Delaware Sen. Tom Carper and Sen. Chris Coons were on hand in Wilmington Thursday to announce nearly $16 million in grants to restore the Delaware River Watershed.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grants include 45 projects in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.
The investment will help improve 10,000 acres throughout the 330 mile watershed.
Sen. Carper said the funds come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress last year and through public/private partnerships.
“When we work together, the federal government, state government, foundations, private sector corporate partners, and our many volunteers, we get a better bang for our buck. We can do so much more to protect our environment and support our local community.”
He said he looks forward to seeing how the projects help protect the environment not only in Delaware, but throughout the watershed.
Sen. Coons said the grants feature six projects in the First State.
“About $1.2 million in this coming year. And the implementing partners are as diverse and broad as Delaware itself,” Coons said.
Partners include Cesar Rodney School District, DNREC, the University of Delaware, Ducks Unlimited and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.
One Delaware project includes $500,000 to study the removal or modification of the Brandywine Falls Dam to improve fish migration.
