The Institute launched its Delaware River Basin Program in 2008 to promote legislative strategies for ecosystem restoration for the four-state watershed in Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Beginning in the Catskill Mountains and ending in the Delaware Bay, the Delaware River and estuary system is a defining feature of the Mid-Atlantic landscape. The 13,000-square-mile Delaware River watershed boasts eight million inhabitants, and provides drinking water to 15 million people, including over half the residents of New York City.

The Institute has partnered with the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation on the Delaware River Basin program, and current work surrounds facilitating a regional environmental legislative agenda – as bold and comprehensive as other place-based water programs.

Additionally, the Institute assists efforts in the community to raise the profile of the river basin and to support the bipartisan Congressional Delaware River Basin Task Force in becoming a stronger voice and more effective agent for water quality improvement in the region.

The Institute is currently advising coalition-building in the Delaware region to support a coordinated legislative strategy. In order to learn more about the restoration needs in the region, the Institute and NFWF facilitated several stakeholder meetings in the watershed throughout the summer and fall of 2008. Synthesis of these meetings is available below. The information gathered through these discussions informed our next steps in promoting the restoration of the Deleware River watershed.

By combining lessons learned through the stakeholder meetings with the interests and concerns of the Delaware River Basin Task Force, the Institute and NFWF informed the development of the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4698).  The bill was originally introduced on February 25, 2010, but did not receive further consideration.

On June 23, 2011, members of the Senate (led by Senator Carper of Delaware) and House (led by Rep. Carney of Delaware) introduced the bill for the 112th Congress.  The content of the bill changed very little since its first introduction.  On December 8, 2011, the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee held a business hearing during which the legislation was considered and approved.  The House bill currently awaits consideration in the House Natural Resources Committee.

Timeline and Resources:

- In-watershed stakeholder meetings - Summer/Fall 2008 (List of Participants, Summary)
- DRBTF co-chairs host roundtable discussion with FWS, EPA - Summer 2009
- DRBTF Congressional staff briefing - February 19, 2010 (Power Point Presentation)
- DRBTF co-chairs press release for bill introduction - February 25, 2010
- Partnership for the Delaware Estuary 2010 letter of support
- The Nature Conservancy 2010 letter of support
- Ducks Unlimited 2010 letter of support
- White Clay Creek National Wild & Scenic River 2010 letter of support
- American Rivers 2010 letter of support
- Rep. Castle hosts Delaware roundtable event with stakeholders - June 7, 2010 (press release, news clippings)
- Senator Carper holds Wilmington press conference to announce Delaware River Basin Conservation Act of 2011 -- June 3, 2011

- One-page fact sheet on the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act (updated 9/20/11)
- 112th Senators and Representatives in the Delaware River Basin - Contact Sheet
- 112th Congressional map of the Delaware River Basin
- Introduction of House (H.R. 2325) and Senate (S. 1266) bills - June 23, 2011
- NGO Coalition support letter sent to House and Senate Committees - September 22, 2011
- Senate Environment & Public Works Committee approval of S. 1266 - December 8, 2011
- House Delaware River Basin Task Force letter to Natural Resources Committe - December 13, 2011