Coalition Formed to Support Delaware River "White Paper"

The Delaware Watershed Conservation Coalition made up of the following members, Friends of the Upper Delaware River, Trout Unlimited National, New Jersey State Council of Trout Unlimited, New York State Council of Trout Unlimited, Pennsylvania State Council of Trout Unlimited, Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, the Federation of Fly Fishers and Wild Trout Flyrodders is expected to continue growing in it's support for the Joint Fisheries White Paper.

Read the letter below from Dan Plummer, Board Chairman of Friends of the Upper Delaware River:

March 23, 2011

Dear Friends: 

I’m writing to share some very exciting news and to, once again, ask for your help. 

For the first time ever, a coalition of key conservation groups has formed to speak with one voice on behalf of the Delaware Watershed. We are uniting behind a proposal that would replace the flawed plan that now governs water releases from New York City-owned reservoirs: the infamous Flexible Flow Management Program (FFMP), due to expire (finally and mercifully) on June 1. 

The Delaware Watershed Conservation Coalition (DWCC), which grew out of an historic meeting last November, was formally introduced in March. Coalition members have agreed to support the fundamentals of the Joint Fishery White Paper as a one-year alternative to the Flexible Flow plan. The White Paper was produced last year by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as an alternative to the FFMP. 

The White Paper is not perfect. But it’s much better than the inadequate, irrational yo-yo releases our precious rivers have experienced under the FFMP. Here is what a few of our allies had to say about the White Paper plan: 

“Though it’s imperfect, the White Paper is a good starting point for improved resource management for the coming year,” said Stephen Lieb of Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, a New York City-based angling organization that is one of the coalition groups. 

Glenn Erikson of the Federation of Fly Fishers, another venerable coalition member, said the increased flow of 20 cubic feet per second recommended in the White Paper for fall and winter would have a positive impact. Speaking about the East Branch, he said the increase would diminish the likelihood of “anchor ice” during winter and would help keep the river cooler in the early fall, when limited flow can cause dangerous temperature spikes. 

Like Lieb, Erikson said the plan is not perfect – for example, flow levels could decrease in early September. “This is a real problem,” he said, adding that a proposal that resolves that glitch “should be closely considered.” 

“I believe that improving the other rivers is important, but the East Branch already took a hit when the current flow-management plan was implemented, and I would hate to see it take another,” Lieb said.

Before I delve into the background of the new coalition, let me get to the second part of the purpose of this letter: your help. 

Even though the White Paper is based on solid science and was created by two government agencies responsible for the health and well-being of the rivers, its approval as the official flow plan is far from assured. Those of us who have observed the mysterious methods of the Delaware River Basin Commission and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection over the years understand that nothing is certain when it comes to water issues. 

So we need public support, and we need it now. We are barely two months away from the expiration of the FFMP, so the timing is critical. 

We ask that individuals or groups join us in supporting the White Paper plan. It is by far the best choice currently available to replace the FFMP, and it would make a real difference in keeping our ecosystem, habitat and fishery alive. Please contact me at catskilldan@mac.com to join us or for information on how you can help. We are open to all suggestions, including petitions, chain emails, letters to the editor and DRBC commission members, and personal contacts with politicians. 

And now some background on the new Delaware Watershed Conservation Coalition. I’m pleased to say that the members now include Friends of the Upper Delaware River, Trout Unlimited National, New Jersey State Council of Trout Unlimited, New York State Council of Trout Unlimited, Pennsylvania State Council of Trout Unlimited, Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, the Federation of Fly Fishers and Wild Trout Flyrodders. Other groups are expected to join us, and a number of government entities that cannot publicly acknowledge their support are pulling for us behind the scenes. 

I asked leaders of some the coalition partners to share their thoughts about this effort. Here are a few responses: 

“The conservation community encompasses a diverse set of organizations, though we share common goals,” said Lieb of the Theodore Gordon Flyfishers. “It is important that decision-makers understand that we have come together on this issue.” 

“I feel there are two primary benefits,” said Erikson of the Federation of Fly Fishers. “First is the opportunity for increased discussion between all of us on how we can find the best route to our shared goal, while at the same time respecting the diversity of opinion among us. Second is the potential for added impact if we can truly learn to speak with one voice (without quarreling). I don’t believe I have to add how closely related these two are.” 

The power of the coalition is already clear. We were publicly credited with prompting the March 8 Regulated Flow Advisory Committee meeting. 

“We wouldn’t be here today discussing any of this if it wasn’t for all of you getting together to make this happen,” said Joe Miri of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and former chair of the committee. 

As many of you know, the various groups that advocate on behalf of the Delaware River system have not always agreed on everything. Advocates do not tend to be shy people, and perhaps we have spent too much time and energy focused on our differences rather than our common goals. 

At the encouragement of two of our friends, Pete Grannis, former commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and John Arway, executive director for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, we convened a meeting of more than 30 leaders of the various conservation groups last November, after most fly-rodders had put away their gear for the season. 

The meeting, called “Water, Water Everywhere: The Future of the Upper Delaware River System,” was held at the Delaware River Club in Starlight, Pa. We had one theme on the agenda: How do we get more cold, clean water in our local rivers? Friends of the Upper Delaware River, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and preserving the ecosystem and cold water fishery of the Upper Delaware system, served as host. In addition to the coalition members named above, participants included representatives from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the National Park Service, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New York DEC, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Fish and Wildlife Services, Upper Delaware Council, the U.S. Geological Service, Columbia University and a number of local river guides.

A meeting like this had never happened before, and it was long overdue. We wanted to get as many of the key conservation groups as we could in one room to flush out our differences, capitalize on where we agree, and try to create a single, unified voice that could be used to help save this world-class fishery and bring some much-deserved attention to the area. 

The meeting was costly, at $7,000, and complicated to organize. But it was money and time well spent. The session was led by a professional facilitator, Alicia Korten, of Washington, D.C., who was brought in to ensure an effective exchange with a neutral moderator. Korten pre-interviewed many of the players and researched the issues thoroughly, including a review of the 1954 Supreme Court Decree that defines the legal water rights and a careful look at the Flexible Flow Management Program. Participants were locked in the meeting room for 10 hours, even voting to work through lunch. Everyone wanted to take advantage of our precious time discussing a topic they are all very passionate about. 

Presentations outlined release plans and legal options. Many topics were discussed openly that had not been touched on in any prior public forum. I believe a new trust was established between certain groups that had been divided by old fissures. Momentum began to build for the united groups to finally achieve their common goal: more water. When the meeting was adjourned and doors unlocked, the group went outside for some much-welcomed fresh air. Outside the lodge in a maple tree, we had hung an 8′ x 10′ canvas painting of an American flag with a leaping trout painted where the stars would normally be. The bottom of the canvas bore the words, “Give Us Water or Give Us Death.” A group photo was taken in front of the flag. 

Five months after the “Water, Water” meeting, and after numerous conference calls, emails and many meetings (both private and public), we have a new coalition. We also have an opportunity to strike real change by supporting a common-sense alternative to the FFMP. 

Please join us in the fight and pledge your support for the Joint Fisheries White Paper. 

Thank you. Thank you very much. 

Dan Plummer 

FUDR Board Chairman 

catskilldan@mac.com 

Upper Delaware Council's 23rd Annual Awards Ceremony

NARROWSBURG – The Upper Delaware Council, Inc. (UDC) will honor individuals, organizations, and projects that have enhanced the quality of life or protected the resources of the Upper Delaware River Valley at its 23rd Annual Awards Ceremony on Sunday, April 17, in Beach Lake, PA.

Reservations at $24 per person are due by April 8 for the banquet that will take place at Central House Family Resort located at 81 Milanville Road in Beach Lake. A cash bar reception begins at 3 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. buffet dinner featuring prime rib, baked salmon, and ham. Pennsylvania Representative Sandra J. Major (111th District), will deliver the keynote address prior to the presentation of awards.

The UDC will bestow awards in the following categories:

Distinguished Service Award – Peter E. Nye, who retired in September 2010 as leader of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Endangered Species Unit, for his successful bald eagle restoration efforts since 1976;

Robin M. Daniels Memorial Lifesaving Award – Lumberland Volunteer Fire Department (NY), Port Jervis Fire Dept. (NY), Port Jervis Volunteer Ambulance Corp. (NY), Sparrowbush Engine Co. (NY), Huguenot Fire Co (NY), Westfall Township Volunteer Fire Dept. (PA), Mill Rift Fire Dept (PA), Matamoras Fire Dept. (PA), and Regional EMS (NY & PA), for their July 31, 2010 night-time rescue of two rafters involving personal injury from an attempted cliff climb at the Hawk’s Nest in the Town of Deerpark, NY;

Partnership Award – Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources, for collaboration on the “Recommended Improvements to the Flexible Flow Management Program for Coldwater Ecosystem Protection in the Delaware River Tailwaters” White Paper report released on Feb. 17, 2010;

Volunteer Award – John and Yoke Bauer DiGiorgio of Narrowsburg, NY and Rockaway, NJ, for founding the 10th Annual Narrowsburg EagleFest, and their efforts through programs, publications, and photography to raise public awareness of wildlife conservation and the natural environment;

Recreation Achievement Award – Paul Weamer of Coburn, PA, for his book, “Fly Fishing Guide to the Upper Delaware River” that offers messages on water safety, river etiquette, and conservation, while attracting anglers to the waterways of the Upper Delaware region;

Cultural Achievement Award – Town of Lumberland Cultural Series of Glen Spey, NY, for celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010 of offering diverse cultural programming for the public;

Community Service Award – Friends of the Upper Delaware River, Inc., for advocacy to protect the Upper Delaware River fishery and to support stream restoration work in the Town of Hancock, NY;

Special Recognition Awards (2) – Dorothy Moon, of the National Park Service Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, for overseeing all aspects of the Zane Grey Museum’s renovation from funding to exhibit development for its May 2010 re-opening in Lackawaxen, PA; and Kathleen Michell of Narrowsburg, NY, for her numerous contributions since 1985 to the Narrowsburg and greater river valley communities;

Oaken Gavel Award – Harold G. Roeder, Jr. of the Town of Delaware, NY, for his leadership as Upper Delaware Council chairperson in 2010

All are welcome to attend the UDC’s Awards Ceremony. A download-able reservation form is available at www.upperdelawarecouncil.org. For more information, please contact Public Relations Specialist Laurie Ramie at P.O. Box 192, 211 Bridge St., Narrowsburg, NY 12764; phone (845) 252-3022; fax (845) 252-3359; or e-mail laurie@upperdelawarecouncil.org.

Upper Delaware Council Responds to Natural Gas Drilling Regulations

Upper Delaware Council (UDC) approved a letter to the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) stating natural gas drilling should be considered as “heavy industrial uses” therefore not compatible with the river.

The letter refers to the 1986 River Management Plan for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. “We do not believe that [the Plan] ever envisioned horizontal drilling or high-volume, slick-water hydraulic fracturing,”  it says in the letter.

The entire seven page letter can be read at: http://www.upperdelawarecouncil.org/press/pdfs/UDC_03032011_DRBC_NGDR.pdf

Forum to Address Threats to Water Supplies in Delaware Basin

Connecting Four States for Drinking Water Protection

PHILADELPHIA (March 2, 2011) – Threats to sources of drinking water and public health for more than 15 million people in  Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and New York will be the focus of a high-level forum in Philadelphia and five satellite locations on March 10.

Government leaders and national water experts will highlight challenges to the quality and quantity of water fed from the Delaware River Basin, a 13,000-square-mile area that includes 838 municipalities in parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and New York.

The Delaware River Basin Forum will feature a central session at the WHYY Hamilton Public Media Commons on 150 North 6^th St., Philadelphia, where speakers will describe current and emerging impacts on water resources basin-wide.  The forum will feature state-of the-art interactive technology to link live to five satellite locations, in four states  outlining local drinking water concerns.

At the WHYY venue, Tufts University Professor Jeffrey K. Griffiths, one of the nation’s leading experts on waterborne disease and public health, will make the keynote presentation on “Drinking Water: Fact, Fears and the Future” at 12:15 p.m.  Morning presentations will include the impacts to public health in the Delaware River Basin from water use, population growth and climate change, and will feature model water protection efforts in Philadelphia, New York City and Washington Township, NJ. EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin will provide opening remarks at 8:15 a.m.

The satellite locations are in Newark, DE; Reading and Stroudsburg, PA; Bordentown, NJ; and Loch Sheldrake, NY.

Information on the forum, including a full lineup of speakers at the Philadelphia location, agendas and directions for each satellite location and background on issues facing the Delaware River Basin is available at http://www.delawarebasindrinkingwater.org/

Nearly 1,000 community water systems depend on water resources in the Delaware Basin, and the water is used extensively for recreation, fisheries and wildlife, energy, industry and navigation.

 

The Delaware River Basin begins in the Catskill Mountains in New York State and courses through 13,500 square miles of rural and urban landscapes to the Atlantic Ocean.

The forum is sponsored by the Source Water Collaborative, a coalition of 23 national organizations and agencies united to protect sources of drinking water. Local hosts for the forum include the US EPA (Region II and Region III), state environmental and health agencies of Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, and the Delaware River Basin Commission.

New York State, City Announce Landmark Agreement To Safeguard New York City Drinking Water

New 15-Year Water Supply Permit Allows New York City to Continue Acquisition of Sensitive Watershed Land to Protect Largest Unfiltered Drinking Water Supply in the World; Broad Agreement Resolves Numerous Issues to Assist with Economic Vitality of Watershed Communities 

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced a new 15-year Water Supply Permit for New York City that continues the successful Land Acquisition Program in the New York City Watershed, which provides safe drinking water to more than nine million New Yorkers, including one million upstate residents in Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester counties. The agreement provides more than $100 million in funding toward an array of programs to limit water pollution. Agreement was also achieved on a number of taxation assessment and hamlet growth areas to assist with the economic health of the watershed towns. Last year, roughly 12,000 acres (some 18.75 square miles) were protected by the New York City DEP and its partner, the Watershed Agricultural Council, making 2010 the most successful year since the inception of Land Acquisition Program in 1997. Since the start of the program, New York City has protected more than 116,000 acres of watershed land that supply more than one billion gallons of drinking water to New York City and upstate residents each day. Prior to the start of the land acquisition program in 1997, the City owned 44,600 acres surrounding its reservoirs. The new permit will allow New York City to continue to acquire undeveloped, environmentally-sensitive lands that are important to the long-term protection of the watershed from willing sellers at fair market value. New York State owns and protects over 200,000 acres of watershed lands. 

"Protecting New York City water at its source is the single most effective way to maintain high-quality water," said Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway. "The new 15-year Water Supply Permit will do just that, continuing the highly successful Land Acquisition Program that has been instrumental in maintaining New York City's status as one of only five large cities to receive the majority of its water from unfiltered sources. Since its inception in 1997, the city has invested $541 million in the Land Acquisition Program; in 2010, we acquired 11,978 acres of watershed lands — the most acreage of any year to date. I want to thank the State Department of Environmental Conservation and many other stakeholders for working with the city to extend this vital program. Our cooperation and collaboration with our neighbors upstate will continue as we work together to protect water quality, and at the same time, contribute to the economic vitality of watershed communities." 

"There is no substitute for clean water, and through this permit, we enhance safe drinking water protections for over nine million New Yorkers and dramatically expand recreational opportunities throughout the watershed," said DEC Acting Commissioner Joe Martens. "This milestone agreement is the national model for watershed protection, exemplifying the collaborative partnerships we need to make progress. By working together, the State, the City, Towns, farmers and environmentalists have taken a major step forward for our public health, our economy and our future." 

"The New York City watershed provides a clean source of drinking water for millions of New Yorkers, and its continued protection is critical to their health," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck. "The renewed water supply agreement limits water pollution in the watershed and provides additional protection through the acquisition of sensitive watershed land. EPA applauds the work of New York City, communities in the Catskills and New York State to safeguard this huge unfiltered drinking water supply for years to come." 

This action updates the 1997 Water Supply Permit issued by DEC, when the Memorandum of Agreement was signed by New York City, New York State, EPA, environmental groups, and 77 counties and municipalities in the watershed. 

The new Water Supply Permit includes the core provisions of the original 1997 permit. In addition to the city's purchase of land, the Watershed Agricultural Council will continue to purchase conservation easements on farms. Once the land has been purchased, New York City will continue to allow certain recreational uses of the land it acquires. To date, more than 71,000 acres of watershed lands have been opened for such activities as hunting, fishing, hiking and trapping. New York City pays taxes on all lands and easements acquired. The Land Acquisition Program has been a fundamental component of New York City's ability to secure and maintain the Filtration Avoidance Determination, last issued in 2007 by the EPA and now overseen by the New York State Department of Health, which saves New York City at least $10 billion in filtration plant construction costs alone. 

The new permit also reflects agreements reached by a large stakeholder group regarding a number of important refinements to the Land Acquisition Program to focus acquisition on properties that contain wetlands, water courses, steep slopes and other land features important to the protection of water quality. Communities west of the Hudson River were given the opportunity to modestly expand their existing hamlet areas to limit New York City's acquisition of land in areas that towns deem essential for future economic growth. Other program refinements include provisions for pilot riparian buffer acquisitions, which allows New York City or a partner land trust to purchase small corridors of land along sensitive streams or rivers that feed upstate reservoirs; and an enhanced land trust program to support efforts to buy special properties in the watershed. 

In addition, as part of the agreement, the city and the west of Hudson watershed communities have reached agreement on a program to resolve and avoid tax assessment lawsuits associated with the valuation of the City's wastewater treatment plants, reservoirs, dams, and other city-owned infrastructure. This agreement will help ensure that New York City facilities are taxed appropriately and minimize the potential for future disagreements over assessments, removing a major obstacle to partnership efforts. 

The agreement also includes more than $100 million in additional funding commitments to extend or expand protection programs to limit farm runoff, repair residential and commercial septic systems, and assist with stormwater retrofits to preserve water quality by reducing polluted runoff. Funding includes: 

* Septic Remediation and Replacement: An estimated $44 million for the remediation and replacement of a minimum of 300 septic systems annually. 

* Small Business and Cluster System Program: $4 million to fund repair or replacement of commercial septics for small businesses; $2 million to identify and install wastewater treatment and disposal systems for small groupings of residences. 

* Polluted Runoff: Up to $15.5 million in new funding to improve water quality by reducing phosphorus runoff into reservoirs located in Putnam and Westchester counties. 

* Septic Maintenance: $1.5 million to provide 50% matching funds to pump out residential septic systems. 

* Watershed Agricultural Program: $32 million to install water quality best management practices on farms throughout the watershed. 

"The Water Supply Permit is a tangible example of a strengthened partnership," said Coalition of Watershed Towns Chair Dennis Lucas. "The collaboration that took place among the parties that constructed the permit — the watershed communities, the Catskill Watershed Corporation, DEP, NYS DEC, DOH, DOS, the EPA and the environmental communities — has provided for the continuation of water quality programs, expanded areas for future growth and created additional tools to address the concerns of all involved. I am pleased to have been part of the group that produced this new agreement and proud of the accomplishment of those who came together to meet the challenges of a 'Living Watershed' going forward with the new Water Supply Permit. Thank you to everyone for your efforts in problem solving and for giving life to the intent of the Memorandum of Agreement." 

"The issuance of this permit represents a major watershed protection milestone; it should help protect the quality and cost of the downstate water supply for decades to come," said Eric A. Goldstein, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "We commend DEP Commissioner Holloway and his staff, and New York State and watershed community officials, for their vision and commitment and for reaching an agreement that will truly advance the region's best long term interests." 

"This water supply permit will allow the land acquisition program and other vital 1997 Watershed Memorandum of Agreement programs to continue protecting New York City's critical drinking water supplies while providing important economic stability for watershed towns," said Cathleen Breen, Watershed Protection Coordinator for the New York Public Interest Research Group. 

"This agreement assures continued funding for CWC programs that benefit both water quality and people in the Catskill-Delaware Watershed," said Catskill Watershed Corporation Executive Director Alan Rosa. "Since its formation 13 years ago, the CWC has worked hard on behalf of member towns and villages, and the residents and businesses of the watershed, and we're pleased that the agreement will allow us to continue this work for many years to come." 

"The City's new water supply permit represents yet another major step forward for the cooperative upstate-downstate partnership that took shape in the 1990s, when stakeholders and regulators agreed that the City should avoid the billion-dollar price tag of filtration and instead focus on protecting land and keeping pollutants out of our drinking water," said Paul Gallay, Executive Director for Riverkeeper. "By establishing programs for upstate economic development, infrastructure improvements, conservation, and agricultural and forest easements, this permit maintains the essential ingredients that make the New York City Watershed an international model for ecosystem protection and sustainable development." 

"The Delaware County Board approved the Water Supply Permit," said Delaware County Board of Supervisors Chair Jim Eisel. "The changes introduced by our involvement reflect significant improvement over the originally proposed permit language by introducing measures to secure important economic protections for the towns of Delaware County." 

New York City's Watershed Protection Program has been so successful at protecting the integrity of the city's water supply that the United States Environmental Protection Agency awarded the City a 10-year Filtration Avoidance Determination (FAD) in 2007. The 2007 FAD requires the city to continue an active land acquisition program, focusing on properties selected for their water quality protection benefits. The success of the City's Watershed Protection Program overall is one of the main reasons why New York City remains one of only five large cities in the United States that is not required to filter its drinking water. The other cities are Boston, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle. 

Since the beginning of the 1997 FAD, the city has committed $541 million to purchase land to protect its unfiltered drinking water which supplies roughly half the population of New York State. DEP has also made unprecedented efforts to balance water quality preservation with the interests and economic vitality of watershed communities. Most properties acquired by the City will be available for public access for compatible activities such as hunting, hiking, trapping and fishing; other land will be opened for economic activity such as timber management, maple syrup harvests, and hay cropping that helps local community businesses.

Delaware River Annual One Bug

The snow is melting and we are all gearing up for another great year of fishing this spring. With April just around the corner we are happy to announce the dates for the fourth-annual One Bug™ fundraiser. The event will be held on the weekend of April 29, 30 and May 1 and will again be headquartered at the famous Old Capitol Theatre, 170 Front St. in Hancock, NY. As always, the weekend will begin with a reception, banquet and auction on Friday night at the decked-out theatre, followed by two days of team fishing led by the country’s best guides.

The One Bug™ is the most important fundraising event of the year in support of the charitable work of Friends of the Upper Delaware River. Proceeds will be used in our ongoing battle for consistent reservoir releases, habitat and stream improvements and the enhancement and protection of the Upper Delaware’s wild trout fishery and flood mitigation.

The event, which raised more than $50,000 in 2010, celebrates the sport and camaraderie of fly-fishing while boosting the regional economy. We are also pleased to say that the One Bug™ has been a much-needed shot in the arm for the local economy.

Many residents, weekenders, and visitors will receive the 2011 One Bug™ Program allowing your ad to be seen by a select group of people that help support or local economy. We hope you will consider placing an ad with us to help support FUDR’s ongoing efforts to protect and enhance all our community has to offer.

In addition to placing an ad, please consider joining us Friday night – a limited number of tickets are available at $100 each. For more information, go to www.fudr.org , call FUDR at 607-363-7848 or email Dan at catskilldan@mac.com

Thanks – see you at the ONE BUG™!

Dan

Advertising Info:

Full page color ad $100.00 8” x 10”
½ page color ad $ 55.00 8” x 5”
¼ page color ad $ 30.00 4” x 5”

Please email your ad to sherri@fudr.org, with name of business, contact info., and ad size.
Mail your check, made out to, Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR), 1645 Bump Road, East Branch, NY 13756

The Delaware River Management Plan

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has released their draft of the The Delaware River Management Plan.  The goal of the plan is to protect the river's resources and provide fishing and boating opportunities while also focusing on conservation and aquatic resourses.

The plan's Executive Summary can be read at: http://www.fish.state.pa.us/water/rivers/delaware/delaware_river_plan_exec_draft.pdf

The PFBC is looking for the public to comment on this plan. A web based form is located on the commission's website: http://www.fish.state.pa.us/promo/form/river_plans_delaware.htm