The Delaware River Basin Commission held its regularly scheduled business meeting on Thursday, December 5, 2024. The meeting, which was open to the public, was held remotely via Zoom Webinar.

A public hearing was held remotely on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, via Zoom Webinar. Items heard at the public hearing, which began at 1:30 p.m., included 20 draft dockets for withdrawals, discharges and other water-related projects that could have a substantial effect on the Basin's water resources and are subject to the Commission's review.

• Written comments on the items up for hearing on November 6, 2024, were accepted through 5 p.m., Tuesday, November 12, 2024.

The DRBC held a special public hearing on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, starting at 1:30 p.m., to receive comment on the matter of persistent dry conditions in the Basin. The public hearing was open to the public and conducted virtually via Zoom Webinar.

• Written comments on the persistent dry conditions were accepted through 5 p.m., Wednesday, November 20, 2024.

Both public hearings and the Dec. 5 business meeting were livestreamed to DRBC's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/delrivbasincomm. 

Business Meeting Agenda

The business meeting on December 5, 2024, began at 10:30 a.m. and adjourned at approximately 12:00 p.m.

An open public comment session began after the close of the business meeting and lasted for approximately a half hour. Please Note: Comments made during Open Public Comment Sessions are NOT included in any decision-making record. There is no requirement for the Commission to provide for open public comment.

The agenda for the business meeting follows, with links to the items approved (info & links to documents are added to this page as they become available).

• Items heard at the November 6, 2024, public hearing are noted by *.
  
  
• Items related to the November 19, 2024, public hearing are noted by **.

1. Call to Order & Welcome. (Commission Chair, Karen Stainbrook)

2. Roll Call and Introductions. (Commission Secretary Pam Bush and Commissioners)

3. Minutes. (Pam Bush; The minutes of the September 5, 2024, business meeting were approved by unanimous vote)

• September 5, 2024, Minutes (pdf)
  
  

4. Announcements.

• Upcoming Advisory Committee Meetings (Pam Bush)
  
  
• Upcoming Other Meetings with DRBC staff participation (Pam Bush)

5. Hydrologic Conditions Report. (Amy Shallcross)

• View Hydrologic Conditions Report (pdf)
  
  
• Check hydrologic conditions in the Basin daily at hydrosnap.drbc.net

6. Summary of Executive Director's Report. (Kristen Bowman Kavanagh)

• On December 1, 2024, Steve Tambini retired from the DRBC, having served as its Executive Director for 10 years. His career in water resources spanned over 40 years. Steve announced his planned retirement in March 2024. On September 5, 2024, it was announced that the Commission appointed me, Kristen Bowman Kavanagh, P.E., as its next Executive Director. I am pleased to offer my first Executive Director's Report today.
  
  
  • View News Release announcing Steve's retirement (issued March 6, 2024)
    
    
  • View News Release announcing Kristen's appointment (issued September 5, 2024)
    
    
• I am pleased to announce that the DRBC recently hired Amanda Khalil as its newest Water Resource Scientist. Amanda will be working in the Water Resources Planning Branch - welcome, Amanda!
  
  
• DRBC staff has been quite busy this fall.
  
  
  • In October, the DRBC published A Pathway for Continued Restoration: Improving Dissolved Oxygen in the Delaware River Estuary and related modeling reports that support updating designated uses and associated water quality standards in the Delaware River Estuary to better support fish populations.
    
    
    • View News Release (issued October 3, 2024)
      
      
  • This fall, several DRBC Advisory Committees held meetings:
    
    
    • Advisory Committee on Climate Change met September 11, 2024
      
      
    • Water Management Advisory Committee met October 16, 2024
      
      
    • Subcommittee on Source Water Protection met November 14, 2024
      
      
  • Please stay tuned for the following DRBC Advisory Committee Meetings: the Advisory Committee on Climate Change is meeting on December 17, 2024, and the Monitoring Advisory and Coordination Committee is meeting on December 19, 2024. Both meetings are open to the public.
    
    
    • Click here for advisory committee meeting information
      
      
  • This fall, staff were busy participating in technical conferences and workshops, public outreach and more.
    
    
    • DRBC Staff Share Technical Expertise at Fall Conferences
      
      
    • DRBC Helps Celebrate Bushkill Creek Restoration
      
      
    • DRBC Press Conference Featuring U.S. Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman Leads Off Inaugural Trenton Community Day
      
      
    • DRBC, Army Corps & NYC Sign Agreement to Continue F.E. Walter Study
      
      
    • Delaware River Festivals Promote Community Engagement with Our Shared Waters
      
      
    • DRBC & EPA Hold Climate Practitioners Workshop and Develop a Climate Resilience Hub
      
      
    • DRBC and PEMA partnered to host a Hazard Mitigation Funding webinar on November 26, 2024
      
      
• On behalf of everyone at the DRBC, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and congratulations to Pa. alternate Commissioner Susan Weaver on her upcoming retirement. Best of luck in your new chapter!

7. General Counsel's Report. (Ken Warren)

8. Resolution for the Minutes honoring Senator Carper (Steve Williams; Sen. Carper staffer John Gentile gave remarks on behalf of the Senator)

• A RESOLUTION for the Minutes in appreciation of the Honorable Thomas R. Carper, United States Senator representing the State of Delaware, for his service to this nation, his championship of the Delaware River and Basin and his contributions to the success of the Delaware River Basin Commission. (this Resolution for the Minutes was approved unanimously by the Commissioners; pdf)
  

**9. A Resolution pursuant to section 10.4 of the Delaware River Basin Compact to preserve and protect water supplies. (Kristen Bowman Kavanagh)

• A RESOLUTION pursuant to section 10.4 of the Delaware River Basin Compact to preserve and protect water supplies in the Delaware River Basin during persistent dry conditions by providing for coordinated actions to manage out-of-basin diversions, Delaware River flow objectives, regional reservoir operations and consumptive uses by electric generating and cogenerating facilities. (this Resolution was approved unanimously by the Commissioners; pdf)
  
  
  • View News Release (issued December 5, 2024)
    
    
  • FAQ: DRBC Drought Management (pdf)

**10. A Resolution regarding Lake Wallenpaupack and the Mongaup Reservoir System. (Kristen Bowman Kavanagh)

• A RESOLUTION temporarily placing water stored in Lake Wallenpaupack and the Mongaup reservoir system under operations designed to preserve and protect water supplies in the Basin during a period of persistent dry conditions. (this Resolution was approved unanimously by the Commissioners; pdf)

11. Resolution for the Minutes amending the Administrative Manual -- By-Laws, Management and Personnel. (Pamela Bush)

• A RESOLUTION for the Minutes amending the Administrative Manual -- By-Laws, Management and Personnel. (this Resolution for the Minutes was approved unanimously by the Commissioners; pdf)

*12. Project Review Docket Applications. (Eric Engle; approved dockets are all pdfs)

• Please note that at each of its public meetings, the Commission may consider action on any item for which a hearing has been completed or may defer one or more such items for consideration at a public meeting of the Commission on a future date.
  
  
• Dockets #1-20 were subject to public hearings on November 6, 2024. After the public hearing, Docket #8 was postponed to allow additional time for review.
  
  
• Dockets #1-7 and #9-20 were approved unanimously by the Commissioners on December 5, 2024. 

View docket location map of projects heard on November 6 (pdf)

1. Drawbridge Claymont LLC, D-1969-038-5.
   
   
2. Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority, D-1969-066 CP-5.
   
   
3. Bridgeport Borough (Montgomery County), D-1970-081 CP-5.
   
   
4. WestRock Converting Company, LLC, D-1980-025-3.
   
   
5. Manwalamink Sewer Company, D-1988-034 CP-4.
   
   
6. Rohm and Haas Chemicals, LLC, D-1989-002-5.
   
   
7. Waltz Golf Farm, Inc., D-1992-049-4.
   
   
8. Nesquehoning Borough Authority, D-1994-047 CP-3. Consideration of this docket has been postponed to allow additional time for review.
   
   
9. Lehigh Township Municipal Authority, D-1994-053 CP-4.
   
   
10. Chalfont-New Britain Township Joint Sewage Authority, D-1999-063 CP-5.
    
    
11. Bedminster Municipal Authority, D-2003-014 CP-4.
    
    
12. Milford Township Water Authority, D-2003-037 CP-3.
    
    
13. Upper Tulpehocken Township, D-2005-006 CP-5.
    
    
14. Ruscombmanor Township, D-2007-034 CP-5.
    
    
15. Cleveland Cliffs Plate LLC, D-2008-036-2.
    
    
16. Pocono Plateau Christian Association, D-2013-011 CP-3.
    
    
17. Lookaway Partners, L.P., D-1996-042-4.
    
    
18. Artesian Water Company, D-2001-025 CP-2.
    
    
19. Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater, Inc., D-2002-042-6.
    
    
20. Pike County Commissioners Office, D-2018-001 CP-2.