[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14603]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                         COMMON WATERS FOUNDING

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM MARINO

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 27, 2013

  Mr. MARINO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John J. Donahue, the 
Superintendent of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and 
the Middle Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. Superintendent 
Donahue contracted with the Pinchot Institute to develop an 
organization rooted in engaging leaders in both private and 
governmental areas. As a result, Mr. Donahue became the driving force 
behind the establishment of the grassroots organization known as Common 
Waters.
  Common Waters is a non-governmental group that coordinates efforts 
and policies of private partners like land trusts and county, state and 
federal planning organizations.
  Delaware River provides clean drinking water for approximately 15 
million people within the tri-state areas of New York, New Jersey, and 
Pennsylvania. The preservation of forest land within these areas helps 
to ensure a healthy watershed, which is imperative to clean drinking 
water.
  The group has targeted strategic grants to over 90 private forest 
owners who control over 38,000 acres of land, resulting in the best 
management practices and greater Delaware River watershed and ecosystem 
protection.
  Additionally, Common Waters has become a voice for all of the member 
organizations on Landscape Scale Connectivity, resulting in easements 
being secured for over 1,000 acres of protection.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Donahue and Common Waters have shown that the 
government can have a dramatic benefit to the local area by providing 
opportunities to the private sector and I commend them for all of their 
work.

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