DELAWARE COUNTY, PA – November 1, 2026 − On November 3, Delaware County voters will decide whether to authorize a referendum to protect water quality, natural areas, wildlife habitat, parks, trails, and open space throughout the county. I encourage voters to vote YES. Allowing the County to borrow up to $120 million will help protect clean water and preserve natural areas for our children and generations to come.
Delaware County’s remaining woodlands, wetlands, streams, and other natural areas benefit every resident. They help filter pollutants, protect drinking water sources, absorb stormwater, reduce flooding, improve air quality, and provide habitat for wildlife. These resources do more than enhance our quality of life. They perform essential functions that help keep our communities healthy, resilient, and attractive places to live.
A YES vote would also provide an opportunity to restore and expand Delaware County’s successful Green Ways Grant Program. Previous rounds funded projects throughout the county, including stream restoration, stormwater improvements, park enhancements, trail connections, and habitat protection efforts. County investments helped leverage millions of dollars in additional state, federal, municipal, and private funding, allowing local communities to accomplish projects that otherwise may not have been possible.
Supporting conservation does not mean opposing growth. Thoughtful planning, coupled with needed zoning reforms and the expanded use of municipal land banks—recently authorized through legislation my colleagues and I were proud to support in the General Assembly—can accommodate continued housing and economic growth while also protecting the limited natural areas that remain. These tools help communities return vacant and distressed properties to productive use, strengthen neighborhoods and local tax bases, and create new opportunities for growth without relying on the development of remaining open land. Conservation and development do not have to be competing priorities. In many cases, they are mutually reinforcing.
The referendum also includes important safeguards. A YES vote authorizes borrowing up to $120 million over time but does not require immediate borrowing of the full amount. Spending is limited to the specific purposes included in the ballot language. That language also requires public disclosure and annual independent audits.
Delaware County cannot replace natural areas once they are lost. This referendum presents an opportunity to protect water quality, reduce flood risks, preserve wildlife habitat, enhance parks and trails, and invest in the long-term health and livability of our communities.
For these reasons, I encourage Delaware County voters to vote YES on this important referendum.