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Frenchtown hears pitch to add local creeks to Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic designation
Summary
Residents and a regional partnership briefed the Frenchtown Borough Council on a project to add two local tributaries to the Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic designation, noting recent small grants and potential access to larger conservation funds; the council said it will consider a resolution in February.
Tom Woodard of the Red Mill Commission told the council Frenchtown recently received a $5,000 grant tied to efforts to pursue federal wild-and-scenic recognition for local creeks, and he urged the borough to consider a supporting resolution at its February meeting.
Robert McEwen, representing the Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic Partnership, gave a longer presentation on an expansion project that would add tributaries to the existing Lower Delaware designation. McEwen said the partnership distributes roughly $215,000 a year in congressionally budgeted funds via an umbrella fiduciary (the Delaware Greenway Partnership) and has helped steer more than $2,000,000 into more than 80 local projects.
"We have an expansion project to add approximately 30 tributaries to the Lower Delaware designation," McEwen said, describing the program’s goals: improving water quality, preserving natural and cultural resources, encouraging sustainable recreation and opening additional grant opportunities for municipalities and nonprofits.
McEwen told the council the designation does not permit federal acquisition of private lands or force public access, and he emphasized that local land-use authority sits with municipal governments. He asked Frenchtown to endorse two briefs and to send a representative to the partnership’s management meetings.
Council members and the chair expressed interest. The chair said officials in neighboring Kingwood had recently reorganized and were enthusiastic about the designation. The council indicated it would take up a resolution on the matter at its February meeting.
