WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Thursday released a statement following President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement:

“I am deeply disappointed that President Trump has chosen to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement that united nations across the globe in a fight against climate change. Already the effects of climate change are taking a toll on Delawareans, as sea levels rise and extreme weather events increase driven by warming of the planet from carbon dioxide. As one of the country’s lowest-lying states and with 381 miles of coastline, Delaware also is vulnerable to climate change’s ominous meteorological impacts. Sea level rise exacerbates flooding that occurs during storms and warming ocean waters may cause stronger hurricanes and tropical storms. More than 17,000 homes and 500 miles of roadway in the state are at risk of permanent inundation. Rising average temperatures and prolonged heat waves pose critical health threats to Delaware’s agriculturalists, outdoor workers, children, and elderly in particular. These threats will only increase. The world is now on notice that without the United States’ leadership in reducing greenhouse gases that fuel rapid climate change, it’s an even greater uphill battle for future generations facing this ever-encroaching threat.”

In May, Governor Carney joined 11 other governors in writing a letter to urge President Trump to keep the U.S. in the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce carbon pollution and combat climate change.

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DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney on Thursday released the following statement on HB 190, which would responsibly modify the Coastal Zone Act:

“We can and should responsibly redevelop Delaware’s industrial sites, clean them up and put them back to work for Delawareans. This legislation would allow additional flexibility for the 14 existing heavy industry sites within the Coastal Zone, and only those sites. It would open these sites up for additional redevelopment and job creation – while maintaining a commitment to environmental protection. We should do what we can to add good-paying jobs for all Delawareans, while continuing to protect our natural resources. The responsible changes in this bill meet that test. Thank you to Representative Osienski and Senator Townsend and all members of the General Assembly for taking on this important issue.”

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WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney released the following statement Wednesday after joining 11 other governors in writing a letter to urge President Donald Trump to keep the U.S. in the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce carbon pollution and combat climate change.

“The effects of climate change are already taking a toll on Delawareans. As a low-lying coastal state, Delaware is vulnerable to damage from sea level rise, stronger storm surges, and routine flooding. These threats will only increase if we don’t work together to reduce the human emissions of greenhouse gases that feed rapid climate change. I stand with my fellow governors to strongly urge the President to take the path to a healthy and sustainable future by joining with a dedicated global community through the Paris Agreement.”

Click here to view the full letter sent to White House and Congressional leaders on Wednesday.

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WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order that would review offshore drilling restrictions put in place by the Obama Administration:

“President Trump’s order is disappointing, and would reverse important restrictions put in place by the Obama Administration,” said Governor Carney. “Delaware does not support any exploration or extraction of fossil fuels from the Atlantic Ocean. To risk our coastal economy and natural resources on offshore drilling for oil and gas would also imperil our state’s environmental and economic health. A new fossil fuel industry on the Atlantic Coast would trigger a cascading of secondary impacts and increased carbon emissions. It would require a vast network of pipelines, increased barge and tanker traffic, and associated industrial development in sensitive coastal areas, including construction of new refineries with supporting infrastructure and increased truck and rail shipments. Delaware’s coastal resources directly or indirectly support some 60,000 jobs and almost $7 billion in economic production from tourism to industry to commercial fishing. We should be investing in our beaches and our parks, and taking steps to protect our coastline from the impacts of climate change, not taking these kinds of unnecessary risks.”

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DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney today received a final report from the Transition Committee that includes recommended action steps in order to achieve policy objectives set forth by the Governor. The Transition Committee created an “Action Plan for Delaware” as a guide for Governor Carney and his administration.

“Thank you to the entire Transition team and all Delawareans who contributed ideas and comments on how we can make Delaware an even better place to live and work,” said Governor Carney. “This report is thorough yet succinct, and it’s something that we can act on. You have put in many hours into helping create an inclusive and diverse report during our transition, and now it’s time to take action.”

“It was a privilege to serve on the Transition team with three dozen committed Delawareans from across our state, and to produce this report on behalf of Governor Carney and the people of Delaware,” said Bill Bowser, Chair of Governor Carney’s Transition Team. “We took the work seriously, presenting detailed action steps that offer a path forward as the new administration takes office. Thank you to the Governor and everyone involved on the four Transition committees, who worked around the clock on this effort over the past two months.”

The Transition Team was divided into four policy committees to develop policy proposals for the Governor’s consideration. The policy committees focused on: Economic Development & Healthy Environment (Doneene Damon, co-chair); Public Safety & Strong Neighborhoods (Charles Madden, co-chair); Education & Healthy Families (Lolita Lopez, co-chair); and Budget & Workforce (Todd Lawson, co-chair). The committees reached out to stakeholders, held public meetings and invited the public to submit written comment.

A link to the full report can be found here: http://de.gov/transitionreport