Rep. Delgado Hosts Delaware River Coalition in Washington, Announces New Legislation to Reauthorize the River Basin Restoration Program | Representative Antonio Delgado (house.gov)
March 8, 2022
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) hosted a group of about 20 advocates in Washington, D.C. for a meeting to discuss progress and map future plans to secure resources for the Delaware River Watershed. During the meeting, Rep. Delgado and Rep. Dwight Evans (PA-03) announced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program (DRBRP) through 2030. The reauthorization improves on the existing statute by further increasing federal cost-sharing provisions included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
“The Delaware River is a critical resource for our communities and local economies,” said Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-NY). “As a proud co-founder of the bipartisan Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus, I am glad to help introduce this legislation supporting essential conservation programs. I will keep working with my colleagues to protect this great natural resource for decades to come.”
“I’m proud to be lead House sponsor of the Delaware River Basin Conservation Reauthorization Act,” said Rep. Evans. “The restoration program provides invaluable support, through technical and grant assistance, to restoration and protection activities throughout the Delaware River Basin, a vital watershed covering over 13,000 square miles in four states and reaching over 7 million people. Maintaining the program is essential to protecting ecological diversity, improving water quality and flood damage mitigation, expanding public access and recreation, and generating economic opportunities throughout the mid-Atlantic.”
“As Co-Chair of the Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus, I have long advocated for federal funding for the Delaware River Watershed to improve the lives of our communities and our natural habitats,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Without the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program, we would lose out on the critical restoration and conservation programs that allow our Basin and local communities to thrive. I’m pleased to join my colleagues to lead the charge in reauthorizing the DRBRP, so we can continue to carry out the important work throughout the Delaware River Basin.”
“Delaware is full of rich and historic natural heritage including areas like the Thousand Acre Marsh. Reauthorizing the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act would allow us to conserve these areas for future generations of Delawareans to enjoy,” Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. “That’s why I’m honored to join my Congressional colleagues in introducing the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act in the House to reauthorize this vital program — so we can continue to invest in our environment, our health, and our future.”
"Congressman Delgado's leadership in the formation of the Delaware River Watershed Caucus has been instrumental in facilitating enormous progress in our work to protect and restore New York's Upper Delaware River,” said Jeff Skelding, Executive Director, Friends of the Upper Delaware River. “Because of Mr. Delgado's efforts, FUDR and our conservation partners have leveraged more than $4 million in federal funding over the past 4 years for watershed restoration projects that protect people, communities, water quality, and wildlife habitat. These projects also create local jobs and energize local economies demonstrating how conservation and economic revitalization go hand-in-hand.”
In addition to renewing the program through 2030, the bill would also bring federal cost-share provisions in line with the new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in two ways:
increasing the federal share of projects in small, rural, or disadvantaged communities to 90 percent;
allowing the Secretary of the Interior to waive the cost-share requirement entirely if a grant recipient is determined to be experiencing significant financial hardship.
Rep. Delgado has been a strong advocate for Delaware River Watershed restoration efforts. In 2021, he co-founded the first-ever bipartisan Congressional Delaware River Caucus with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). In January of 2022, Rep. Delgado led a bipartisan group of 16 Congressional Delaware River Caucus Members in requesting that the Fiscal Year 2022 funding bill include $12.5 million for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program (DRBRP). This funding level represents a 25 percent increase from the previous year. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Delgado voted for and was signed into law in November 2021, also included $26 million in supplemental funding for the DRBRP over the next five years.