The new federal budget includes millions for programs helping the Illinois side of Lake Michigan, including efforts to keep out Asian carp.

The omnibus spending bill would maintain the $300 million funding level for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. This provides money for areas surrounding harbor cleanup, reducing farm and city runoff, and combating invasive species like the carp.

Jordan Lubetkin, spokesman for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, says besides funding some prevention measures to block the carp, it also urges the Army Corps of Engineers to get moving on redesigning the Brandon Road Lock & Dam in Joliet along the Des Plaines River.

The budget is expected to be voted on by Congress today.

In other State news, it could be more wet than white for Christmas in Illinois.

Lyle Barker, meteorologist at the Lincoln office of the National Weather Service said temperatures may cool off this weekend, but will be warming up again early next week. He said we are expecting a few weather systems, but it looks like those will be in the form of rain.

It’s been warm for much of Illinois in November and December, but Barker does not pull the word karma out of his meteorological handbook. He said it’s possible to finish winter on the cold side and we aren’t done with winter yet.