Number: 1987-16
WHEREAS, the Delaware River provides water to some 24 million people, roughly 10 percent of the population of the Nation; and
WHEREAS, the Delaware River Basin includes the Upper and Middle Delaware Scenic and Recreational Rivers, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, several national wildlife refuges, and other environmental values of national importance; and
WHEREAS, the Delaware River Basin is managed by an interstate compact commission, approved by an Act of Congress and the state legislatures of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, adequate instream flows are necessary for fish and shellfish, recreation, water quality maintenance, salinity control, and other beneficial purposes; and
WHEREAS, the Delaware River has been stressed frequently during periods of low flow and drought by major diversions out of the basin to New York City, by depletive use within the basin, and by enormous pollution loading; and
WHEREAS, such stress on the Delaware could be alleviated substantially by greater reliance on the Hudson River watershed by New York City, and by greater attention to water conservation and demand management by all major users of Delaware River water; and
WHEREAS, the management of the basin is at a critical juncture, where additional financial and natural resources must be committed to the construction of new water storage projects, or other measures must be identified and implemented to bring supply and demand for water into balance during periods of low flow;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 19-22, 1987, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, urges that the Comprehensive Plan for the Delaware River Basin be modified to provide for greater recognition and protection of instream flows; consistency between commission actions and fish restoration plans and habitat maintenance programs; and significantly greater emphasis on water conservation to manage supply and demand for the waters of the Delaware Basin; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation urges the Congress to enact legislation to prohibit diversions of water outside the Delaware Basin beyond levels currently allowed; to facilitate investment in water conservation measures and programs; to require water users to repay the costs of new water supply projects in accordance with the benefits received; to ensure greater public participation in the important decisions to be made by the commission; and to deauthorize Tocks Island Dam, the construction of which would be contrary to sound natural resource management.