"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, Section 13.3c)

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) was formed by compact in 1961 through legislation signed into law by 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 on a regional body with the force of law to oversee a unified approach to managing a river system without regard to political boundaries. The commission serves federal, 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 the ongoing tri-state water crisis between Georgia, Alabama, and Florida as well as in other parts of the country where cross-border water conflicts continue to 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. In 1988, the commission members reached a tacit agreement to apportion signatory party contributions as follows: Delaware 12.5%, New York 17.5%, New Jersey 25%, Pennsylvania 25%, and the United States 20%.

The federal government has provided funding to support its 20% "fair share" of the DRBC's annual current expense budget during only one federal fiscal year since 1996 (please note: the federal fiscal year, which extends from October 1 through September 30, differs from the DRBC fiscal year, so the U.S. contribution to DRBC received in federal FY 2009 totaling $715,000 appears as $536,250 in DRBC FY 2009 and $178,750 in DRBC FY 2010). The cumulative federal shortfall from October 1996 through the end of DRBC FY 2013 (June 30, 2013) totals $10,709,250.

Senate Approves Legislation with Carper-Coons Language Directing Restoration of Federal Funding to DRBC (May 20, 2013 DRBC News Release)

On May 10, 2012 following a public hearing, the commissioners unanimously approved the DRBC's current expense budget of $5,824,350 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013. It calls for the following signatory member contributions: New Jersey $893,000, Pennsylvania $848,350, Delaware $447,000, New York $246,000, and United States $0. In addition, the commissioners approved the DRBC capital budget (Water Supply Storage Facilities Fund) providing for revenues of $3,738,500 and expenditures of $3,738,500.

• Resolution 2012-2: A Resolution to Adopt the Commission's Annual Budget for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2013 (July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013) and to Apportion Among the Signatory Parties the Amounts Required for the Support of the Current Expense and Capital Budgets (pdf 26 KB)
• Adopted FY 2013 Current Expense and Capital Budgets (pdf 340 KB)

Following a public hearing held on May 7, 2013, the commissioners on May 8, 2013 unanimously approved the DRBC's current expense budget of $5,647,550 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014. It calls for the following signatory member contributions: New Jersey $693,000, Pennsylvania $848,350, Delaware $447,000, New York $246,000, and United States $715,000. In addition, the commissioners approved the DRBC capital budget (Water Supply Storage Facilities Fund) providing for revenues of $4,289,900 and expenditures of $3,820,400.

• Resolution 2013-2: A Resolution to Adopt the Commission's Annual Budget for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2014 (July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014) and to Apportion Among the Signatory Parties the Amounts Required for the Support of the Current Expense and Capital Budgets (pdf 21 KB)
• Adopted FY 2014 Current Expense and Capital Budgets (pdf 363 KB)