Great Lakes Task Force Co-Chairs Send Letter Urging End to Stop Work Order at Brandon Road

Co-Chairs of the Great Lakes Task Force Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), and Dave Joyce (R-OH), sent a letter on August 1 to Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget and Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works expressing “concern over delays affecting the timely construction of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP)... and to urge prompt resolution of these delays.”

The letter follows a stop work order put in effect on Friday, July 24 by the Army Corps of Engineers, the agency responsible for the construction of the project. The BRIP is again under administrative review, as it was from December 2025 to April of this year. That review was lifted in time for the Corps to award the contract for the first phase of construction, which would have begun last week if not for the new pause. $2 million worth of material was already on site.

Unlike the previous pause, which followed a political fight between the state of Illinois and the Trump Administration, the reasons for the stop work order are unclear. The Corps have yet to offer an explanation. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources claimed last week that they found out about the pause not through the Corps but from the contractors.

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. “There is a rapidly closing window to stop the further spread of these harmful invasive species before they inflict irreparable damage on the Great Lakes,” the letter reads.

The letter also notes longtime support for the project from President Trump, including at an Oval Office meeting with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer last year. “Given the strong support for this project from President Trump, its non-Federal sponsors, and the longstanding bipartisan support for its timely construction by Congress,” the Co-Chairs write, “we respectfully urge you to lift the stop-work orders, conclude any additional administration review of BRIP, and release Federal funds through the Army Corps of Engineers without any further delay.”

Read the letter here.

Great Lakes Fishery Commission Testifies in Support of Walberg AIS Bill

The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on July 21 on four wildlife and natural resource bills, including H.R. 8876, the Aquatic Invasive Species Control and Prevention Act of 2026. Introduced by Reps. Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), the bill would update the federal framework for prevention and control of aquatic invasive species.

Dr. Marc Gaden, Executive Secretary of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, testified in support of H.R. 8876. He described aquatic invasive species as a nationwide ecological and economic threat that can reduce biodiversity, degrade water quality, damage infrastructure, and harm commercial and recreational fisheries. Dr. Gaden cited a striking statistic: “Since 1960, invasive species have cost an estimated $345 billion in global economic costs over the past few decades, nearly half of which occurred in North America.” Dr. Gaden emphasized that the Great Lakes are particularly vulnerable, with more than 180 non-native species already established in the system. Dr. Gaden pointed to zebra and quagga mussels and sea lamprey as examples of the long-term consequences of failing to prevent an invasion in the Great Lakes. Preventing the arrival of those invasive species would have saved tens of billions of dollars in fishery losses and control expenses; “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” he said. Dr. Gaden argued that H.R. 8876 would promote greater federal coordination through the existing Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force and National Invasive Species Council. Federal and local governments, Tribes, nonprofit partners, and academic institutions would have stronger systems for sharing data and developing management practices, which are critical to preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.

Rep. Walberg asked Dr. Gaden what lessons could be learned from the successful sea lamprey control program and how H.R. 8876 would improve coordination among federal agencies, states, and regional partnerships. Dr. Gaden said the bill would improve coordination across jurisdictions, which is especially critical because invasive species are highly mobile and can thrive across local, state, and national borders. Sea lamprey were especially difficult to manage when control efforts were fragmented and uncoordinated across states, and the modern success of the program owes a lot to coordination between federal agencies and levels of government. Drawing on that model, H.R. 8876 would make invasive species management a more unified and effective endeavor.

A co-sponsor of H.R. 8876, Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS), pointed to invasive carp that are now crowding the Mississippi River and displacing the native fish on which fishing businesses and families rely. “The longer these invasive species stick around, the harder they are to control,” he said, making the bill’s preventive approach especially important.

Rep. Ezell asked Dr. Gaden how he believed H.R. 8876 would help states such as Mississippi protect native aquatic species. Dr. Gaden said the bill would increase the speed at which invasive species are addressed by strengthening federal and local coordination in monitoring and data collection. He framed invasive carp as an especially concerning case because they have become dominant in parts of the Mississippi River, including the Illinois and Ohio River systems, and are “now clawing at the gates of the Great Lakes.” Drawing from the case of invasive sea lamprey, Dr. Gaden warned that “there is very little chance of eradication once they make a system home.”

Reported by NEMWI Intern Jamaica Rose, Amherst College

House Subcommittee Highlights Bipartisan Push To Strengthen Critical Mineral Mapping and Permitting



The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources met on July 21 to examine three bipartisan bills aimed at strengthening the United States' domestic critical mineral supply chain. The hearing considered legislation on advanced mineral mapping, permitting reform, and quantum technologies. Much of the discussion centered on two bipartisan proposals: the Earth MRI Reauthorization Act of 2026 (H.R. 9640) and the Expanding the Fast Track Act of 2026 (H.R. 8003). These bills address two parts of the same challenge: identifying where America's critical mineral resources are located, and helping projects move through the federal permitting process more efficiently. 

Throughout the hearing, members from both sides of the aisle agreed that expanding domestic critical mineral production is increasingly important for the nation's economic and national security. However, before new mines can be developed, witnesses emphasized that the United States must improve its understanding of where those resources exist.

H.R. 9640, introduced by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), would reauthorize the U.S. Geological Survey's Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI). Earth MRI is a federal-state partnership that collects and publicly shares geologic data to identify critical mineral resources across the country. Dr. Ruarri Day-Stirrat, President of the Association of American State Geologists, called the program the foundation for future mineral development, telling lawmakers, "We cannot responsibly develop resources we do not understand. Before minerals can be mined, before private capital can be invested, and before permitting decisions can be streamlined, there must be baseline, reliable geologic data."

Day-Stirrat argued that Earth MRI "creates publicly available geologic information that reduces uncertainty for everyone," which helps guide investment decisions while improving long-term resource planning. He also highlighted Earth MRI's broad scope, explaining that partnerships have supported projects in 46 states and Puerto Rico. Chairman Pete Stauber (R-MN) added that continuing work in areas such as northern Minnesota's Duluth Complex could further strengthen America's domestic critical mineral supply chain.

Witnesses also repeatedly emphasized that once resources are identified, projects need a permitting process that is transparent, coordinated, and predictable. That discussion centered on H.R. 8003, introduced by Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) and Rep. Jeff Crank (R-CO). The legislation would lower the FAST-41 eligibility threshold from $200 million to $50 million, allowing for the inclusion of more mid-sized infrastructure projects. Supporters argued the change would help more projects benefit from improved coordination across federal agencies without changing existing environmental laws. Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV) described H.R. 8003 as a "smart, straightforward, and genuinely bipartisan permitting reform," reflecting the consensus among lawmakers that strengthening domestic critical mineral supply chains is a shared priority.

In her response to questions from Rep. Crank, Emily Domenech, Executive Director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, explained that FAST-41 helps keep the permitting process on track by requiring agencies to identify a lead agency early, coordinate with project developers, and publicly share permitting timelines. She repeatedly argued that efficiency does not come at the expense of environmental protections. "If you're a developer who wants to come in and cut corners, don't come to FAST-41," Domenech said, "because we aren't going to let you do it."

But members also raised questions about how the permitting reforms would be implemented. Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA) argued that staffing reductions across federal agencies, combined with what he described as an "active war on clean energy" from the Trump Administration, could limit FAST-41's ability to efficiently advance renewable energy projects. He questioned whether the program could deliver on its promise of streamlined permitting if certain projects were not being treated consistently. Domenech responded that staffing capacity has not been a major challenge within the current FAST-41 portfolio, and said projects are accepted based on statutory eligibility rather than project type.

While members differed on broader energy policy and implementation, the hearing reflected broad bipartisan agreement that strengthening America's critical mineral supply chain requires more than simply opening new mines. It requires understanding where those resources exist through modern geological mapping and a permitting process that is transparent, efficient, and predictable. Although each bill focuses on a different aspect of the issue, together they reflect bipartisan efforts to strengthen domestic critical mineral development and improve long-term economic and national security.

See these bills and others in NEMWI’s Critical Minerals Legislation Tracker here.

Reported by NEMWI Intern Greta Glisczinski, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University

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