Posted on May 08 2014
Senator Carper (DE) re-introduced the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act in the Senate this morning (bill number is pending). DRBCA would create a non-regulatory Delaware River Basin Restoration Program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Act requires the Fish and Wildlife Service to consult with public agencies and other organizations in order to identify, prioritize, and implement protection and restoration activities on a watershed-wide basis. The Act also provides for a competitive grant program to help fund on-the-ground work by non-profits, universities, and state and local governments, including efforts to restore habitat, improve water quality, and mitigate flood damage. The Senate bill authorizes $5 million annually for the program, of which 75 percent must be used for the grant program and other technical assistance provided by FWS. Grants would require a minimum 50 percent non-Federal match.
In addition to the direct benefits provided by the Act, the legislation would provide a much-needed boost to raising awareness of the significance of the Delaware River Watershed on a national scale. Other major watersheds in the country have benefitted from this type of attention for years, not only as the recipients of significant amounts of dedicated funding, but also from the competitive edge provided when competing for resources available under other national programs such as the new Farm Bill. The Delaware River Basin Conservation Act clearly affirms the critical need to invest in protecting and restoring our watershed, and the coordinated approach that it calls for lays essential groundwork for pursuing other opportunities that have the potential to bring widespread benefits.
Feel free to share the fact sheet and press release with your networks (click here to view the press release issued by Senator Carper’s office)
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