U.S. Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) is pushing federal legislation he recently introduced to further coordinate conservation efforts in the Delaware watershed.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the Delaware River Basin Commission and Delaware conservation organizations joined Castle at a press conference Monday, June 7 at the New Castle Library to promote the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act of 2010.
Castle is co-chair of the Delaware River Basin Task Force in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Delaware River Basin includes parts of the states of Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
"Under this legislation, we will be creating a needed federal umbrella charged with carrying out a coordinated strategy for protection and restoration efforts in the Delaware watershed, one of the nation’s most important water bodies and natural landscapes," Castle said.
Unlike other geographic watershed programs, the Delaware River Basin lacks a Basin-wide coordinated conservation strategy and dedicated federal support. The Delaware River Basin Conservation Act of 2010 builds on current efforts in the Basin, and provides a non-regulatory framework for coordinating conservation and provides a competitive grant program and technical assistance for on-the-ground projects.
It prioritizes living resources, restoring and protecting fish and wildlife habitat and water quality.
Prior to the press conference, Castle hosted a roundtable discussion on current and future watershed-based conservation and restoration opportunities in the Delaware River Basin Watershed with DNREC Secretary Collin O'Mara, representatives from U.S. FWS, EPA, and NOAA, the Delaware River Basin Commission and local non-profits engaged in Basin conservation.
