Stanley Cooper TU Supports Coaltion CP2

Re: THE ADOPTION OF THE "CP2 REVISION" TO THE TAILWATERS HABITAT PROTECTION PROGRAM (THPDMP)

To Whom It May Concern,

By a unanimous decision of its Board of Directors on May 8, 2007, the Stanley Cooper Sr. Chapter of Trout Unlimited (SCTU) voted to support the adoption of the “CP2 Revision" to the Tailwaters Habitat Protection Program proposed by the Conservation Coalition. 

The Stanley Cooper Sr. Chapter of Trout Unlimited has long been involved in the struggle for sufficient cold-water releases from the NYC reservoirs that control water levels in the Upper Delaware River and its two major tributaries, the East and West Branches. Chapter members actively participated in the Upper Delaware Coalition meetings held in Deposit. SCTU has been a party before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in relicensing proceedings affecting Upper Delaware flows. Currently SCTU has a petition pending before the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board to classify Upper Delaware waters, the West Branch and the main stem, as “High Quality-Cold Water Fisheries." SCTU has also gone on record opposing the “Flexible Flow Management Program" (FFMP) proposed by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) earlier this year.  

Since that time, SCTU has undertaken a comprehensive study of the management plans currently being considered by the DRBC. After many hours of fact-finding and intensive discussion and deliberation, the chapter's board members unanimously felt it to be in the best interest of the Upper Delaware River to support the CP2 management program.

We understand that CP2 is only a beginning and we enthusiastically look forward to working with National TU and the Conservation Coalition to obtain larger and more consistent releases from the NYC reservoirs in the future.

The Stanley Cooper Sr. Chapter of Trout Unlimited urges you to adopt the CP2 management plan.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael F. Romanowski
President
Stanley Cooper Sr. Chapter of Trout Unlimited