Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed advocates meet with Congressional members

On March 17, nearly 40 members of the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed met with their Congressional representatives to discuss critical funding and policy priorities for the protection, restoration, and conservation of the Delaware River Watershed. The Coalition, representing 200 organizations across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and Maryland, emphasized the Delaware River Watershed’s vital role as a source of clean drinking water for 14.2 million people and its importance to the region’s economy. Key natural assets include the Delaware Water Gap, more than 400 miles of National Wild and Scenic Rivers, six National Wildlife Refuges, and the Delaware Bay, one of the largest systems in the National Estuary Program.

Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus share remarks

At a breakfast gathering of advocates, participants heard remarks from members of the Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus, including Co-Chair Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA‑1), Congressman Ryan Mackenzie (PA‑7), and Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (PA‑4), highlighting the need for ongoing investment in this critical natural resource, before Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE) closed the event with her remarks

“Protecting and restoring the Delaware River Watershed is about more than conserving land and water, it’s about the millions of people and communities who rely on these resources every day,” said Meagan Birkenmaier, Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed. “Our coalition members across the region witness firsthand how federal programs like the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program improve lives, create jobs, restore habitats, and strengthen communities. We are grateful for the opportunity to meet with our representatives and share the tangible, positive impacts these programs bring to our neighborhoods and local watersheds.”

Funding requests

The coalition is requesting $17 million in fiscal year 2027 for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program to support restoration projects across the watershed. Since 2018, the program has funded 270 projects, leveraging over $120 million in matching funds and restoring thousands of acres of streams, wetlands, and riparian habitat. In 2025, 62 projects requested nearly $29 million, showing strong demand and the need for continued investment. In addition, the coalition called on Congress to pass the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 to extend this bipartisan, nonregulatory program through 2032, prioritize projects that benefit small, rural, or disadvantaged communities, and continue competitive grant opportunities.

The coalition also seeks reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund through the America the Beautiful Act while protecting full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Additionally, 85 organizations signed letters in support of the Coalition’s appropriations request, urging increased funding for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program.

Importance of the Delaware River Watershed

“The Delaware River Basin is one of our nation’s defining natural assets—an enduring source of life, prosperity, and history for the communities it serves,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus. “It provides drinking water to millions of Americans, supports a vibrant regional economy, sustains irreplaceable ecosystems, and forms part of the very landscape where our national story was shaped. A resource of this vital significance must be protected. That starts with reauthorizing the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program and strengthening the federal partnership needed to preserve this historic watershed. Our responsibility is clear: ensure the Delaware has the long-term stewardship and support it needs for generations to come.”

“The communities that I represent in the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos understand that clean water isn’t optional—it’s essential for public health, quality of life, and our local economy,” said Congressman Ryan Mackenzie. “The protection and conservation of the Delaware River Watershed is critical to the well-being of our community. That’s why I’m supporting the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program, and why I’ll continue working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance solutions that protect water quality, reduce flooding, and strengthen our communities.”

The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed was formed in 2012 to protect and restore the land and waters in the Delaware River Watershed. For more information, please visit www.delriverwatershed.org.