Governor Phil Murphy was sworn in to office on January 16, 2018, and with his new role comes the responsibility of addressing environmental issues facing the Garden State. In response to these challenges, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Education Fund released Environmental Agenda ’18: New Jersey’s Conservation Roadmap, a report that contains expert recommendations and goals to address top environmental challenges and ensure a cleaner, greener New Jersey in mid-November. Environmental Agenda ’18 makes recommendations for Murphy's first 100 days, first year, and first term.
Defending the Delaware River: One Year After the DRBCA
This past Saturday we celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act’s (DRBCA) enactment. On December 16, 2016, President Barack Obama signed the DRBCA into law establishing, for the first time, a federal program dedicated to protecting and restoring the Delaware River Basin. After over six years of tireless work from our advocates in the environmental community and champions in Congress, the Delaware River Basin was given the recognition it was denied for so long.
Delaware River Basin Commission Releases Fracking Regulations
The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) has released draft regulations on hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” in the Delaware River Basin. In response, the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, a network that unites 120 nongovernmental organizations working throughout the four states of the Watershed, has prepared the following statement.
86,000 Miles of Streams: Protecting Pennsylvania's Trout
What Does the Delaware River Mean to You?: Contest Gives Voice to Different Delaware River Experiences
The Delaware River Watershed crosses through mountains, valleys, cities, and rural landscapes from the headwaters in New York, and down through Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The Delaware River means so many different things to different people, from boaters and anglers, to photographers and bird-watchers. Whether it’s spending summers in the Delaware Bay with friends, or hunting in the thickly wooded forests of Mount Pocono – the Delaware River holds a special significance in the hearts of many. The Delaware River Means campaign seeks to capture these different experiences and highlight the varied importance of the River with a four-phased contest that runs from 2017 to 2018.
Long-Term Agreement in Place for NYC Delaware River Reservoirs
On October 20, 2017, after 5 years of stalemate, a new long-term management plan for the NYC Upper Delaware River reservoirs was adopted by the 1954 Supreme Court Decree Parties (NY, PA, NJ, DE, and NYC). For decades, the management of the NYC Delaware River reservoirs was driven by a relatively narrow set of water resource considerations primarily focused on water supply. The Decree Parties spent most of their time divvying up Delaware River water to satisfy parochial and sometimes competing needs. However, as the years went by, the complexity of water resource management challenges began to increase.
Funding for Delaware River Basin Restoration Program Approved amidst Cuts to Critical Environmental Programs
Today, funding for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program advanced amidst cuts to other critical environmental programs. The U.S. House of Representatives approved $1.2 trillion as a package of twelve bills to appropriate funds for many government programs. The package, HR 3354, specified funding for Departments of Interior, EPA, NOAA and other related and unrelated agencies. Cuts to critical programs as well as riders which will weaken environmental protections were included. If approved, this spending package could harm public health, natural resources and habitat by cutting funding for many critical programs. Some of those proposed cuts include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a cut of more than $500 million and cuts to climate change research among many others.
Delaware River Featured in New Contest to Promote Local Stories and Photos for a Chance to Win Prizes
The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), in collaboration with the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, and the Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, has launched the “Delaware River Means” campaign. This online photo and story entry contest focuses on the benefits and experiences around the Delaware River Watershed, aiming to engage residents of and visitors to the Watershed in appreciating its unique qualities.