The Clean Water for Delaware Act created a Clean Water Trust Fund to address Delaware’s most urgent clean water and waterway projects. Funding will go towards endeavors such as improving flood resiliency in flood-prone communities, repairing failing sewer pipes and septic systems, removing decades-old pollution from our waterways, and providing low-interest loans and grants for underserved communities.

CDRW members will: use our collective voice to ensure that Clean Water Trust Fund investments are spent equitably and invested in projects that will increase the watershed’s resiliency, encourage public and expert participation in the Annual Strategic Plan for Clean Water, and work with partners in DE on identifying how to take advantage of federal infrastructure dollars.

The Coalition is dedicated to improving upon our efforts in advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice within our structure, partnerships, internal and programmatic processes, and policy goals to ensure that all communities share equitably in the benefits of clean water.

Within the state of Delaware, the Coalition is committed to identifying and building relationships with local environmental justice-focused groups, leveraging Coalition resources to Delaware members and conservation partners, and activating Delaware members in advocacy around a Cumulative Impacts bill.

Delaware saw major progress in 2021 with the passage of HB 212 (Plastic Bag Ban 2.0) which expanded the original ban to all stores (regardless of size) and banned ‘reusable’ bags thinner than 10 millimeters.

We also saw the passage of SB 24 (Intentional Balloon Release Bill) which established a fine for the intentional release of balloons, which are a known marine pollutant and threat to wildlife.

In 2022, CDRW members will continue to advocate for legislation to reduce single-use plastics in the state, including a potential upcoming bill to establish restrictions around use of expanded polystyrene (i.e., Styrofoam).

The Coalition is working to amplify and coordinate efforts for Wild and Scenic Rivers Partnership funding. Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers are managed and driven locally, involving collaborative planning between local, state, and regional stakeholders and the National Park Service (NPS). Partnership Rivers allow for further protection of river miles that are not necessarily within a National Parks System, including rivers on local, state, private and tribal lands.

The Coalition is working to engage congressional sponsors and local stakeholders to amplify current Wild and Scenic Rivers, and to conduct outreach that will result in the designation of additional river miles as Wild and Scenic.