Good Turnout at the RFAC meeting

[Big_Spinner]

Hi All,

Great turnout at the RFAC meeting yesterday in Hawley.

I would estimate a crowd of about 140 people at a meeting that normally gets 4 or 5 people.

Nice presentations directly to the decree party members.

New York State was not represented. Very disappointing considering much of the upper river is in or bordering NYS.

Some positives, but NJ still publically stated that there will be no change in FFMP until NJ gets what it wants. Like a small child throwing a tantrum. The problem this tantrum is like NJ hiding the car keys and so there is no movement forward. Very frustrating.

Time for all you NJ gang to elect different administration.

PA rep also stated that although "these issues may not be new to you all, I have an administration that has only been in place for two years and need to get them up to speed" or something along those lines. So, if there is a new administration every 4 years, nothing will get done there either!!

Our Government is just broken.

Additionally, Steve Tambini, the new executive director of the DRBC manipulated the sign up sheets to appease the flood groups. The sign up sheet to speak was first come first served and there was a certain amount of time allocated for speaking. When the flood groups people arrived later he changed the order of the speaker list to allow flood groups to speak.

So, they can change protocols if they feel like it, but can't make modest improvements to the FFMP.

Jim

 

[TR]

Hi All,

Great turnout at the RFAC meeting yesterday in Hawley.

I would estimate a crowd of about 140 people at a meeting that normally gets 4 or 5 people.

Nice presentations directly to the decree party members.

New York State was not represented. Very disappointing considering much of the upper river is in or bordering NYS.

Some positives, but NJ still publically stated that there will be no change in FFMP until NJ gets what it wants. Like a small child throwing a tantrum. The problem this tantrum is like NJ hiding the car keys and so there is no movement forward. Very frustrating.

Time for all you NJ gang to elect different administration.

PA rep also stated that although "these issues may not be new to you all, I have an administration that has only been in place for two years and need to get them up to speed" or something along those lines. So, if there is a new administration every 4 years, nothing will get done there either!!

Our Government is just broken.

Additionally, Steve Tambini, the new executive director of the DRBC manipulated the sign up sheets to appease the flood groups. The sign up sheet to speak was first come first served and there was a certain amount of time allocated for speaking. When the flood groups people arrived later he changed the order of the speaker list to allow flood groups to speak.

So, they can change protocols if they feel like it, but can't make modest improvements to the FFMP.

Jim

----------

I would agree that the meeting was well attended, as was the RFAC meeting in late 2015.

However, my takeaway, was that nothing has changed in FFMP policy (i.e.; water tables and how time of year and capacity effects releases) for 2016 and it is the same as 2015 from what Bob Mason of USGS stated.

I also found that the downriver officials (i.e.; an elected official from Rieglesville, NY and other NJ officials spoke) from New Jersey and Pennsylvania (south of The Gap) have become very vocal is wanting a "void" - or 90% capacity at Cannonsville throughout the year to prevent what they seem to regard as "flood mitigation" due to reservoirs at 100% - or spilling.

The floods of 2004, 2005 and 2006 were referred to many times and one has to wonder what the damage would have been if those NYC reservoirs had not been built. Might those floods have been worse? I suspect that they would have been.

NYC has always maintained that they constructed their reservoirs in the 1950's and 1960's NOT for flood control but for the water supply for New York City.

If this meeting had been held at say - Easton, Hackettstown or Trenton - yesterday, my guess is that you would have had more folks demanding a 90% capacity / void from NYC DEP.

Unfortunate, since from mid February to mid March, NYC was releasing 800 to 1,500cfs from Cannonsville for "flood mitigation" eventhough the Catskills had no snow.

That's stupid since they get the three week snow survey data from Horton of NYC DEP and pissing water away.

Kudos go to Peter Kolesar who for umpteenth time has pleaded with the officials to no avail.

So, that's my take away, you'll have the same policy this year as you had last year.

Pray for rain since they're releasing 107cfs this morning from Cannonsville and Hale Eddy is 2.2'.

Tight lines,
TR

 

[lightenup]

sounds like typical government bullshit......sorry to hear it..

NJ politics are probably the most broken in the country...

 

[FIN-ITE 34]

What is it that NJ wants before making changes?

 

[lightenup]

What is it that NJ wants before making changes?

My guess would be someone needs to get paid...

 

[Big_Spinner]

Hi,

In my opinion NJ says something publically but really wants something else.

Publically, they say they want a complete revamp of the entire Delaware system and a new determination of safe yield among other things.

They want this to happen before they will even talk about any minor changes to the existing FFMP/OST.

The fishing community has repeatedly presented ideas for thermal relief and fixing the ramping. NJ says no way and repeated that yesterday, until they get a complete redo.

Now there is some merit in their ask. They have not gotten what they want through the years and they have agreed to some small changes along the way.

A complete redo will take years.

Here is what they really want:

NJ is looking at a water shortage moving forward and they would like to be guaranteed their withdrawal of 100 million gallons per day under all circumstances. Even during drought.

I guess they feel if they hold out for no changes, they will eventually get their water.

Jim

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Time for all you NJ gang to elect different administration.

Uh, our Governor is in his second term and can't run again, so we will be voting in a new administration soon.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Hi,

In my opinion NJ says something publically but really wants something else.

Publically, they say they want a complete revamp of the entire Delaware system and a new determination of safe yield among other things.

They want this to happen before they will even talk about any minor changes to the existing FFMP/OST.

The fishing community has repeatedly presented ideas for thermal relief and fixing the ramping. NJ says no way and repeated that yesterday, until they get a complete redo.

Now there is some merit in their ask. They have not gotten what they want through the years and they have agreed to some small changes along the way.

A complete redo will take years.

Here is what they really want:

NJ is looking at a water shortage moving forward and they would like to be guaranteed their withdrawal of 100 million gallons per day under all circumstances. Even during drought.

I guess they feel if they hold out for no changes, they will eventually get their water.

Jim

There is no secret that NJ will need a new water supply source if we ever grow in population again. Because any future growth will come in the middle of the state which would rely on Delaware River water for drinking water supplies. Our Highlands and Pinelands regions are built out under current state regulations. But currently, our state is shrinking in population, hence why NJ isn't pressuring NY more than it is behind the scenes. I recently spoke with our DEP appointee to the DRBC and he remains highly frustrated by NY City's reluctance to allow any changes. This is all going back to the US Supreme Court, the only issue is when. Might not be in most of our lifetimes, but it will go back one day. NY City has zero reason to change. The FFMP is brilliant for them because it allows them to horde water year round. We (the conservation community and the 4 states) were complete buffoons to have pushed for the current FFMP because changes can only come from a unanimous vote and NYC holds all the cards. We foolishly thought it was a 1st step towards better flows and that we would keep building on the FFMP to increase flows further. NYC has no desire to see the plan change, hence it stops right there. NJ doesn't need to fight the good fight currently based on shrinking population, so who knows when our state will stand opposed to NYC.