Dover — The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin has released the Final Report and Recommendations of the Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC). The report was presented to DNREC by the RAC Chairman, retired Delaware Supreme Court Justice Randy Holland, and contains the committee’s recommendations regarding the regulatory approach and content of new regulations for Delaware’s Coastal Zone Act governing conversion permits.

HB 190, the Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act, was signed into law by Governor John Carney in August 2017. The Act authorizes DNREC to issue permits for construction and operation of new heavy industry uses within 14 existing sites of heavy industry use within the state’s Coastal Zone. It also authorizes DNREC to issue permits for the bulk transfer of products under certain circumstances. The Act requires DNREC to develop and promulgate regulations for the issuance of conversion permits by Oct 1, 2019.

“The RAC’s recommendations will serve as the guide to DNREC as we draft the conversion permit regulations,” said Secretary Garvin. “I greatly appreciate the time and effort of the RAC members and I commend them in their ability to not only develop the recommendations, but to work together to reach consensus on almost all of their recommendations. I thank Justice Holland and our facilitators from the Consensus Building Institute for their incredible leadership in this process that will serve as the gold standard for future regulatory advisory committees.”

RAC recommendations in the CZCP report address several key topic areas, including:

• Environmental impact
• Economic effect
• Offsets
• Financial assurance
• Plans for potential impacts of sea level rise and coastal storms
• Cross-cutting issues (that affect more than one of the other CZCP key topic areas, such as permit duration, renewal, modifications, revocation, reporting and monitoring)

DNREC will now prepare draft regulations that will be published in the Delaware Register on June 1, 2019. The draft regulations will go through a full regulatory development process, including public comment and a public hearing to be held later in June.

To view or download a copy of the CZCP report, please visit de.gov/conversionpermits. To receive updates on the regulatory process for developing the conversion permit, you can also subscribe to the Coastal Zone Act email listserv by sending a blank email to join-dnrec_coastal_zone@lists.state.de.us.

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

Vol. 49, No. 115

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WILMINGTON – The eighth meeting of the Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC) will be held at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 22, at the Delaware Technical Community College Orlando J. George Jr. Campus, Southeast Building, Conference Room A and B (1st Floor), 300 North Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. More information about the Jan. 22 RAC meeting, including the agenda, can be found on the state public meeting calendar at https://publicmeetings.delaware.gov/Meeting/61696.

Upcoming monthly CZCPA RAC meetings, each starting at 9 a.m., are scheduled for the following dates, locations, and times:
• Tuesday, Feb. 19, DNREC Lukens Drive Office, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle DE 19720
• Tuesday, Mar. 12, Buena Vista Conference Center, 661 South DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE 19720
• Tuesday, Apr. 9, Buena Vista Conference Center, 661 South DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE 19720

All RAC meetings are open to the public. Information about future meetings also can be found on the Coastal Zone Conversion Permits webpage. For more information, the public can sign up for the Coastal Zone Conservation Permit Act listserv by sending a blank email to join-dnrec_coastal_zone@lists.state.de.us.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Vol. 49, No. 3

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DOVER – The sixth meeting of the Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC) will be held at 9 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 7, at DNREC’s Lukens Drive Office, Pat Ellis Conference Room and Conference Room B, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720. More information about the Nov. 7 RAC meeting, including the agenda, can be found on the state public meeting calendar at https://publicmeetings.delaware.gov/Meeting/60812.

The four CZCPA Work Groups – Economic Effect, Environmental Impact, Risk Evaluation and Financial Assurance, and Offsets – also each meet regularly to provide the CZCPA RAC with support on technical subject areas. Work Group meetings scheduled in November are:

• Offsets (tentative meeting), 9 a.m.-noon, Tuesday, Nov. 15, DNREC’s Lukens Drive Office, Conference Room B, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720.
• Environmental Impact, 1-4 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 28, DNREC’s Lukens Drive Office, Conference Room B, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720.
• Economic Effect (tentative meeting), 9 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, Nov. 28, DNREC’s Lukens Drive Office, Pat Ellis Conference Room, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720.
• Risk Evaluation and Financial Assurance (tentative meeting), 1-4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 28 (Note: This meeting is rescheduled from Nov. 29), DNREC’s Grantham Lane Office, West Wing Conference Room, 715 Grantham Lane, New Castle, DE 19720.

The next CZCPA RAC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 11, starting at 9 a.m. at the Bellevue Community Center, 510 Duncan Road, Wilmington, DE 19809.

All RAC meetings and related CZCPA Work Group meetings are open to the public. Information about future meetings also can be found on the Coastal Zone Conversion Permits webpage. For more information, the public can sign up for the Coastal Zone Conservation Permit Act listserv by sending a blank email to join-dnrec_coastal_zone@lists.state.de.us.

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 302

DOVER – Nominations are being accepted by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control through March 23 for individuals interested in serving on the Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC). The committee will comprise 15 to 21 members, representing different stakeholder interests and areas of technical expertise related to Delaware’s Coastal Zone.

The Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor John Carney in August 2017. The Act authorizes the permitted use of 14 existing industrial sites in Delaware’s Coastal Zone for new heavy industry, construction, operation, and – in certain approved cases – bulk product transfer. The Act requires DNREC to develop and promulgate regulations for issuance of conversion permits by Oct. 1, 2019. The RAC will provide guidance and feedback to DNREC on the development of these regulations.

The committee structure was determined by using extensive public feedback collected from stakeholder interviews, public workshops, and verbal and written public comments.

“Delaware’s Coastal Zone is important to and valued by Delawareans in many different ways,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin. “We want people from all communities, organizations, and interests to feel that their voices are being heard in this process, and we encourage individuals to nominate themselves or others to become part of this committee.”

A nomination form and a conflict-of-interest disclosure form are required for each nominee. Forms can be found on DNREC’s alpha website, or can be obtained by contacting the DNREC’s Division of Energy & Climate at 302-735-3480, or by emailing CZA_Conversion_Permits@delaware.gov. Coastal Zone Conversion Permit RAC nominations should be sent by US Mail to DNREC Division of Energy & Climate, Attn: Susan Love, 100 West Water Street, Suite 5A, Dover, DE 19904 or by email to CZA_Conversion_Permits@delaware.gov. For more information, please visit de.gov/conversionpermits.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 53

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DOVER – Nominations are now being accepted for membership on the Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act Regulatory Advisory Committee, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. The committee will comprise 15 to 21 members, representing different stakeholder interests and areas of technical expertise related to Delaware’s Coastal Zone. Nominations are due by March 23.

The Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor John Carney in August 2017. The Act authorizes the permitted use of 14 existing industrial sites in Delaware’s Coastal Zone for new heavy industry, construction, operation, and – in certain approved cases – bulk product transfer. The Act requires DNREC to develop and promulgate regulations for issuance of conversion permits by Oct. 1, 2019. The Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC) will provide guidance and feedback to DNREC on the development of these regulations.

The committee structure was determined by using extensive public feedback collected from stakeholder interviews, public workshops, and verbal and written public comments.

“Delaware’s Coastal Zone is important to and valued by Delawareans in many different ways,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin. “We want people from all communities, organizations, and interests to feel that their voices are being heard in this process, and we encourage individuals to nominate themselves or others to become part of this committee.”

A nomination form and a conflict-of-interest disclosure form are required for each nominee. Forms can be found on DNREC’s alpha website, or can be obtained by contacting the DNREC’s Division of Energy & Climate at 302-735-3480, or by emailing CZA_Conversion_Permits@delaware.gov. Coastal Zone Conversion Permit RAC nominations should be sent by US Mail to DNREC Division of Energy & Climate, Attn: Susan Love, 100 West Water Street, Suite 5A, Dover, DE 19904 or by email to CZA_Conversion_Permits@delaware.gov. For more information, please visit de.gov/conversionpermits.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 34

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