WILMINGTON, DE — Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced more than $14.9 million in funding through the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, for 36 conservation projects in the Delaware River Watershed. Support includes more than $4.5 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for six projects that will improve public access, recreational opportunities and water quality, as well as enhance shoreline and wildlife habitat.
The Delaware River Watershed is in one of the most densely populated urban areas in the nation, yet it remains 50 percent forested and boasts 400 miles of designated rivers within the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
“Thanks to support from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, these 36 projects in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York will boost local economies and address needs for natural resources while helping tackle the climate crisis,” said Service Director Martha Williams, who delivered remarks at today’s event. “By addressing conservation and resiliency needs head-on, we demonstrate the necessity and importance of caring for lands and waters and for those who share a connection to the watershed. Whether a project restores habitat, replaces a decaying culvert, or improves outdoor access, the positive impacts allow fish, wildlife and people to thrive.”
“This year’s 36 grants will allow our grantees and their partners to implement projects that benefit communities, fish and wildlife and continue the remarkable progress made over the past decades for a healthier, cleaner and more resilient Delaware River watershed,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The Delaware River’s diverse watershed, which flows through nearly 330 miles of the mid-Atlantic region, is both a source of drinking water for more than 15 million people and provides vital habitat for important wildlife species, including threatened red knots and vulnerable saltmarsh sparrow, forest birds rebounding from decline, as well as previously abundant fish such as river herring, American shad and eastern brook trout.”
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda provides an overall $2 billion to the Department of the Interior to restore public lands and waters and advance America the Beautiful, the Biden-Harris administration’s initiative to restore and conserve 30% of lands and waters by 2030. To guide these historic investments, the Department recently released the restoration and resilience framework to support coordination across agency restoration and resiliency programs and drive transformational outcomes.
See a full list of 2023 Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund and Delaware River Restoration Fund grants on the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation website.
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visit www.fws.gov and connect with us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and YouTube.
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