Capitol Building, Washington, DC
For the first time in two years, over 50 members of the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed met in-person with Members of Congress in Washington, DC to educate offices on key policy and funding priorities that support conservation and restoration in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Previously, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coalition’s annual Hill Day was held virtually.
Wilmington, DE: Collin O’Mara (NWF), Megan McGlinchey (Riverfront North Development Corporation), Rep. Blunt Rochester, Sen. Carper, Kelly Knutson (CDRW), Kyla Hastie (USFWS), Shawn Garvin (DNREC)
We started our 2023 Hill Week on an encouraging and exciting note with Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) taking another major step forward in protecting the drinking water, state wildlife, and restoration sites across the watershed by reintroducing the bipartisan Delaware River Basin Conservation Reauthorization Act (DRBCA).
Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus Co-Chairs, Rep. Blunt Rochester & Rep. Fitzpatrick
On March 8th, a busy day of Congressional meetings began with a convening of the Delaware River Watershed Caucus, co-chaired by Rep. Fitzpatrick and Rep. Blunt Rochester, at the Capitol Visitor Center. Coalition members heard from the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) about the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program (DRBRP) and the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund (DWCF), as well as from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) about Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA).
Following the convening, Coalition members met with all basin congressional offices from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware to discuss the following appropriation requests and legislative asks:
Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriation Requests:
Support for 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). The Program is a non-regulatory effort that uses a relatively small federal investment to leverage private investment, regional partnerships, and local knowledge to protect and restore the resources of the watershed. The core component of the Program is competitive grants through the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, launched in August 2018. 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.
Support for at least $3 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
The Clean Water SRF helps communities across the nation address their local water infrastructure needs by providing low interest loans to local governments and is the key component of the Clean Water Act to ensure that local governments have federal funding to carry out the Act’s mandates. In lawmaker visits, advocates encouraged that 20 percent of the CWSRF funds be used for green infrastructure and innovative projects including those to manage stormwater, which helps communities improve water quality while creating green space, mitigating flooding, and enhancing air quality.
Fiscal Year 2024 Legislative Requests:
Cosponsor the Reauthorization of the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act (S.654 / H.R.1395)
Introduced by Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) in the House and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) in the Senate, reauthorization of this critical and well-established federal program would continue to affirm the nationally and historically significant Delaware River Watershed as a resource worth protecting. We must provide continued support to the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program and reauthorize the Program before the Act lapses in September 2023. If passed, the program and restoration successes would continue through 2030. To make the program accessible to a wider array of prospective grantees, reauthorization would allow a 90% federal investment with 10% match for small, rural, or disadvantaged communities and the Secretary may waive all match requirements at their own discretion.
Cosponsor Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA)
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is a bold, bipartisan solution that will help protect at-risk species with cost-effective, collaborative conservation programs. If passed, RAWA would invest $1.4 billion annually to national conservation efforts to help at-risk wildlife species and to support critical habitat restoration projects. $75 - $100 million funding is anticipated for Delaware River watershed states. This increased funding is vital to meet the needs of the more than 12,000 species state fish and wildlife agencies have identified as being in need of proactive conservation efforts. That includes more than 1,600 species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
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 Day possible! It was great to be back in Washington, DC to advocate 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.