By: Shelby Coulton, CDRW Communications Intern
Senator Tom Carper, of Delaware, and his congressional staffers met with Coalition members on Thursday, March 10, 2022.
Members of the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed met virtually with New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware’s Members of Congress and their offices March 8th - March 10th, 2022, as part of the Coalition’s annual Hill Week. Each year, the Coalition meets with Members of Congress from jurisdictions within the Delaware River Watershed to advocate for an array of environmental concerns- and despite COVID-19 making Hill Week virtual for the second year in a row, our focus remained the same - to protect and preserve the Delaware River Watershed. This year we met with 28 congressional offices, 72 advocates, and had 41 Coalition member organizations participate.
Senator Tom Carper announcing the reauthorization of the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act at Thousand Acre Marsh in Middletown, Delaware on March 7, 2022.
We started our 2022 Hill Week on an encouraging and exciting note come Monday, March 7th, with Senator Tom Carper’s announcement of the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act’s reauthorization at Thousand Acre Marsh in Middletown, Delaware. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE) also attended the event and shared supportive remarks emphasizing the importance of the watershed’s protection.
The following day, CDRW staff and the Coalition’s Steering Committee traveled to Washington D.C. where they met with the Delaware River Watershed Caucus - co-chaired by Congressmen Antonio Delgado (NY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA). Exciting news was announced during the meeting - Reauthorization of Delaware River Basin Conservation Act in the House of Representatives led Congressman Dwight Evans (PA).
The Coalition members and Congressman Antonio Delgado and Congressman Dwight Evans met together in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, March 8, 2022.
Over a three day span, Coalition members met with Members of Congress and their offices virtually to discuss the following appropriation requests and legislative asks:
Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriation Requests:
Please support an increase for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program in the amount of $15 million.
Congress passed the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act (DRBCA) in 2016 with bipartisan support. This legislation directed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create and facilitate the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program (DRBRP). Increased funding would provide additional help improving public access and recreation, restoring and preserving fish and wildlife habitat, and protecting riparian, stream, and wetland habitats.
Please support robust funding for the Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers (PWSRs) program by signing on to the FY23 PWSRs Dear Colleague Letter.
There are 400 miles of designated Wild and Scenic River in the watershed, including 60% of the Delaware River (NJ & PA), the Maurice River (NJ), the Musconetcong River (NJ), and White Clay Creek Watershed (DE & PA). Additional funding would help support the implementation of restoration and preservation projects.
Please support increased funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
Demand for LWCF projects and grants continues to outstrip available funding. We urge Members of Congress to support increased funding in FY23 to address conservation and recreation activities across the country, adding $450 million in discretionary funding to complement the mandatory $900 million provided by the Great American Outdoors Act. Please also support the 30x30 initiative, which calls for the protection of 30 percent of America’s lands and oceans by 2030. LWCF will be vital in achieving 30x30 goals on climate change and environmental justice.
Please support $8.1 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
$8.1 billion in FY23 for the fund would provide $1.553 billion in low interest loans to local governments in Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. This funding would provide critical assistance to green infrastructure, water quality, and environmental justice projects.
Please support robust funding levels for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA).
Since created in 1989, this program has been wildly successful in restoring, protecting, and enhancing critical wetland habitat for wildlife and people. Getting close to the authorization level of $60 million will ensure areas throughout the Delaware River watershed benefit from this impactful program.
Please reinstate federal funding for the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) that is consistent with the “fair share” funding of the $715,000 (20%) agreed upon in 1988.
The DRBC is the primary agency charged with managing a river system that supplies drinking water for more than 13 million people, supports thriving economy, and provides wildlife habitat. Full “fair share” funding would provide the financial assistance for water quality protection, drought management, flood loss reduction, watershed planning projects and more.
Legislative Requests:
Cosponsor the Urban Waters Federal Partnership Act (S.2285/H.R.5504) which authorizes $10 million annually over five years.
Cosponsor the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (S.2372/H.R.2773) which would provide states, territories, and tribes to restore habitats and implement conservation strategies.
Support PFAS legislation that would establish requirements and incentives to limit the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are man-made chemicals that may have adverse human health effects.
Representative Antonio Delgado and his congressional staffers met with Coalition members on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.
The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed is thankful for the participation of Coalition member organizations, Members of Congress, Congressional staffers, and the constituents that made this year’s Hill Week possible! Despite Hill Week meetings being virtual for a second year in a row, the week was still an outstanding success. As a collective voice, we advocated for the significance of clean water, environmental justice, wildlife conservation, habitat protection, land preservation, and recreation- another stride towards a healthier and stronger Delaware River Watershed.