U.S. House passes bill blocking creation of Delaware River National Park

A New Jersey congressman introduced an amendment to a federal spending bill passed by the U.S. House that he said would block a controversial plan to convert the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area into a national park.

However, supporters of the national park plan say that the amendment is a hollow gesture that has no practical effect.

The bill, known as the Department of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2025, was adopted by the House on Wednesday in a 210-205 vote.

The measure — branded by opponents as laden with multiple amendments harmful to the environment — faces an uncertain future as it still needs to pass in the Senate and gain President Biden’s signature.

Still, it sends the strongest legislative signal yet in opposition to a national park plan that has been slow to gain momentum.

What makes the amendment noteworthy is that a redesignation of the recreation area to a national park would take an act of Congress. The proposal would face a steep climb as at least three members of the local Congressional delegation are on record as being opposed to the plan.

Opposition rejoices

The plan to create a national park straddling the Delaware River in New Jersey and Pennsylvania created deep divisions ever since the idea was first floated in 2021.

The amendment to block the redesignation was introduced by Congressman Josh Gottheimer, whose district includes parts of the National Recreation Area. He said the amendment “reflects the conversations that I’ve had with local leaders and constituents for years.”

Two years ago, Gottheimer came out in opposition to the park plan, saying then that it lacked support to move forward.

The exact language of the amendment was not immediately available and his office did not respond to an email request for comment.

Sandy Hull, a founder of the Delaware Water Gap Defense Fund, which seeks to prevent a designation change of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to a national park, described herself as “thrilled, grateful for all the support and encouragement.”

Hull called the amendment “the beginning of the end for the national park push,” adding, “Personally, I am still a little in shock.”  

Hull’s group, which goes under the No National Park banner, mobilized a petition and letter-writing campaign to get localities and elected leaders to oppose the plan.

“A grassroots movement, coming up against national environmental groups with HUGE funding and lobbying power,” Hull wrote in an email. “I always say we all have a voice and we have been heard.”

Yes, but, say environmental groups

Stephanie Wein, the clean water and conservation advocate for PennEnvironment, one of the backers of the park plan, pointed out a technical shortcoming that the bill does not address.

That is, the amendment prohibits the Park Service from redesignating the recreation area into a national park but the Park Service is not endowed with that authority in the first place. That power rests with Congress, she noted.

As such, the amendment really is more of a reflection of how Gottheimer feels about the redesignation, she said, adding that various amendments in the House version of the bill are not contained in the Senate version.

“This rider is not going to be a deciding factor in this debate,” added Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey, another backer of the national park plan.

Wein said that while the amendment is not a nail in the coffin of the park plan, it does signal the need to continue to educate the public and build support for it.

John Donahue, a former superintendent of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and a chief architect of the national park plan, could not be reached for comment.

More broadly, Wein called the appropriations bill an “attack on core American values” and a “travesty” because it was packed with measures harmful to the environment.

Environmental and conservation groups have rallied against the bill. Wein noted that the measure would roll back protections for the right whale, old growth forests and open spaces.

Read more: Effort to create Delaware River National Park grinds on

What is the national park proposal? 

In its simplest terms, the proposal calls for the existing Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to be redesignated into the Delaware River National Park and Lenape Preserve.

An earlier plan called for the federal lands to triple in size to more than 200,000 acres by connecting existing state preserve lands in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and unifying them under federal management.

Under a revised plan, no state lands would be involved and the only expansion to the 70,000-acre footprint of the recreation area would come from property owners willing to sell, according to proponents.

Opponents have said that local infrastructure and fire and medical services would be strained and that the proposal lacked details about potential changes in fees and boundaries. 

Read more: Plan pushed to make Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area a national park

Why pursue a national park in the first place?

Proponents offer an array of reasons.

“If I, as a Pennsylvanian, wanted to visit a national park, I would have to go Shenandoah or Acadia,” said Wein, referring to parks in Virginia and Maine. 

She said the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area draws as many visitors as marquee national parks, such as Yosemite or Yellowstone, but with one-third of their budgets.

A national park would bring with it the highest levels of protection, confer bragging rights, induce local economic benefits and likely draw even more than the 4.3 million visitors the recreation area had in 2022, backers say.