Sen. Tom Carper visited the Augustine Wildlife Area in Middletown Monday announce efforts to reauthorize the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act.
The act was originally signed into law in 2016. Since then, it’s awarded nearly $27 million in federal funds to 123 projects within the Delaware River Basin focusing on recreation, water quality, water management, and habitat. Matching funds pushed investment in these projects to almost $73 million.
Carper says many people don’t realize how important investing in the health of Delaware’s wetland ecosystem is.
“What most people don’t know is over 13 million people get their drinking water from the Delaware River,” he explained. “There are literally hundreds of species of birds and other animals that have a habitat or a place to live and to thrive, along the Delaware River and the areas close to the Delaware River.”
In the First State, funding from Delaware River Basin Conservation Act has helped work to protect habitat at Thousand Acre Marsh and dam removal along the Brandywine River that restore shad spawning runs.
Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, who joined Sen. Chris Coons and Sen. Carper in introducing the reauthorization measure, says the Thousand Acre Marsh is just one of Delaware’s many important natural habitats.
“Delaware is full of rich and historic natural heritage including areas like the Thousand Acre Marsh,” said Blunt Rochester.“Reauthorizing the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act would allow us to conserve these areas for future generations of Delawareans to enjoy.”
The bill introduced this week would reauthorize the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act through September 30, 2030.
