Original announcement can be found here.
September 9, 2023
LANGHORNE, PA – Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) joined conservation leaders yesterday at Tyler State Park to announce a 2023 grant slate to the Delaware River Watershed Conservation Fund, totaling $14.9 million. In addition to the historic announcement, Congressman Fitzpatrick was joined by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff on a tour of the Spring Garden Dam Removal project at Tyler State Park. The Dam Removal project was funded through the 2022 Delaware River Watershed Conservation Fund and is currently in its construction phase.
Just last week, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a 2023-year round of funding for Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund projects with additional funds provided by the William Penn Foundation and AstraZeneca. These projects consisted of Thirty-six new or continuing conservation and restoration grants totaling $14.9 million were awarded. The 36 awards announced leveraged $20 million in match from the grantees, providing a total conservation impact of nearly $35 million. Additionally, this year’s grant slate is the second year to include funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was enacted in November 2021 and includes a historic $26 million investment in the watershed over five years.
“The Delaware River is a critical resource for Pennsylvania and our surrounding neighbors,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus. “I am proud to support necessary funding for the conservation and restoration efforts throughout the Delaware River Watershed area so we can preserve our waterways, support wildlife, and restore water quality all while improving communities across the states the watershed.”
“The Coalition would like to express our appreciation to Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus, for his ongoing dedication and leadership to safeguarding and conserving the basin,” said Meagan Schaefer, Outreach & Communications Manager, Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed. “Projects, like the Spring Garden Dam removal, are critical to the health of the entire Delaware River Watershed by allowing passage for aquatic species and increasing public access for fishing. These initiatives underscore the pressing need for increased investments into the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program. By supporting these initiatives, we can ensure that shovel-ready projects come to fruition and continue to benefit both our natural ecosystem and the communities that rely on it for generations to come.”
The announcement and tour included but not limited to the following: Phillip Schmidt - Tyler State Park Manager, Nate Lotze - Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Casey Trinkaus, Communications Liaison, Bureau of State Parks, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Robert (Bob) Caccese - Director of Policy, Planning and Communications, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Executive Office, Peter Marx - Choose Clean Water Coalition, Northeast Region, Mike Slattery - USFWS Northeast Regional Landscape Coordinator, Science Applications, Christina Ryder - USFWS Delaware River Basin Restoration Program Manager, Science Applications, Jen Joseph - USFWS Congressional and Legislative Affairs Specialist, Northeast Region.
The Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund was established in 2018 to promote strategic restoration and conservation of the basin. Congressman Fitzpatrick, along with fellow co-chair Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-At Large) of the Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus introduced H.R. 1395, the Delaware River Basin Conservation Reauthorization Act. If passed, this legislation would reauthorize the grant programs through FY2030.
BACKGROUND:
Since 2018, projects in PA-1 have receiving funding for 9 projects. Those projects include:
Unassessed Waters Initiative - $49,984.08
Aquatic Habitat Restoration at Aquetong Spring Park - $250,000.00
Implementation of Water Quality Best Management Practices at Lake Luxembourg - $250,000.00
Improving Public Access and Recreation in the Pennsylvania Portion of the Delaware River - $200,000.00
Dam Removal and Streambank Restoration in Durham Township - $105,000.00
Improving Public Access and Recreation in the Pennsylvania Portion of the Delaware River II - $400,000.00
Monitoring Wild Trout Populations in the Unassessed Waters of the Delaware River - $119,840.00
Removal of the Spring Garden Dam on Neshaminy Creek in Bucks County, Pennsylvania - $750,000.00
Living Shoreline Design and Permitting along an Urban Delaware Riverfront - $96,824.29
The 36 projects funded by the Delaware River Watershed Conservation Fund 2023 grant slate include:
Community Rewilding on the Brandywine: Urban Flood Resistance in Wilmington Neighborhoods (DE) - $94,500
Enhancing the City of Wilmington’s Urban Pollinator Corridor and Food Resilience Efforts (DE) - $202,100
Habitat Enhancement and Water Quality Improvement in Banning Regional Park (DE) - $230,200
Habitat Restoration and Outdoor Education in the Red Clay Consolidated School District (DE) - $228,300
Implementation of Kalmar Nyckel Living Shoreline and Riparian Habitat Restoration (DE) - $227,900
Assessment of the Ironcolor Shiner and co-occurring Species to Inform Conservation Planning (NJ) - $274,900
Building Technical Capacity for the Delivery of Voluntary Conservation Programs and Outreach (NJ) - $415,900
Closson Site Restoration in the Delaware River Basin (NJ) - $322,200
Creating Accessible Pinelands Communities (NJ) - $207,800
Developing a Water Trail and Recreational Programming in Camden – Phase II (NJ) - $688,700
Ecological Uplift of the Former Culver Lake Golf Course in the Upper Paulins Kill Watershed (NJ) - $274,800
Restoring Suitability for Spawning Horseshoe Crabs and Critical Habitat for Red Knots (NJ) - $1,000,000
Strategic Planning for Equitable Access and Resilient Habitat on New Jersey Audubon’s Sanctuaries (NJ) - $398,700
Creating a Recreation and Open Space Plan for the Town of Tusten (NY) - $75,000
Building Capacity for Cobbs Creek Watershed Coalition Efforts (PA) - $266,500
Building Capacity for Expanding Pennsylvania’s Woods and Meadows (PA) - $1,200,000
Designing and Planning for the South Philadelphia Wetlands Park (PA) - $150,000
Developing an Engaging Plum Run Trail at the Plum Run Preserve (PA) - $250,000
Developing a Public Trail and Link to the Lehigh River through Penn Haven (PA) - $1,500,000
Engaging Community Stakeholders to Reduce Road Salt Burden to Local Streams (PA) - $186,500
Improving Public Access and Recreation in the Pennsylvania Portion of the Delaware River – III (PA) - $1,000,000
Pachella Gully Restoration and Public Access Improvements (PA) - $569,100
Planning and Design for the Ecological Restoration of the Riparian Corridor of the French Creek (PA) - $162,100
Planning and Design for the Fairmount Water Works Floating Water Workshop (PA) - $225,000
Reforestation of Stonehurst Hills (PA) - $118,100
Restoring Dynamic Forest Structure for Priority Birds in the Delaware River Watershed: Phase 7 (PA) – 685,700
Shedbrook Creek Restoration and Sedge Meadow Improvement to Create a Climate-Resilient FDR Park (PA) - $1,500,000
Stream Restoration at East Branch Red Clay Creek Headwaters (PA) - $126,500
West Wayne Preserve Wooded Wetlands Restoration and Habitat Enhancement (PA) - $461,500
Youth Workforce Development Pilot in Ecosystems Management on the Tidal Schuylkill River (PA) - $251,300
Assessing the Factors that Impact Water Quality in the Upper Delaware (DE, NJ, NY, PA) - $498,200
Circuit Trails Community Grant Program: Local-led Efforts to Improve Access to the Outdoors (NJ, PA) - $212,000
Creating a Management Plan of the Invasive Chinese Pond Mussel in the Delaware Watershed - $191,500
Evaluation of the Endangered Dwarf Wedgemussel Population in the Delaware River (NY, PA) - $86,200
Informing Coastal Restoration Efforts to Support At-Risk Shorebird Species (DE, NJ)
Transforming Recreational Engagement through Innovative and Inclusive Approaches (DE, NJ, NY, PA) - $500,000
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