This year, Congress has a chance to take a major step in protecting
one of the most important ecological resources on the East Coast.
Lawmakers from both parties have long supported a new Delaware River
Basin Restoration Program to coordinate conservation efforts in the
watershed and set aside $5 million in competitive matching grants.
I
greatly appreciate recent efforts by U.S. Rep. Dent, Sen. Casey and
their congressional colleagues to advocate for this watershed, and I
urge them to push for inclusion of this important program in the final
version of the Water Resources Development Act. It's an opportunity not
to be missed.
The basin provides drinking water for 5 percent of the American
population. This legislation would support the sort of work Trout
Unlimited volunteers do to protect, reconnect and restore cold-water
streams. This work does not just improve fish habitat; it also promotes
clean water, improves flood resiliency and strengthens local economies
supported by millions of sportsmen's dollars.
This program would
prioritize and help fund a multitude of programs like these. Now is the
time to put the Delaware on par with other major U.S. watersheds
receiving dedicated federal support, from the Great Lakes to the
Chesapeake.
Erik Broesicke
Bethlehem
The writer is president of the Monocacy Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
LINK to original printed in the Morning Call.