This an announcement of the intent of the U.

S.

Fish and Wildlife Service to competitively award a cooperative agreement for the launch of a conservation blueprint process in the Delaware River Basin.

The purpose of the award is for a third party cooperator to coordinate and

credit:

empanel Basin partners to assist in the development of a science-based, landscape scale strategy that builds upon the existing strategic and conservation plans of partners throughout the Basin, and a coordination mechanism that reflects and balances the preferences and views of the partners.

The Delaware River Basin Restoration Program is modeled after other successful partnerships that take a non-regulatory approach to conservation:
It is voluntary, incentive driven, and builds upon existing collaborative efforts by hundreds of partners.The Program reflects a shared vision for conserving and restoring a network of lands on waters to support wildlife, and is guided by a shared strategy developed by partners with guidance from the Service to focus on conservation in four key areas – clean water, habitat, recreation, and flow management.

The Program is organized around four major strategic-program areas that align with, or complement, the efforts of existing partner organizations that are expected to support the program partnership.

These strategic program areas:
Sustain and enhance fish and wildlife habitat restoration and conservation activities.

Improve and maintain water quality to support fish and wildlife, as well as habitats of fish and wildlife, and drinking water for people.

Sustain and enhance water management for volume and flood damage mitigation improvements to benefit fish and wildlife habitat.

Improve recreational opportunities for public access in the basin consistent with the ecological needs of fish and wildlife habitat