WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chair of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife, this week met with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) St. Louis District Commander Colonel Kevin Golinghorst, as well as USACE Rock Island District Commander Colonel Jesse Curry to discuss critical water infrastructure projects throughout the state. In separate meetings, Duckworth discussed the support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) and inland waterways programs, including the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project.
“Protecting and strengthening our inland waterways is critical to growing our local economies and protecting the health and safety of our communities,” Duckworth said. “I was glad to meet with Colonel Golinghorst and Colonel Curry to discuss the importance of water infrastructure and the ongoing projects throughout the region. I’m pleased to see so much support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for critical U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects that will benefit working Illinoisans, and I look forward to continuing to work with USACE to help protect our environment, modernize our water infrastructure and provide good-paying, local jobs for the region.”
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The Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) is a long-term ecological restoration and navigation program for the Upper Mississippi River System, of which Duckworth has been a strong supporter. Earlier this year, USACE allocated more than $800 million in funding for NESP through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, specifically funding the construction of Lock and Dam 25 in Calhoun County, Illinois.
USACE also allocated funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to the Brandon Road Project to construct a new engineered channel at Brandon Road that will be used to test and deploy a range of technologies that will prevent Asian Carp from moving further north to the Great Lakes. Senator Duckworth was able to assist the Brandon Road project in achieving a significant cost-share reduction for the non-federal sponsor in the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 and this new funding announced will allow the Corps to complete the design on the project and begin construction.
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