"The respective signatory parties covenant and agree to include the amounts so apportioned for the support of the current expense budget in their respective budgets next to be adopted, subject to such review and approval as may be required by their respective budgetary processes."

-- Delaware River Basin Compact (Public Law 87-328, Article 13, Section 13.3c)

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) was formed by compact in 1961 through legislation signed into law by the President John F. Kennedy and the governors of the four states with land drained by the Delaware River -- Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The DRBC's creation was the first time in our nation's history that the federal government and a group of states joined together as equal partners in a river basin planning, development, and regulatory agency. The commission serves federal, regional, state and local interests by providing comprehensive, proactive water resources management for the 13,539-square-mile Delaware River Basin. DRBC programs include water quality protection, water supply allocation, flood loss reduction, drought management, water conservation, permitting, watershed planning, and recreation. Notably, the creation of the commission changed the Delaware Valley from an area of conflict to a model of federal-state cooperation. Today, this contrasts sharply with other parts of the nation, where cross-border water crises cost the federal government millions of dollars, while they tie up the federal courts in ongoing litigation and run up huge costs to the parties and states involved.

The 100-year compact creating the DRBC stipulates that the five signatory parties agree to support the commission's annual current expense budget. Unfortunately, the federal government, after funding the DRBC’s activities for 35 years, has withheld its 20% promised share of the Commission's operating budget since October 1, 1996, while remaining an active voting commission member possessing the same powers and authority as the other signatory parties.

Despite the continued support of the other four commission members, the DRBC has been hampered in its ability to continue vital programs of state and federal interest due to the federal government's cumulative funding shortfall that totals $7,134,250 through June 30, 2007. Over the past several years, this shortfall has been largely offset by drawing down the commission's General Fund Equity (reserves), increased reliance on one-time grant funding, and decisions to delay or not fill vacant positions. While the federal government has failed to support the commission's annual operating budget, direct payments or contributions from the DRBC to federal projects or programs totaled $4.8 million over fiscal years 2002 and 2003.

On February 28, 2007, the commissioners unanimously approved the DRBC’s FY 2008 current expense budget of $5,004,000. It calls for the following signatory party shares: Pennsylvania $893,000 (25%), New Jersey $893,000 (25%), Federal Government $715,000 (20%), New York $626,000 (17.5%), and Delaware $447,000 (12.5%). This is the first signatory party contribution increase in six years.

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