Delaware River Basin Conservation Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1772
Sponsor: Rep. Carney, John C., Jr. [D-DE-At Large]
Introduced: 2015-04-14 in the House
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Aquatic ecology
Delaware
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Floods and storm protection
Intergovernmental relations
Lakes and rivers
Land use and conservation
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
New Jersey
New York State
Pennsylvania
Water quality
Water resources funding
Water use and supply
Watersheds
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-14
text: 

Delaware River Basin Conservation Act of 2015

 
Requires the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to establish a nonregulatory Delaware River Basin restoration program, under which it shall: (1) draw on management plans for the Basin or portions of the Basin and work in consultation with applicable management entities, including representatives of the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, the Delaware River Basin Commission, the federal government, other state and local governments, and regional and nonprofit organizations, to identify, prioritize, and implement restoration and protection activities within the Basin; (2) adopt a Basin-wide strategy that supports the implementation of a shared set of science-based restoration and protection activities, targets cost-effective projects with measurable results, and maximizes conservation outcomes with no net gain of federal full-time equivalent employees; and (3) establish voluntary grant and technical assistance programs in accordance with this Act.
 
Defines "Basin" as the four-state Delaware Basin region, including all of Delaware Bay and portions of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania located in the Delaware River watershed. 
 
Requires the USFWS to: (1) establish the Delaware River Basin restoration grant program to provide competitive matching grants to carry out restoration and protection activities within the Basin, and (2) develop criteria for such grant program to ensure that funded activities accomplish specified purposes and advance the implementation of priority actions or needs identified in the strategy adopted under this Act.
 
Authorizes the USFWS to contract with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation or another organization that offers grant management services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-23
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2015-05-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H2886)
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
action_date: 2015-04-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2015-04-14
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-04-14
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-04-14
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-04-14
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-04-14
text: Introduced in House