay in cooperating with this effort, for the sake of its own citizens and economy and for the sake of all of the Great Lake States.' Pritzker's office issued a news release late Friday evening saying the governor was satisfied. Work on the project isn't slated to finish until 2032, but Joel Brammeier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Alliance for the Great Lakes, said Monday that prospects suddenly look dramatically better than they did last week. 'We're back to business as usual. That's a good thing,' he said. Four species of carp were imported to the U.S. from Asia in the 1960s and 1970s to clear algae from sewage ponds and fish farms in the Deep South. They escaped into the Mississippi River and have moved north into dozens of tributaries in the central U.S. Government agencies, advocacy groups and others have long debated how to prevent the fish from reaching the Great Lakes, where scientists say they could out-compete native species for food and habitat in waterways where the fishing industry is valued at $7 billion. A shipping canal that forms part of the link between the Mississippi and Lake Michigan has a network of fish-repelling barriers, which the Corps says is effective, but critics consider inadequate. The new project at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River near Joliet will provide another layer of protection at a downstream choke point between the Illinois River, which is infested with invasive carp, and Lake Michigan. 'I'm hopeful everyone is taking this project seriously now and we're not going to see any more delays,' Brammeier said.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump administration promises Illinois it will pay to keep carp out of the Great Lakes
A stalemate between President Donald Trump and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker that threatened a $1.2 billion plan to keep invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes appears to have been settled after the Trump administration offered assurances it will cover its share of the costs. After a delay that has stretched on since February, Illinois officials are set to resume closing on property they need to continue work on a project that will generate vast bubble curtains to deter the carp, stun them with electrical fields and play sound frequencies to disorient them. Here's what to know: The project has been on the drawing board for years The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers along with state officials in Illinois and Michigan have been planning since 2020 to install a gantlet of technologies in the Des Plaines River near Joliet, Illinois, to deter invasive carp from entering Lake Michigan. The Corps and the states signed a deal in 2024 to work together on the project using $226 million allocated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. And elements of the Water Resources Development Act adopted last year call for the federal government to cover 90% of operating and maintenance costs. Pritzker demands assurances from Trump Construction on the project began in January. Pritzker's administration was set to close in February on a parcel of property for the project and transfer it to the Corps. Everything appeared on track until late January, when the Trump administration froze federal grants and loans as it reviewed whether spending aligned with Trump's priorities on issues such as climate change and diversity. The administration rescinded the freeze less than two days later but questions persist about the federal government's spending commitments. Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel empire and a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, is one of Trump's fiercest critics. He has described the early months of the Trump administration as 'true villainous cruelty by a few idiots.' Days before Illinois was to finalize a property deal for the carp project, Pritzker hit pause and demanded assurances that the federal government would honor its spending commitment. Site preparation has continued since then, but substantial work to install technology has been on hold. Trump signals the project is a priority The White House issued a memo late Friday saying the Trump administration recognized the threat invasive carp pose to Great Lakes recreation and fishing and that it's committed to protecting the lakes. The federal government is prepared to do its part so long as states cooperate, according to the memo, which calls on Illinois to complete the property deal by July 1 and promises the federal government will streamline permitting and environmental reviews. 'My Administration fully supports preventing the spread of invasive carp,' the memo said. 'The State of Illinois, where the (project) is located, must cease further delay in cooperating with this effort, for the sake of its own citizens and economy and for the sake of all of the Great Lake States.' Pritzker's office issued a news release late Friday evening saying the governor was satisfied. Work on the project isn't slated to finish until 2032, but Joel Brammeier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Alliance for the Great Lakes, said Monday that prospects suddenly look dramatically better than they did last week. 'We're back to business as usual. That's a good thing,' he said. Why the carp would be bad news for the Great Lakes Four species of carp were imported to the U.S. from Asia in the 1960s and 1970s to clear algae from sewage ponds and fish farms in the Deep South. They escaped into the Mississippi River and have moved north into dozens of tributaries in the central U.S. Government agencies, advocacy groups and others have long debated how to prevent the fish from reaching the Great Lakes, where scientists say they could out-compete native species for food and habitat in waterways where the fishing industry is valued at $7 billion. A shipping canal that forms part of the link between the Mississippi and Lake Michigan has a network of fish-repelling barriers, which the Corps says is effective, but critics consider inadequate. The new project at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River near Joliet will provide another layer of protection at a downstream choke point between the Illinois River, which is infested with invasive carp, and Lake Michigan. 'I'm hopeful everyone is taking this project seriously now and we're not going to see any more delays,' Brammeier said.
Winnipeg Free Press
12-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trump administration promises Illinois it will pay to keep carp out of the Great Lakes
A stalemate between President Donald Trump and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker that threatened a $1.2 billion plan to keep invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes appears to have been settled after the Trump administration offered assurances it will cover its share of the costs. After a delay that has stretched on since February, Illinois officials are set to resume closing on property they need to continue work on a project that will generate vast bubble curtains to deter the carp, stun them with electrical fields and play sound frequencies to disorient them. Here's what to know: The project has been on the drawing board for years The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers along with state officials in Illinois and Michigan have been planning since 2020 to install a gantlet of technologies in the Des Plaines River near Joliet, Illinois, to deter invasive carp from entering Lake Michigan. The Corps and the states signed a deal in 2024 to work together on the project using $226 million allocated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. And elements of the Water Resources Development Act adopted last year call for the federal government to cover 90% of operating and maintenance costs. Pritzker demands assurances from Trump Construction on the project began in January. Pritzker's administration was set to close in February on a parcel of property for the project and transfer it to the Corps. Everything appeared on track until late January, when the Trump administration froze federal grants and loans as it reviewed whether spending aligned with Trump's priorities on issues such as climate change and diversity. The administration rescinded the freeze less than two days later but questions persist about the federal government's spending commitments. Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel empire and a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, is one of Trump's fiercest critics. He has described the early months of the Trump administration as 'true villainous cruelty by a few idiots.' Days before Illinois was to finalize a property deal for the carp project, Pritzker hit pause and demanded assurances that the federal government would honor its spending commitment. Site preparation has continued since then, but substantial work to install technology has been on hold. Trump signals the project is a priority The White House issued a memo late Friday saying the Trump administration recognized the threat invasive carp pose to Great Lakes recreation and fishing and that it's committed to protecting the lakes. The federal government is prepared to do its part so long as states cooperate, according to the memo, which calls on Illinois to complete the property deal by July 1 and promises the federal government will streamline permitting and environmental reviews. 'My Administration fully supports preventing the spread of invasive carp,' the memo said. 'The State of Illinois, where the (project) is located, must cease further delay in cooperating with this effort, for the sake of its own citizens and economy and for the sake of all of the Great Lake States.' Pritzker's office issued a news release late Friday evening saying the governor was satisfied. Work on the project isn't slated to finish until 2032, but Joel Brammeier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Alliance for the Great Lakes, said Monday that prospects suddenly look dramatically better than they did last week. 'We're back to business as usual. That's a good thing,' he said. Why the carp would be bad news for the Great Lakes Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Four species of carp were imported to the U.S. from Asia in the 1960s and 1970s to clear algae from sewage ponds and fish farms in the Deep South. They escaped into the Mississippi River and have moved north into dozens of tributaries in the central U.S. Government agencies, advocacy groups and others have long debated how to prevent the fish from reaching the Great Lakes, where scientists say they could out-compete native species for food and habitat in waterways where the fishing industry is valued at $7 billion. A shipping canal that forms part of the link between the Mississippi and Lake Michigan has a network of fish-repelling barriers, which the Corps says is effective, but critics consider inadequate. The new project at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River near Joliet will provide another layer of protection at a downstream choke point between the Illinois River, which is infested with invasive carp, and Lake Michigan. 'I'm hopeful everyone is taking this project seriously now and we're not going to see any more delays,' Brammeier said.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Despite TVA holdup, Ingalls Harbor development still in the plans
Apr. 17—The $30 million development at Ingalls Harbor remains on hold but is getting closer to becoming a reality as the developer seeks approval from the Tennessee Valley Authority, officials said Wednesday. Developer Patrick Lawler, who developed Guntersville's 55,000-square-foot City Harbor, announced in March 2023 that he is planning a roughly 75,000-square-foot mixed-use development with condominiums, restaurants, retail stores and entertainment options on the Tennessee River just west of Ingalls Harbor. A portion of the development, including boat slips, would stretch over the river. The Decatur City Council approved $5 million in economic incentives plus land for Lawler as sole managing partner of Ingalls Harbor LLC. The city is providing 5 acres while Decatur Utilities is adding 2 acres of its property next to the wastewater treatment plant. The City Council voted last week to extend the agreement for three years, although City Attorney Herman Marks said he doesn't believe they will need all of the allotted time. Council President Jacob Ladner said they have been working with TVA on deed modifications to the land policy that the federal utility provider established in 2006. The main issue of discussion related to the development is the problem with strict TVA deed restrictions from 1954. Lawler plans to build and sell about 40 condominiums, but the deed limits how close to the river residential properties can be. According to TVA, "All construction or alterations to the shoreline require TVA approval, even minor changes to the dock. Second stories on docks can be constructed as an open deck with railing, but they cannot be covered with a roof or enclosed with siding or screening." Ladner said he expects movement on the project soon. "There's been a lot of back and forth and a lot of discussion," Ladner said. "The last update I got was very positive that we could get a resolution coming in the next few weeks." Mayor Tab Bowling said one issue that has slowed down approval is the TVA board is unable to get the necessary quorum to meet. President Donald Trump fired Huntsville attorney Joe Ritch as chairman of the TVA Board of Directors on April 1. He fired board member Michelle Moore on March 27. That leaves only four board members. According to the TVA bylaws, the board must have five members for a quorum. Without five members, the board can continue operations that were established when it had a quorum, but does not have the authority to "direct TVA into new areas of activity, to embark on new programs, or to change TVA's existing direction." Ladner said he believes this situation will be solved quickly and the TVA board will resume meeting. If they're unable to solve the issue through TVA and its board, Ladner said there are other alternatives. One is adding some language to the federal Water Resources Development Act, but he said the problem with this law is Congress only considers it every two years. "If we have to go that route, it would be 2026 before the next WRDA," Ladner said. Lawler said he's still committed to the project. "We'll get through this," Lawler said. "It's just a timely process. I'll get to work as soon as I can." He pointed out that Guntersville's City Harbor took five years to complete. — or 256-340-2432
