Governor Carney, Delaware Department of Agriculture Announce Interactive Dashboard

Online tool helps Delawareans understand, visualize farmland preserved in all three counties

DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney and the Delaware Department of Agriculture announced on Thursday a new, interactive dashboard to help Delawareans better understand farmland preservation.

Delaware’s statewide program made its first round of easement purchases in 1996, and has since preserved 22 percent of New Castle County farmland, 38 percent of Kent County farmland and 16 percent of Sussex County farmland. The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation selects those farms approved for easement purchase using an impartial discounted ranking system that maximizes benefits for taxpayers. The Foundation does not own the land, but rather purchases landowners’ development rights and places a permanent agricultural conservation easement on the property.

The dashboard was released following an easement selection announcement that now preserves more than 127,000 acres of farmland in Delaware. The Delaware Department of Agriculture’s new dashboard creates an interactive experience to help Delawareans see the value of farmland preservation.

“Delaware has a rich farming history and agriculture remains our number one industry,” said Governor Carney. “We’re excited to announce this new, interactive dashboard in order to protect and preserve family farms and to help make them profitable.”

The innovative online dashboard was created through Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS, released by ESRI late last year. The Department is one of the early adopters of the software in the State and in farmland preservation throughout the country. Utilizing real-time data visualization, visitors to the dashboard are able to interact with operational data, see it visually, and gain insight on this round of farmland preservation.

“This new web dashboard helps stakeholders and the public interactively explore our latest round of easement purchases. I hope this increases awareness of the farmland preservation program and provides transparency into how we are spending taxpayer money,” said Jimmy Kroon, DDA GIS Coordinator. “The dashboard also provides stakeholders with quick access to information about preservation activities in specific areas of the state by allowing easement selections data to be filtered by county, legislative district, or watershed.”

Governor Carney’s proposed budget called for $20 million for open space and farmland preservation.

This is the 22nd consecutive year of easement selections by the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation. The Foundation purchased the development rights of 41 farms totaling 3,534 acres, with one farm in New Castle County, thirty in Kent County, and ten in Sussex County preserved. In addition to over 127,000 acres in permanent easements, Delaware’s Aglands Preservation Program has over 45,000 acres of land enrolled in farmland preservation districts. Landowners must first voluntarily enroll their farm into a 10-year preservation district before they can sell an easement.

The Foundation’s Board of Trustees includes representatives from agriculture and state agencies. Trustees are: Bob Garey, chairman; Bill Vanderwende, vice-chairman; L. Allen Messick Jr., treasurer; William H. “Chip” Narvel Jr., secretary; Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse; State Treasurer Ken Simpler; Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Shawn Garvin; Peter Martin; Theodore P. Bobola Jr.; Robert Emerson; and Janice Truitt.

###

Governor Carney’s Statement on Assault Weapons Legislation

DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney on Wednesday released the following statement on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s action on Senate Bill 163:

“I am extremely disappointed that the full Delaware Senate will not get a chance to vote on Senate Bill 163. As we’ve seen in mass shootings across our country, these weapons can be used to cause catastrophic damage, and allow those intent on doing harm to outgun members of law enforcement. Over the past several months – since the horrific mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. – students in Delaware and across our country have called on lawmakers to pass reasonable gun safety restrictions that will make our state and country safer. I have met with student leaders in Delaware, and could not be more impressed with their leadership on this issue. I hope they continue to speak up. I hope all adults are listening.”

Learn more about Governor Carney’s call for comprehensive gun safety reform.

###

Delaware Launches Full-Scale Sports Gaming

VIDEO: Full-scale sports gaming launches in Delaware

At 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5, Delaware launched a full-scale sports gaming operation at all three casinos in the state – Delaware Park, Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, and Harrington Raceway & Casino. Betting offered Tuesday included single-game and championship wagering on professional baseball, football, hockey, basketball, soccer, golf, and auto racing.

The Delaware Department of Finance, in consultation with the Attorney General’s Office, has determined that there are no legal obstacles to moving forward with full-scale sports betting in Delaware following the U.S. Supreme Court decision on May 14 to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Under state law passed in 2009, Delaware may authorize betting on professional and collegiate sports, with the exception of games involving Delaware-based teams.

To prepare and educate new consumers, the Delaware Lottery has published an online “how-to-bet guide” for SportsPick, the Delaware sports gaming product.

Governor Carney’s Remarks

DNREC announces members of Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Regulatory Advisory Committee and sets first committee meeting for Thursday, June 14 in Delaware City

DOVER – After extensive stakeholder input and a public nomination process, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin announced members of the Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Regulatory Advisory Committee and the committee’s chair. The Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC) will provide guidance and feedback to DNREC on development of Coastal Zone regulations that are required to be in place for issuance of conversion permits by Oct. 1, 2019.

The committee’s first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 14 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the American Birding Association Headquarters, 93 Clinton Street, Suite ABA, Delaware City, DE 19706. Committee meetings are open to the public.

“Delaware’s Coastal Zone means different things to different people, and those concerns and interests deserve to be represented and considered fairly in this regulatory development process,” said DNREC Secretary Garvin. “We are grateful to the women and men volunteering their time to the Committee and this important cause.”

The members of the Regulatory Advisory Committee have diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives related to Delaware’s Coastal Zone that will guide DNREC in developing this new permitting program. Representatives come from environmental organizations, business and industry, affected communities, technical fields, public health, and other diverse backgrounds.

The Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Regulatory Advisory Committee will be chaired by Justice Randy J. Holland. Justice Holland was appointed to the Delaware Supreme Court in 1986, when, at 39 years old, he became the youngest person to be appointed to the Court. He retired from the Supreme Court in March 2017 after serving for over 30 years. Recognized as an expert on corporation law, corporate governance, appellate practice, and state constitutional law, Justice Holland has written more than 700 reported opinions, which include many seminal corporate law decisions. Justice Holland has written, co-authored, or edited nine books, and also has published several law review articles, primarily focused on corporate law, judicial ethics and legal history. He has taught corporate governance, appellate practice, and state constitutional law as an adjunct professor for many years. He has been recognized as one of the leading influencers on business ethics in the United States.

Members of the Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Regulatory Advisory Committee are:

Jennifer Adkins, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
William Ashe, International Longshoreman’s Association 1694
Neeraj Batta, Batta Environmental
Brenna Goggin, Delaware Nature Society
Michael Hackendorn, Delaware Building and Construction Trades Council
Ron Handy, Boys & Girls Club of Delaware and Route 9 Corridor Coalition
S. Douglas Hokuf, New Castle County
Herb Inden, City of Wilmington
Tim Konkus, Delaware City Marina & Main Street Delaware City, Inc.
Dr. Awele N. Maduka-Ezeh, Division of Public Health Medical Director
James Maravelias, AFL-CIO
Dr. Eugene McCoy, Council of Civic Organizations of Brandywine Hundred, Inc.
Jerry Medd, Pilots’ Association for the Bay and River Delaware
Jeffrey Richardson, University of Delaware and Imani Energy
Robert Whetzel, Richards, Layton & Finger Law Firm and Delaware State Chamber of Commerce
Dolores Whilden, resident, Claymont
Marian Young, Brightfields Inc.

Passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Carney in August 2017, the Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act allows for permitted industrial construction and operation in 14 existing sites of heavy industry use, and in certain circumstances, permitted bulk product transfer, within Delaware’s Coastal Zone. The Act requires DNREC to develop regulations determining how the permitting program will operate and defining specific requirements regarding environmental impact assessments, economic impact assessments, financial assurance, and environmental offsets.

DNREC requests that those planning to attend the June Regulatory Advisory Committee meeting notify the Department by emailing Brittany.Klecan@delaware.gov, or by calling 302-735-3480. For more information, visit de.gov/conversionpermits, or call 302-735-3480.

Media contact: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

No. 48, No. 148

-30-

Delaware to Launch Full-Scale Sports Gaming on June 5

SportsPick will go live at 1:30 p.m. at Delaware’s three casinos next Tuesday

WILMINGTON, Del. – At 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5, Delaware will launch a full-scale sports gaming operation at all three casinos in the state – Delaware Park, Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, and Harrington Raceway & Casino. Betting offered Tuesday will include single-game and championship wagering on professional baseball, football, hockey, basketball, soccer, golf, and auto racing.

To prepare and educate new consumers, the Delaware Lottery has published an online “how-to-bet guide” for SportsPick, the Delaware sports gaming product.

“Delaware has all necessary legal and regulatory authority to move forward with a full-scale sports gaming operation, and we look forward to next week’s launch,” said Governor John Carney. “We’re hopeful that this will bring even more visitors into Delaware to see firsthand what our state has to offer.”

“We have worked closely with Delaware’s three casinos to train lottery and casino staff in preparation for a launch of expanded sports betting, and Delaware is prepared to move forward,” said Rick Geisenberger, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Finance, which oversees the Delaware Lottery. “We will continue to provide public updates and additional information through the Delaware Lottery ahead of next week’s launch.”

###