This is a recap of the most recent DRBC Commission Business Meeting.

• Here you will find information given at the business meeting, as well as links to the items approved.

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DRBC Business Meeting Minutes

• To view DRBC Commission Meeting Minutes going back to 2010, please visit https://www.nj.gov/drbc/meetings/archive/drbc-mtg-minutes.html. 

The Delaware River Basin Commission held its regularly scheduled business meeting on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. The meeting, which was open to the public, was held remotely via Zoom Webinar.

A public hearing was held remotely on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, via Zoom Webinar. Items heard at the public hearing, which began at 1:30 p.m., included 26 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 February 5, 2025, were accepted through 5 p.m., Monday, February 10, 2025.

The Feb. 5 public hearing and the March 12 business meeting were livestreamed to DRBC's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/delrivbasincomm. 

Business Meeting Agenda

The business meeting on March 12, 2025, began at 10:30 a.m. and adjourned at approximately 11:30 a.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 February 5, 2025, public hearing are noted by *.
  
  
• Items heard at a public hearing held November 19, 2024, 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 December 5, 2024, business meeting were approved by unanimous vote)

• December 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. (Fanghui Chen)

• 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)

• I would like to recognize two new DRBC alternate Commissioners, including the recently appointed Secretary for the Delaware Department of Environmental Resources and Control, Greg Patterson, who is the new alternate Commissioner on behalf of Governor Matt Meyer; and Jason Minnich, Program Manager of the Interstate Water Resources Management Division for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, who is the new second alternate Commissioner on behalf of Governor Josh Shapiro.

  • View DRBC Commissioners List
    
    
• Here are a few highlights of the work Commission staff has been performing since our last business meeting to implement our Water Resources Program:

  • The Commission published its 2025 State of the Basin Report last month. This report – the fourth such publication since 2004 – provides a detailed evaluation of 36 indicators for watersheds and landscapes, water quantity, climate change, water quality and living resources, and includes a rating and a directional trend for each. I am pleased to say that the state of the Delaware River Basin is generally good and improving in several areas. The report also recognizes the important contributions made by other agencies and organizations who are working together to achieve common goals. We are holding a webinar on Monday, March 24, at 10 am for the public to learn more.

    • View the State of the Basin 2025 report & register for the March 24 webinar

  • At our June 2024 business meeting, a resolution was passed directing staff to develop a Climate Resilience Plan (CRP) that will include a list of prioritized actions for evaluating potential impacts on our water resources and formulating management approaches to improve resilience and adaptation. Since then staff has been actively working on Phase 1, which is focused on scoping and developing a framework for the plan, and staff is committed to engaging public input during this process. This includes providing regular updates to the Advisory Committee on Climate Change, as well as holding numerous in-person and virtual public input sessions and offering an online comment card through which we are seeking broad input on the scope and topics of the plan. The next public input session is on March 19 at 7 p.m., and the next plan update will be provided at the next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Climate Change, scheduled for April 29, 2025.

    • Learn more about the CRP, participate in an upcoming public workshop or submit online comments

  • Commission staff has also had several opportunities to share its work with the public:

    • • The Commission has held three advisory committee meetings since our last quarterly business meeting. These included an Advisory Committee on Climate Change (ACCC) meeting on December 17, a Monitoring Advisory and Coordination Committee (MACC) meeting on December 19, and a Water Management Advisory Committee (WMAC) meeting on February 19.

        • December 17, 2024, ACCC Meeting Recap
          
          
        • December 19, 2024, MACC Meeting Recap
          
          
        • February 19 WMAC, 2025, Meeting Recap

      • Also on February 11 and 12, 2025, DRBC staff attended the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary's biennial Science and Environmental Summit, which brings together scientists and environmental professionals, researchers, and leaders to discuss problems facing the Delaware River Estuary and work towards potential solutions. Over the Summit's two days, DRBC staff made six excellent presentations and moderated two sessions.

        • DRBC Staff Share Expertise at PDE Science Summit
          
          
• I am very excited to announce that the Delaware River was named Pennsylvania's 2025 River of the Year. Bestowed annually by the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, this honor helps raise awareness of rivers' significance, conservation needs, unique history, recreational opportunities and economic impact on watershed communities. This marks the third time the Delaware River has earned the title, having previously won in 2002 and 2011. The Delaware River Sojourn Steering Committee nominated the Delaware for this honor, and they are excited to welcome everyone to join the 30th Delaware River Sojourn to be held June 14-20. As part of the Sojourn, on June 18 there is an afternoon river festival being planned to celebrate the River of the Year honor.
  
  
  • View the Pennsylvania news release announcement (issued February 13, 2025)
    
    
  • Learn more about the Delaware River Sojourn

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

8. Resolution for the Minutes honoring former Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. (Pam Bush; former Secretary Garvin gave remarks thanking the DRBC for this recognition)

• A Resolution for the Minutes honoring former Secretary Shawn M. Garvin for his career in public service dedicated to environmental protection and his contributions to 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 extend the special permit issued by Resolution No. 2024-07. (Kristen Bowman Kavanagh)

• A RESOLUTION pursuant to Section 10.4 of the Delaware River Basin Compact to extend the special permit issued by Resolution No. 2024-07 to continue to preserve and protect water supplies in the Delaware River Basin as dry conditions persist.(this Resolution was approved unanimously by the Commissioners; pdf)
  
  
  • DRBC Drought Information

*10. Project Review Docket Applications. (David Kovach; 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 #1-26 were subject to public hearings on February 5, 2025. After the public hearing, Docket #3 was postponed to allow additional time for review.
  
  
• Dockets #1-2 and #4-26 were approved unanimously by the Commissioners on March 12, 2025. 

View docket location map of projects heard on February 5 (pdf)

1. Brookhaven Borough, D-1966-096 CP-6.
   
   
2. Womelsdorf Sewer Authority, D-1967-084 CP-5.
   
   
3. Morrisville Municipal Authority, D-1978-068-6. This docket has been postponed to allow additional time for review.
   
   
4. Weatherly Borough, D-1980-080 CP-5.
   
   
5. Pennsylvania American Water Company, D-1987-031 CP-5.
   
   
6. Wyomissing Valley Joint Municipal Authority, D-1991-009 CP-7.
   
   
7. Filomina Inc., D-1993-047-4.
   
   
8. Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority, D-1993-076 CP-5.
   
   
9. The Boeing Company, D-1994-030-4.
   
   
10. Lehigh Township Municipal Authority, D-1994-054 CP-4.
    
    
11. Jericho National Golf Club, Inc., D-1995-002-4.
    
    
12. Milford Nursing and Rehabilitation LLC, D-1998-051 CP-5.
    
    
13. East Penn Manufacturing Co., D-2003-023-4.
    
    
14. Stony Creek Anglers, Inc., D-2004-012-3.
    
    
15. Chadds Ford Township Sewer Authority, D-2005-022 CP-5.
    
    
16. Camp Ramah in the Poconos, D-2005-030-5.
    
    
17. Maxatawny Township Municipal Authority, D-2007-001 CP-4.
    
    
18. Buck Hill Falls Water Company, D-2009-002 CP-2.
    
    
19. Lehigh Carbon Community College, D-2009-025 CP-4.
    
    
20. Reading Area Water Authority, D-2010-009 CP-4.
    
    
21. Lakeview Estates Homeowner's Association, D-2010-032-4.
    
    
22. Applegreen PA Welcome Centers, LLC, D-2013-018-3.
    
    
23. Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc., D-2014-005 CP-3.
    
    
24. Manchester Township Sewer and Water Authority, Inc., D-2014-015 CP-2.
    
    
25. Brodhead Creek Regional Authority, D-1991-001 CP-5.
    
    
26. Community Utilities of Pennsylvania, Inc., D-2003-036 CP-4.