The Delaware County Board approved Resolution 206 to execute an intergovernmental mitigation agreement with watershed partners, a move supervisors and staff described as a step toward focused land-protection work and more balanced partnership management.

Shelley, who summarized the resolution on the record, said the agreement "is an authorization for our chairman of the board's entrance to a treatment, an intergovernmental agreement with the CWC, CWT, DEP, and New York City that protects and preserves a number of our important partnership programs." She said the IGA narrows acquisition focus to priority areas intended to protect water quality, supports septic-system replacements and upgrades, allows for land swaps in targeted corridors and continues flood-mitigation efforts.

Commissioner Agrawala (on the record during the meeting) called the agreement a maturation of the partnership and emphasized that the IGA represents a practical, science-driven approach to jointly protecting water resources while also considering local economic vitality. Agrawala noted the agreement aims to reduce large-scale acquisition in priority areas 3 and 4 and concentrate actions in more sensitive priority areas 1 and 2.

Why it matters: The IGA redefines how the county and watershed partners will approach land acquisition, conservation easements and flood mitigation within the watershed. By narrowing acquisition priorities and keeping some lands available for local development or swaps, the agreement alters how municipal and city-owned parcels may be used in future planning.

Next steps: County staff said the next phase includes working with New York state and New York City to modify the recently renewed water-supply permit to reflect the agreement and to begin negotiating future program details and implementation steps.

Attribution: Summary and direct quotes come from Shelley and remarks recorded from Commissioner Agrawala in the board meeting transcript.