Stop Work Order Lifted at Brandon Road

Following weeks of uncertainty since the Army Corps of Engineers placed a work stoppage on the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP) on July 24, the order has now been lifted and construction will resume. “You are authorized to resume work immediately on the contract and proceed diligently to ensure successful performance,” the Corps wrote in a September 2 letter to the contractor performing construction. The justifications for the work stoppage remain unknown.

The development follows a phone call from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to President Trump last week, as well as sustained action from members of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force and pressure from Great Lakes organizations. "Governor Whitmer spoke with President Trump today to ask him to direct the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to lift the stop-work order," Whitmer spokesperson Bobby Leddy said in a statement.

The restart comes as juvenile invasive carp have come worryingly close to the Great Lakes, something Leddy said the Governor mentioned to the President. "The governor underscored the urgency of the moment, noting that invasive carp were recently found just 80 miles from Lake Michigan — farther up the Illinois River than ever recorded." The current construction phase, Increment 1-A, includes the automated barge clearing deterrent, which is directed specifically at juvenile carp.

The BRIP is critical to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes, which would threaten the ecosystem and economy of the Great Lakes region with ramifications for the entire country. Restarting construction is a good step in the race against time to prevent this scenario before it is too late.

House Subcommittee Discusses Bipartisan Bills to Shape America’s Drinking Water Future

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment met Thursday, September 3, to discuss the Water Cost Accountability Act, which aims to protect communities from increasing water costs due to data centers, and the Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2026, which reauthorizes federal drinking water programs and incorporates cybersecurity requirements and risk mitigation techniques into Safe Drinking Water Act grant programs.

Water infrastructure in the United States suffers from underinvestment. Aging systems, lack of technical assistance, and changing federal funding pathways threaten the United States’ water future at a time when investment is most critical. Throughout the hearing, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle agreed that ensuring communities can access safe and affordable drinking water is a priority for Congress, even as data center consumption raises concerns about increasing burdens on ratepayers. As Ranking Member Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY) said in his opening remarks, “… our water system needs are staggering. Without a serious, maintained federal financial commitment, our constituents will feel the consequences of deteriorating infrastructure and rising water costs.”

Lawmakers disagreed over how significant that commitment should be. Democrats criticized the $2 billion lower authorized level for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF), which currently stands at $3.25 billion. This stands in contrast to the Senate version in the Water Resources Development Act, which would raise the DWSRF authorized level from $3.75 billion to $4.5 billion from FY27-31. The DWSRF is the “main federal funding source for drinking water projects [which] helps water systems pay for capital improvements,” noted Ranking Member Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ). Even with recent additional investments, much more is needed to meet the water infrastructure gap. Rep. Pallone noted that, “while the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided historic investments to address our infrastructure challenges, that funding was just a down payment on the $625 billion needed over the next 20 years.” The bill also would not extend the BIL’s lead service line or emerging contaminant accounts.

Witnesses also highlighted how Congressional earmarks hurt the long-term solvency of the SRF. In an exchange with Chairman Palmer, Witness Julie Moore, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, and Vice Chair of the Water Committee, Environmental Council of States (ECOS), explained that “those [earmarked] dollars come off the top of the allocation that would otherwise come to the state revolving fund, [so] they aren’t returned to be revolved again.” As a result, Moore estimates a “long-term diminishment in Vermont alone of about $150 million in revolving loan capacity over the next 20 years as a result of dollars going out to communities as grants instead of loans.”

Additional debate centered on data center consumption. There was strong bipartisan support to hold data centers financially responsible to protect ratepayers. Republican lawmakers generally emphasized the capacity of communities to understand their distinct local needs and negotiate with data centers to find solutions. Witness Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, supported this perspective. Democratic lawmakers also advocated for regulation to prevent increased rates and environmental harm, and questioned the efficacy of data center innovations, like air cooling to adequately reduce consumption and protect communities.

A recurring thread throughout the hearing was the importance of technical assistance for public water utilities and communities. In their responses to questions, Witnesses Moore and Mae Wu, the Founder and Principal of Health and Environmental Advising, LLC and former Deputy Administrator at EPA’s Office of Water, highlighted the need for robust technical assistance programs to mitigate challenges faced by rural, small communities. Moore noted that, “technical assistance provided by the state is critical because [small communities] often lack the administrative capacity to support the complex projects that are integral to high-quality drinking water.”

Overall, the hearing reflected significant bipartisan agreement that America’s water systems are in need of support, particularly in the face of new challenges such as data centers and cyber attacks. As Great Lakes Task Force Member Representative Nick Langworthy (R-NY) concluded his questioning, “Small communities don’t need lower standards. They need practical tools and resources that allow them to meet high standards without placing an unsustainable burden on their residents. I look forward to that goal.”

Reported by NEMWI Intern Greta Merrill, American University

Subcommittee on Energy Holds Hearing on Advanced Nuclear Reactors

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing Wednesday September 2, 2026 about the push to build out advanced nuclear reactors in the U.S. The hearing, Powering the Nuclear Renaissance: Accelerating U.S. Leadership in Advanced Nuclear Reactors, revealed bipartisan support for growing national nuclear energy capability in an age of changing energy needs. In their opening statements, Chairman Brian Babin (R- TX) and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Randy Weber (R- TX) both made the point that it is critical to U.S. national security to develop advanced nuclear energy capability and agreed that changes are needed to decrease regulatory burdens that slow innovation and drive up costs. 

Witness Dr. Joe Hoagland, Associate Lab Director for Fusion and Fission Energy Science at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, informed the subcommittee that the U.S. brought five private reactors to criticality (the point at which a nuclear reaction is self-sustaining and produces energy) by August of this year. But, he stressed, nuclear criticality is a threshold that demonstrates progress, not an endpoint. “The challenge is converting that progress into complete energy systems that work, last, and can be manufactured, operated and maintained repeatedly at affordable cost for the nation’s electric system,” he said. This is being addressed with the help of tools like Prometheus AI, an initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Energy in July 2026 to speed up nuclear energy development by making engineering easy to trace and reuse.

Two industry leaders whose reactors met criticality this year, Mr. Isaiah Taylor, CEO and Founder of Valar Atomics, and Mr. Matt Loszak, CEO of Aalo Atomics, were also witnesses at the hearing. Mr. Loszak had three asks for the Subcommittee: first, to ensure the DOE Reactor Pilot Program (an expedited authorization initiative created under EO 14301 to fast-track advanced nuclear reactor testing and achieve criticality outside national laboratories by July 4, 2026) remains a pathway connecting initial criticality through to sustain full power operations); second, that demonstration data generated under DOE oversight can be accredited or adopted in subsequent Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing to improve the licensing process; and third, to support the full stack domestic nuclear fuel cycle.

In the hearing, there was also mention of the growing use of nuclear energy by the U.S. military. A few speakers noted that the U.S. Navy has relied on nuclear propulsion for decades, and that Project Janus, the U.S. Army's program to deploy off grid commercial nuclear microreactors on military, gives the Army a way to keep essential operations running 24/7.

Witness Dr. Steven Shannon, Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University, answered questions from Representatives about how to grow the nuclear industry in their districts, and spoke at length about the need to develop a workforce pipeline to move advanced nuclear along.

Great Lakes Representatives present at the hearing spoke about the growth of nuclear energy in their districts. Rep. Huizenga (R- MI) spoke on the restoration of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Cover, MI to add 800 MW back to the grid, and plans to build two small modular reactors on the site. As energy needs increased and coal fire power plants have shut down, Palisades Nuclear Power Plant is replacing and bringing more energy to the grid, decreasing costs for Michiganders. Rep. Baird (R- IN) mentioned the reactor in Purdue, which is not only the only nuclear reactor in Indiana, but the nation’s first and only digital NRC licensed research reactor. The Purdue research uses AI digital twins to simulate how reactors work in the real world, speeding up the process of design, and getting advanced nuclear energy closer to commercial deployment.

For more information, watch the hearing here.

Reported by NEMWI Intern Loula Kostas, Northeastern University Graduate

House Appropriations Committee Holds Hearing on Workforce Development for Skilled Trades

The House Committee on Appropriations held a hearing last week on the current state of the industrial base and workforce development for skilled trades. The hearing looked at the stigma surrounding blue collar work and the subsequent hesitation of young professionals to enter these trades. Currently, for every five skilled trade workers that are reaching retirement, only two new workers enter the field.

Eric Chewning, an executive vice president of maritime systems and corporate strategy at Huntington Ingalls Industries, spoke on the shrinking labor market for shipbuilders and skilled trades required to construct our ships and submarines, and how he has been working to alleviate the issues this shortage brings into play. He stated that his industry targets a 15% growth in workforce development in shipbuilding industries, and in order to help reach this goal, unions and corporations have agreed to an 18-20% wage increase for all skilled trade workers in the industry. Chewning also highlighted efforts to revitalize old manufacturing facilities, including a success story in South Carolina in which an old shipyard has been reactivated and restored, and is supplied with a growing workforce.

Michael Reed, President of Pennsylvania College of Technology, spoke on his institution's development of a young skilled trade workforce. Reed boasted that the demand for skilled trades is so high that virtually all of his students are receiving employment opportunities up to a year before they are set to graduate, with a 98% job placement rate following graduation. Reed noted that today a graduate from a skilled trade program is on average making 36% more income than a four year college graduate. He ended his testimony by reinforcing the fact that workforce demand is outpacing supply today. America’s military strength, he said, is dependent on workforce strength, making it essential to encourage more young people to enter skilled trades.

In the second panel of this hearing, Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy Michael Cadenazzi spoke on new threats, such as Chinese manufacturing capabilities rivaling our own for the first time. He provided statistics showing that the U.S. currently has 400,000 unfulfilled trade jobs and within the next few years faces more retirements that could grow that number to 2.5 million. Cadenazzi spoke on the Build Freedom Campaign that his department has been working on to promote careers in the skilled trades and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base. His primary goals are to restore production and mineral sourcing in the U.S. and ensure the industrial base is ready to mobilize in the face of conflict.

Following all testimony, the committee agreed that consistent investment is needed to support workforce development for skilled trades and that the cost to develop a skilled workforce is significant. One of the hurdles is breaking the blue collar stigma and to better educate American youth on these valuable career opportunities earlier in the K-12 education system.

Reported by NEMWI Intern Aidan D’Oria, Ramapo College of New Jersey

House Ways and Means Committee Holds Hearing on Critical Minerals

On Wednesday September 2, the House Committee on Ways and Means held a legislative hearing regarding the security of critical resources and global supply chains. Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) set the tone with opening remarks outlining the urgency to move away from U.S. dependency on China for critical mineral production as a means of national security since it “is the leading global producer of 30 of the 60 minerals the United States has designated as critical and controls around 90 percent of global processing capacity for rare earth elements.” Many American households have felt the impacts of China’s monopoly of critical minerals from the automotive industry to the grocery store. This control also threatens American capacity to produce military, medical, and agricultural technology vital for the country’s success. The hearing opened the conversation on how to move away from dependency on China, looking to other strategic partnerships in Africa and Central Asia and discussed potential obstacles to obtaining strong relationships in these regions.

During the discussion, lawmakers identified two key points of legislation that would streamline trade agreements to strengthen supply chains through diversification including the extension of the bipartisan African Growth and Opportunity Agreement (AGOA) through December 31, 2028, and graduating Central Asian countries to permanent normal trade relation (PNTR) status. By extending AGOA, the U.S. would be able to access a rich region of resources, duty-free access to U.S. markets for eligible nations, preferential treatment, and conditionalities that would improve environmental and labor standards. Through the normalization of trade relations, Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan would be able to move up in supply chain value, move away from China and Russia’s sphere of influence, and gain direct access to western markets through the middle corridor in a mutually beneficial manner.

The witnesses present were able to provide clarity and expertise on how Congress should move about pursuing these goals. Dr. Gracelin Baskaran of the Center for Strategic and International Studies emphasized the importance of diversification for national security saying “whoever controls the raw materials is going to control the future of strategic technologies across the board,” speaking to the impacts critical minerals have on artificial intelligence and military defense technology. She also advocated for a lengthened extension of AGOA to a longer-term agreement that would ensure durability, resilience and consistency beyond its expiration in 2028. She argued for full supply chain integration from “mine to manufactured goods,” a framework which would build up processing hubs both at home and abroad.

Dr. Morgan Bazilian of the Colorado School of Mines also acknowledged the importance of durability and resilience through the idea of “mine to mission, not just mine to market,” where the U.S. should build up partner industries in agriculture and manufacturing. He also advocated for the extension of AGOA with an additional critical minerals chapter into the amendment, and recommended considering statutory requirements for proposed agreements on trade and critical minerals.

Finally, Ms. Melinda St. Louis of Public Citizen offered a different perspective on expanding global supply chains and strategic partnerships. Though she agreed that strengthening relationships in Africa and Central Asia will be important for national security, she also emphasized the urgency to reform trade deals to apprehend corruption, uphold transparency, and implement reliable monitorization of labor and environmental standard enforcement. Her stance comes after Public Citizen published a report on President Trump’s lack of transparency in critical minerals deals and whether or not there is a case for corruption and opportunity for conflicts of interest.

While the hearing focused on diversification through international partners, legislators also stressed the need to fortify domestic industries. Chairman Smith mentioned in his introduction that “diversification away from China shouldn’t focus exclusively on foreign sources of critical minerals. There are domestic opportunities that we need to be doing more to incentivize as well.” Many members identified cases from their respective states where industries have been impacted by China’s stronghold on critical minerals and cannot keep up with its competition.

After the conclusion of the hearing, President Trump officially approved and signed the AGOA Extension Act H.R. 6500 on September 3, 2026, to extend through December 31, 2028. The extension was originally voted on and passed by the House in January of 2026 under the the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, followed by Senate approval in August of 2026.

Reported by NEMWI Intern Claire Daniels, University of Michigan Graduate

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