PRINTER'S NO. 1440
No. 131 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY SCHRODER, HENNESSEY, RUBLEY, REBER, M. N. WRIGHT,
CLYMER, GEORGE, SEMMEL, D. W. SNYDER AND LEH, APRIL 10, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, APRIL 10, 1997
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the Delaware River Basin Commission to review
2 existing procedures, policies and mandates relating to local
3 oversight of water resources and to adopt amended regulations
4 to revise withdrawal limits to correspond with integrated
5 water resource plans adopted by municipalities within
6 designated subbasins.
7 WHEREAS, The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) pursuant
8 to the Delaware River Basin Compact among the United States of
9 America, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the States of
10 Delaware, New Jersey and New York has oversight and jurisdiction
11 of the conservation, utilization, development, management and
12 control of water and water-related resources of the Delaware
13 River Basin; and
14 WHEREAS, DRBC adopted groundwater protected area regulations
15 for southeastern Pennsylvania in 1980, effective January 1,
16 1981, to prevent depletion of groundwater resources and protect
17 the just and equitable interests of the users of the same water
18 source; and
19 WHEREAS, There has been a marked increase in groundwater
20 withdrawal and groundwater pumping in the Delaware River Basin
1 for private, public and commercial uses; and
2 WHEREAS, The groundwater pumping has contributed to reduced
3 flows in the streams in the region with potential adverse
4 effects to instream and downstream water uses; and
5 WHEREAS, Increased groundwater pumping has adversely affected
6 fisheries and other aquatic life; and
7 WHEREAS, Increased groundwater pumping has also reduced the
8 capacity of streams to assimilate the natural and manmade point
9 and nonpoint discharges of pollutants which would be normally
10 assimilated by regular stream flows; and
11 WHEREAS, The continued increase of groundwater withdrawals
12 could significantly impact perennial streams and in some cases
13 cause streams to dry up, with major adverse impacts to
14 downstream users; and
15 WHEREAS, Increased groundwater pumping is of great concern to
16 the residents of the Delaware River Basin, and the groundwater
17 pumping which has significantly increased in the Neshaminy Creek
18 Basin presents a potential for long-term adverse effects on the
19 resident water users in the basin; and
20 WHEREAS, Proposed groundwater pumping in the groundwater
21 protected areas outside of the Neshaminy Creek Basin also
22 presents a potential for long-term adverse effects on streams
23 and resident water users of the basin; and
24 WHEREAS, The DRBC has proposed amendments to the groundwater
25 protected area regulations for southeastern Pennsylvania for the
26 purpose of responding to the aforementioned water quality and
27 supply concerns; and
28 WHEREAS, The residents and local municipal governments in the
29 Delaware River Basin have been working on a continuing basis to
30 develop local water resource plans; therefore be it
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1 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives memorialize the
2 Delaware River Basin Commission to review existing procedures,
3 policies and mandates relating to local oversight of water
4 resources and to adopt amended regulations to revise withdrawal
5 limits to correspond with integrated water resource plans
6 adopted by municipalities within designated subbasins; and be it
7 further
8 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
9 the Delaware River Basin Commission, the President of the United
10 States and the Governors of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and
11 the States of Delaware, New Jersey and New York.
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