This week, Congressman Carney (D-DE) announced the winner of his Delaware River Basin Photo Contest. He spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives to recognize the winning photo and urge Congress to pass his bipartisan legislation, the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act.

The photo contest, held for the past month on Congressman Carney’s Facebook page,asked constituents to submit photos showing what the Delaware River Basin means to them. Congressman Carney’s office received over 200 photos from Delawareans. Constituents cast over 1,000 votes in the last week, choosing a photo by Mark Atkins of Wilmington as the winner.Mr. Atkins’ submission highlights the importance of the Delaware River Basin, showing University of Delaware crew members rowing on the Christina River.

On participating in the contest, Mr. Atkins said, “This competition was a fun and engaging way to spread the word about how much the Delaware River Basin means to us. My goal was to take a photo that portrayed not only the beauty the area offers, but also its recreational use. We appreciate the Congressman’s efforts to preserve this Delaware treasure.”

In his floor speech, Congressman Carney spoke on the significance of the photos submitted and the importance of the Delaware River Basin to the environment, the economy, and the culture of Delaware.

“These photos tell the story of the Basin as the home to wildlife, as a spot for recreation and as a place to enjoy natural beauty,” said Congressman John Carney (D-DE). “I’m asking Congress to pass this legislation and invest in the Delaware River Basin so Americans from New York to Delaware can continue enjoying it for generations to come.”

Congressman Carney also noted that the legislation has cosponsors from both sides of the aisle, calling it a testament to both the Basin and the bill. The Delaware River Basin Conservation Act is cosponsored by eight Democrats and nine Republicans, representing every state in the Basin. To view the Congressman’s floor speech click here.

Despite its estimated $25 billion economic impact on the region annually, Delaware River restoration efforts receive very limited federal resources compared to similar watersheds across the country. Through competitive grants that incentivize public-private partnerships and improved coordination among stakeholders, the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act will improve habitats, protect water quality and mitigate flood damage. To read a summary of the bill, click here. To see the bill text, click here.

Congressman Carney’s non-traditional efforts to highlight this legislation have gone past just the photo contest, and include his use of the hashtag, #AllAboutThatBasin and his impromptu video dancing to the popular Meghan Trainor song “All About that Bass.” To view the Congressman’s video click here.

Mr. Mark Atkins’ winning photo.

###