Fact Sheets

# Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Protects the Great Lakes from Invasive Carp

The White House
May 9, 2025

STOPPING INVASIVE CARP: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a presidential memorandum to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp.

- The memorandum directs his administration to expeditiously implement the most effective mechanisms, barriers, and other measures to prevent the migration and expansion of invasive carp in the Great Lakes Basin and the surrounding region.
- It supports construction of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, which would provide multiple layers of innovative technological deterrents designed to prevent invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes, provided that the states involved are willing to cooperate and meet deadlines so that the federal investment pays off and the project can be completed in a timely, effective fashion. This project was authorized in the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 but has recently been delayed by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.
  - It sets a deadline of July 1, 2025, for Illinois to acquire necessary land to begin construction and 30-day deadlines for local permits to be granted to facilitate Army Corps construction.
  - Federal agencies are similarly directed to streamline their permitting and environmental reviews.
- It instructs the Environmental Protection Agency to prioritize infrastructure projects to remove invasive carp from the Upper Illinois Waterway near Lake Michigan and maintain existing barriers to prevent their entry into the Great Lakes Basin.
- It tasks NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to prioritize research and management for the prevention, removal, and control of invasive carp and other aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes.

PROTECTING THE GREAT LAKES: President Trump understands that swift action is essential to safeguard the Great Lakes from the growing threat of invasive carp.

- The Great Lakes are the world’s largest surface freshwater system, and a highly valued shipping avenue, resource for fishing and recreation, and source of high-quality drinking water.
- For several decades, invasive species of Asian carp have steadily migrated and expanded from the Southeast northward through streams, rivers, and lakes, nearing the Great Lakes entry point.
- Asian carp, which can exceed 100 pounds in weight, spread rapidly by outcompeting native fish populations for food and space, threatening species like walleye, yellow perch, and lake whitefish.
- Their potential entry into the Great Lakes would irreparably damage fishing, boating, recreation, and tourism, which supports tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in commerce annually.
- Immediate action is needed as the Federal Government has already invested $274 million in the Brandon Road project, but Illinois’ recent delays in land acquisition and permitting threaten this critical defense against an ecological and economic disaster.

SAFEGUARDING AMERICA’S NATURAL ABUNDANCE: President Trump has consistently demonstrated a commonsense dedication to protecting America’s natural resources, environment, and outdoor recreation areas.

- President Trump has championed improved forest management in order to prevent forest fires that are devastating communities and ecosystems across the country.
- By pausing the expansion of windmills, President Trump recognized their detrimental environmental impact, particularly on wildlife, often outweighs their benefits.
- President Trump signed the Save Our Seas Act to preserve and protect our beautiful waters and oceans from being littered with garbage.
- President Trump stands committed to sportsmen and anglers, ensuring they have access to thriving natural lands and waters for hunting and fishing.

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