Some May Have Had Trouble Accessing Virtual Hearing

On Wednesday , Oct. 21, 2020, DNREC conducted a virtual hearing on proposed regulations implementing a ban on single-use plastic bags in retail stores. Anyone who attempted to watch the hearing online by clicking on a direct link on the DNREC public hearing page was able to attend, and 12 members of the public were in attendance. As a result of a misprint that appeared in public notices, however, anyone who attempted to access the hearing online or by phone by manually entering the WebEx “event number” was unable to access the hearing.

DNREC encourages anyone interested in the proposed regulations implementing a ban on single-use plastic bags in retail stores to view the materials from Wednesday’s virtual public hearing. As with all DNREC public hearings, a transcript of the hearing has been made available online as well as the presentation from the hearing on the proposed regulations. All other exhibits – including written comments from the public – are also available online. The public hearing page is https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/events/public-hearing-plastic-bag-ban-and-recycling/.

DNREC will accept written comments on the proposed plastic bag ban regulations by email, webform or U.S. mail until Nov.5, details of which are provided on the public hearing webpage. DNREC provides period to accept written public comment after all regulatory hearings. Live comments presented at the hearing carry the same weight as written comments, as live comments are transcribed and made available to the hearing officer and the DNREC Secretary in their deliberation and decision process.

The ban on single use plastic bags was passed by the General Assembly in 2019, and the law becomes effective Jan. 1, 2021. The regulations – “Plastic Carryout Bag Ban and At Store Recycling Program,” 7 Del. Admin. Code 1301 Section 14 – include further details and provisions implementing the ban.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances ensures Delaware’s wastes are managed to protect human life, health, safety and the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

###

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control responded this afternoon to reports of an oil spill estimated at five barrels or about 215 gallons of oil from an unknown source that washed ashore at Broadkill Beach. DNREC’s Emergency Response Team was working into the evening to survey impacts and plan a cleanup of the spill.

The spill spanned three-quarters of a mile of upper Delaware Bay coastline, depositing much of the oil that came ashore in the sand at Broadkill. DNREC’s Emergency Response environmental staff gauged the size of the spill after collaborating with Delaware State Police’s Aviation Unit on a reconnaissance flight over the upper Bay. DNREC will provide samples of the oil to the U.S. Coast Guard Tuesday to be analyzed for a “petroleum fingerprint” that might determine its source, and will work with the Coast Guard’s environmental contractor to clean up the spill.

DNREC also cautioned that, with an outgoing tide this evening, the oil is likely to migrate elsewhere along the Delaware coast tomorrow, and asked that residents of coastal communities contact DNREC’s environmental hotline (800-662-8802) to report any oil spotted either on- or offshore. DNREC Emergency Response surveyed other bay beaches this afternoon after the Broadkill spill was reported, but found no evidence that oil had come ashore elsewhere on Delaware Bay. DNREC will provide updates Tuesday morning.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will hold a virtual public hearing Tuesday, Sept. 29 on a proposal from the Diamond State Port Corporation (DSPC) to construct a new container port on the Delaware River at the DSPC property at 4600 Hay Road, Edgemoor, New Castle County.

The proposed container port project will require permits from both DNREC’s Division of Water and the Division of Waste of Hazardous Substances, as well as a Federal Consistency Certification from the Delaware Coastal Management Program within DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy, all of which will be presented for public comment in the Sept. 29 hearing.

The public may comment in writing prior to the hearing, or comment live during the virtual hearing, or submit written comments following the hearing until November 1, 2020.

Written comments may be submitted online, via email or mail from now until Nov. 1. Written comments are made available to the public on the hearing website as they are received.

Members of the public who wish to comment live during the virtual hearing must pre-register with the Department online or by phone no later than noon on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Live comments will be transcribed and will be publicly available soon after the hearing.

All comments receive equal weight. All comments will be reviewed by the hearing officer as she makes her recommendations on all pending matters associated with this proposed project to DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin. Comments will also be reviewed by the Secretary as he makes a final decision on the applications. No recommendations or decisions on any matters currently pending before the Department are made at the time of the hearing.

All documentation and information about the proposed project and links to the upcoming hearing, including instructions on how to join, pre-register, and/or submit comments, may be reviewed at https://de.gov/portproject.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. The Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances ensures Delaware’s wastes are managed to protect human life, health, safety and the environment. The Division of Water manages and protects Delaware’s water resources. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov ; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

###

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will host a virtual public workshop next month to discuss the State’s plastic bag ban and introduce draft At-Store Recycling Program Regulations. The informal workshop will offer the public an opportunity to better understand the changes and also provide feedback on the draft regulations which will be used to implement and support this program.

Facilitated by DNREC’s Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances’ Compliance and Permitting Section, the virtual workshop will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020 from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

The proposed regulations will allow the Department discuss the bag ban as well as improve the At-Store Recycling Program, discuss which stores will be impacted and what that impact will look like, and to ensure collection programs at stores for plastic carry out bags and plastic film are consistent with the law.

DNREC encourages all interested parties to attend, including residents, store owners and managers, waste service providers, retailers, recycling processors, plastic bag manufacturers, and environmental organizations.

The plastic bag ban and at-store recycling program video conferencing workshop can be accessed from the online DNREC calendar.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances ensures Delaware’s wastes are managed to protect human life, health, safety and the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

###

Both Must Be Preordered in Advance and Are Available Pickup Only

Delaware residents may preorder environmentally beneficial compost bins and rain barrels at discount prices during an online sale sponsored by DNREC. Made available by DNREC’s Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances, in conjunction with the Division of Watershed Stewardship, advance purchases must be made for both items via http://de.gov/recycling before the deadlines listed below:

• Lewes – Preorder deadline is Sept. 13 for pickup on Saturday, Sept. 19 Pickup location at the DNREC Lewes Field Facility, 901 Pilottown Road, Lewes, DE 19958 (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.).
• New Castle – Preorder deadline is Sept. 27 for pickup on Saturday, Oct. 3. Pickup location at the DNREC Office, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE. 19720 (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.).. Pickup: rear door location.
• Dover – Preorder deadline is Oct. 4 for pickup on Saturday, Oct. 10. Pickup location at the DNREC Office, 155 Commerce Way, Suite B, Dover, DE. 19904 (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.). Pickup: rear door location.

The ”FreeGarden Earth” compost bins, offered through DNREC for $50 each, are made from recycled materials, and require no assembly. Compost bins have features that enhance the decomposition process and help make composting more efficient. These compact units transform food scraps and yard waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that replaces traditional fertilizers to produce healthier plants and vegetables in home gardens.

The 55-gallon ”FreeGarden Rain” rain barrels made available by DNREC at $60 each, or about half the retail price, are attractive and easy to move, install and use. They come with an insect resistant stainless-steel screen, three additional spigot mounting locations, as well as a childproof lid and square shape ideal for flush-to-wall and corner installations. Rain barrels collect and store the water from roofs and downspouts for future uses such as watering lawns, gardens, and house plants; cleaning off gardening tools; and car washing. Rain barrels help to lower water bills, particularly in the summer months by collecting free water each year. Rain barrels play an important role in protecting water resources by collecting stormwater runoff from homes before it reaches local streams and rivers.

Compost bins and rain barrels must be picked up between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the chosen location, and only those items ordered will be available. Buyers should note that no additional bins, barrels, or accessories will be sold at the pickup locations.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances ensures Delaware’s wastes are managed to protect human life, health, safety and the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

###