NARROWSBURG, NY —  While facing a structural funding deficit, the Upper Delaware Council (UDC) turned to community support to honor the lawmaker who first secured protections for the river more than four decades ago.

Community members gathered in Narrowsburg on September 26 to honor former U.S. Rep. Matthew F. McHugh, whose 1978 legislation secured federal protection for the Upper Delaware River. The legislation added the Upper Delaware to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, establishing a partnership between local municipalities and the National Park Service for preservation of the river’s unique scenic and recreational qualities. 

The UDC hosted a public dedication ceremony at the Big Eddy Observation Deck on Main Street, followed by a luncheon at its office on Bridge Street. A bronze plaque was unveiled to recognize McHugh’s role in adding the river’s upper segment to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

Laurie Ramie, executive director of the UDC, said during the ceremony that because of the nonprofit’s financial challenges, fundraising to subsidize the project was critical.

The bronze plaque commemorates the foresight and leadership of McHugh, 86, who lives in northern Virginia. His former chief of staff Marvin Rappaport, who served from 1975 to 1979, recently recorded an oral history interview with McHugh that is available on the UDC’s YouTube channel, and conveyed the congressman’s message at the event.

In his oral history interview, McHugh reflected on the “75 miles of the Upper Delaware River” and the strong grassroots support in New York and Pennsylvania that helped shape the legislation. “The concept of protecting the river and the special nature of the resource and the communities surrounding it was very strongly supported,” he said.

Rappaport said the congressman’s work was pivotal to the river corridor’s history, and a unanimous Town of Tusten board vote approved the plaque’s installation at the publicly accessible Big Eddy Observation Deck.

Ramie thanked those involved in making the event possible and invited them to offer remarks. 

Ramie also acknowledged National Park Service (NPS) information specialist Jasmine Leung, who is leaving for a position at Grand Teton National Park. Leung recorded speeches during the ceremony to share with McHugh, who was unable to attend in person.

Tom Kearns, natural and cultural resources program manager for the National Park Service Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, spoke on the importance of shared responsibility for the river.

A social media post about the event drew Colleen Cunningham, a 1985 intern for McHugh. She said McHugh was "well respected and it was an honor to work with him," and noted that, like the congressman, she went on to attend Villanova Law School.

Nadia Rajsz, chair of the Sullivan County Legislature and UDC representative for the Town of Lumberland, who allocated $2,000 of her District 2 Discretionary Funds for this project, calling the Upper Delaware a “thriving recreational area.” She thanked District 2 constituent Rappaport from Forestburgh for this initiative and advocated for New York and Pennsylvania to fund the UDC’s operations as the River Management Plan intended.

Ramie said, “Fortunately we have a steadfast champion in Nadia Rajsz, chairperson of the Sullivan County Legislature and the UDC’s delegate for the Town of Lumberland, and we received a gracious private donation from Narrowsburg resident Devin Corrigan, as facilitated by UDC Town of Tusten Alternate Cathleen Breen.”

Corrigan, introduced as the event sponsor, said he recently bought land in the Upper Delaware and has come to appreciate the UDC’s mission. “I didn’t know what I was buying until I got here. I’m very grateful to be part of the legacy and good things are coming,” he said. Corrigan donated $2,000 to finance the installation of the plaque. 

Tusten Deputy Supervisor Jane Luchsinger and councilwoman Cass Collins also spoke. Luchsinger presented remarks from Town of Tusten Supervisor Ben Johnson, who recalled being a state trooper in 1978 and witnessing the protests against the proposed river protection. Demonstrators at the time rallied around the phrase “no park, no plan, no way.”

The UDC worked with Johnson, along with liaisons Luchsinger and Collins, to select the plaque site. Tom Coacci installed the plaque, volunteering to do the work in the rain at no cost to the town or the UDC.

Editor’s note: The original article misstated that Colleen Cunningham was a UDC intern. It has been updated Oct. 8 to reflect that she was an intern for the former U.S. Rep. McHugh in 1985. Additonally,  changes were made to the article Oct. 14 to more accurately reflect who had involment in the plaque procurement.  Changes were made to accurately reflect Rajsz comments and to cite the funding she obtained to support this ceremony.