The Coalition is excited to highlight many of our ongoing priorities with a series of guest blogs. We hope this will serve as an educational resource that will encourage our members, prospective members, and the public at-large to advocate for Delaware River Watershed priorities. Today we are highlighting the dynamic issues that the Urban Waters Federal Partnership addresses in communities throughout the watershed.
By: Erica J. Rossetti (she/her), Urban Waters Coordinator, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
Urban Waters Federal Partnership: Equitably Reconnecting Communities to Water
Many of our cities and developed areas across the United States face similar issues affecting the health of humans, habitats, and communities: pollution, flooding and erosion, disconnection from waterways and nature, environmental injustices, housing and economic disparities, and the brunt of climate change impacts. To combat such sweeping issues, it is crucial to center the voices of those impacted, empower communities, and prioritize the revitalization of our urban environments.
The Delaware River Waterfront located in Chester, PA- an area of focus within the Delaware River Urban Waters Federal Partnership location.
Recognizing the intersectionality of such urban issues, the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) was formed in 2011 with a mission to restore and reconnect urban waterways with the communities around them, specifically those that are historically and economically distressed. UWFP is a partnership between the Environmental Protection Agency, other federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations that aims to connect the dots between federal resources and community revitalization, with a focus on water. We cannot sustain healthy and thriving communities without considering water resources, and we cannot restore waterways and ecosystems without considering the history, culture, and socioeconomic needs of the communities that surround and depend on them.
I’m sure that everyone reading this is passionate about implementing environmental restoration and outdoor recreation projects everywhere in the Delaware River Watershed. However, before we implement projects and programs, have we asked the right questions? Have we consulted what that community wants and needs? Have we considered their history and cultures in our designs? Do we know how a project will truly make an impact, especially in the height of compounding disparity and climate change? Are we distributing our resources equitably? These are all questions that the Urban Waters Federal Partnership seeks to address.
Locations of the 20 designated Urban Waters Federal Partnerships.
To implement UWFP goals, there are 20 designated locations throughout the United States. Each location has their own priorities, projects, and programs built around local needs and opportunities, and each has an Urban Waters Ambassador to bridge the gaps between community groups and federal partners to support the equitable implementation of effective projects and programs.
In fact, we have our very own UWFP location right here in the Delaware River Watershed! The Urban Waters Federal Partnership’s Delaware River Location, established in 2012, focuses on the urbanized areas of the lower Delaware River, including Camden, Chester, Philadelphia, and Wilmington. The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE) has hosted the Delaware River Location’s Ambassador since 2020. A National Estuary Program and a leading non-profit in the region, PDE aims to expand its environmental research, restoration, and engagement to include and highlight the urban areas of the Delaware Estuary. Working together with partners and community members through this program, we have a unique opportunity to help connect people in this urban corridor back to the Delaware River—and to each other—through collaboration, engagement, and restoration.
Looking ahead, PDE and the UWFP Delaware River Location’s working group have identified several challenges and goals. In 2022, we are looking forward to working in the following five areas:
The first annual Chester River Fest took place on October 2, 2021.
1. Planning and participating in local community events (including our webinar series and bringing the Delaware River Festival to the Chester Waterfront for a second year)
2. Sharing success stories and resources via honest communication and messaging
3. Identifying projects in each of the four cities that we can help connect to resources
4. Supporting local restoration, stewardship, and community revitalization projects
5. Building trusting community relationships and partnerships
You can read more about these priorities in our 2022 Workplan.
This moment in time is not only exciting for Urban Waters work, but it is also extremely crucial. With a renewed focus on intersectional environmental justice throughout the world, this is a critical opportunity to ensure that conservation work across our region is inclusive towards urban communities that have long been disconnected from clean water and excluded from equitable access to nature. If you live, work, or recreate in any of the Delaware River Watershed’s urban areas, this partnership includes you! From community celebrations, virtual webinars, storytelling, and collaboration, to planting trees and gardens, installing green infrastructure, and beyond, we hope you will play a part in envisioning the Delaware River Watershed as a revitalized resource for all to thrive together.
To learn more about the Urban Waters Federal Partnership Delaware River Location, visit PDE’s web page at www.DelawareEstuary.org/save-the-estuary/urban-waters or contact Erica Rossetti, PDE’s Urban Waters Coordinator and the UWFP Delaware River Location Ambassador, at ERossetti@DelawareEstuary.org. You can also access more stories and resources via the Urban Waters Learning Network at www.UrbanWatersLearningNetwork.org.