Great Lakes Protection Resumes After Completing Presidential Phone-Call Requirement

JOLIET—Work to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes may resume after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer spoke with President Trump, demonstrating the value of a direct presidential connection in aquatic infrastructure. Her office told WTTW it received confirmation Wednesday night that the Brandon Road stop-work order had been lifted.

The Army Corps of Engineers halted the project in late July without publicly explaining the reason, WTTW reported. Reversing the pause restores the ability to proceed; it does not mean the barrier is finished. The fish will eventually face construction rather than correspondence.

Federal support itself is not a new development. In May 2025, Whitmer’s office announced that Trump had recommitted to Brandon Road after her White House advocacy. The same project has therefore benefited from presidential support, a work stoppage and renewed permission to work. Continuity has been supplied in separate installments.

Meanwhile, Illinois sampling crews found juvenile invasive silver carp farther up the Illinois River in August than previously recorded since monitoring began in 2010, according to WTTW. The organisms have continued their work without waiting for the administrative review to conclude. Their scheduling discipline is regrettable under the circumstances.

The practical good news is that a halted protective project can move forward. Credit is due for clearing that obstacle, provided the obstacle remains in the account. The Great Lakes need a functioning barrier; the government has supplied another opportunity to announce one.