DNREC Provides Update on Indian River Inlet North Side Emergency Dredging and Beach Nourishment Project

DNREC’s emergency dredging project to repair and restore the beach and dune at the north side of the Indian River inlet has made continuous and consistent progress since the pumping and placement of sand began Dec. 2. The contractor for the project, DredgeIt, is working 24/7 with the State, including throughout the holiday season, to deliver 380,000 cubic yards of sand to the inlet beach and dune by late February 2025. /DNREC photo

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced significant progress has been made by the emergency dredging and beach nourishment project underway at the north side of the Indian River Inlet. The project, launched in late November with the mobilization of dredging equipment, aims to restore the severely eroded beach and protect critical transportation infrastructure.

The actual dredging and sand placement began Dec. 2, and since then the contractor, DredgIt Corp., has achieved a highly-efficient work rate, as reflected in the current daily dredging volumes. As of Dec. 22, the contractor reported a cumulative total of 130,737 cubic yards (CY) of sand has been dredged and placed toward a targeted total of 380,000 CY to be reached by late-February 2025. During the latest 24-hour period for which volume is available, almost 10,000 CY of sand were pumped onto the inlet’s north side beach and dune.

DredgIt has committed to operating 24/7, including throughout the upcoming holidays, to meet project goals and ensure the beach and dune are restored as quickly as possible.

“This project reflects a great team effort, from the time we began hauling sand by truck in the summer to now maintaining efficient round-the-clock operations,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “We remain committed to getting the work done while continuing to keep the public informed about the project.”

The DNREC-led phase of the project will conclude in February, followed by a second phase of the emergency dredging project to be led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2025. Both DNREC and the Corps of Engineers believe this approach will continue to provide long-term protection of both the beach and dune, and critical infrastructure, including State Route 1, for the Indian River Inlet area.

During the project, DNREC also reminds beachgoers and outdoors recreationalists, including surfers, that because of the dredging and beach nourishment work, the north side beach at Delaware Seashore State Park will be temporarily closed to ensure public safety. DNREC continues to monitor the situation and will coordinate with the contractor on reopening this popular area when it can be deemed safe for park visitors and surfers. For more updates, visit de.gov/irnorth.

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 DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

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

###

DNREC Begins Emergency Dredging Project Restoring Beach North of Indian River Inlet

Beachgoers Cautioned Access to Area is Temporarily Prohibited

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has initiated an emergency dredging project to restore the severely eroded beach area north of the Indian River Inlet. The project is necessary to protect critical transportation infrastructure, including Coastal Highway, which serves as an emergency evacuation route.

As part of the dredging and beach nourishment work, the north side beach at Delaware Seashore State Park — a very popular area for surfing and fishing — will be temporarily closed to ensure public safety. DNREC will monitor the situation and work with the contractors to reopen this area when it is deemed to be safe for park visitors and surfers.

The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation also announced pedestrian and bicycle access will be limited from the North Campground to the SR 1 northbound lane. American Disability Act (ADA)-compliant multiuse ramps will be provided at all pedestrian pipeline crossings. However, due to safety considerations, access to the area is discouraged.

For those who disregard closures or safety instructions, the Delaware Natural Resources Police may issue enforcement actions, as these measures are necessary to protect the public and ensure work can proceed safely and efficiently.

The $15 million emergency project comes from funds made available by Governor John Carney and approved by the General Assembly. It will restore thousands of linear feet of eroding shoreline on the north side of the Charles W. Cullen Memorial Bridge, an area that has experienced two dune breaches since March closing portions of the Coastal Highway, an emergency evacuation route.

Up to 380,000 cubic yards of sand from a shoal on the south side of the Indian River Inlet will be dredged and used to rebuild the beach and dune system. Dredged material will be transported via pipeline and screened for munitions and explosives of concern prior to placement on the beach. Sand will be spread and graded to rebuild the dune system to an overall elevation of 16 feet by 25 feet wide.

The beach will be constructed to an elevation of 9.2 feet, or about 7 feet above the average high tide, and width of approximately 100 feet. The final beach width will be determined by the available dredge volume.

“This state-funded dredging project will restore the beach damaged by the August 18 dune breach,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “The first phase of the project will protect vital transportation infrastructure while the Army Corps of Engineers prepares the second phase for 2025. We are very grateful to Senator Carper for his support and the Corps for expediting the permits to address this emergency situation.”

The project has been made possible through expedited permitting by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and a second phase of nourishment work is scheduled for 2025 by USACE to provide the remaining sand to complete the project.

The U.S. Coast Guard has already given notice for mariners to exercise caution and maintain safe distance from the ongoing dredging activity – to include floating and submerged pipelines, the dredge and support vessels in the area of the operation in the Indian River Inlet.

Updates on the project and timelines for reopening the north side beach will be shared as progress is made. For more information, visit de.gov/irnorth.

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

DNREC to Host Public Information Session in Lewes June 5 for Proposed Offshore Wind Project

Offshore wind developer US Wind, Inc. has submitted multiple permit applications to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control for its wind energy project offshore of Maryland. To inform the public and engage Delawareans in the regulatory process, DNREC will host a public information session on Wednesday, June 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Beacon Middle School, 19483 John J. Williams Highway, Lewes, Del.

The offshore/onshore export cables are proposed to land at Delaware Seashore State Park’s 3R’s Beach parking lot near the DNREC building line and potential dune environments. It would interconnect into a proposed substation to be constructed on a tax parcel adjacent to the Indian River power plant in Sussex County. Portions of the proposed wind power export cables would be located under state-regulated wetlands and subaqueous lands in the Atlantic Ocean within Delaware state waters and the Indian River Bay. The proposed cabling covers 15.2 miles.

The public information session will provide Delawareans the opportunity to review US Wind’s permit applications for the proposed connector cables and substation. US Wind requires the following authorizations from two of DNREC’s division as follows:

Subaqueous Lands Permit – Division of Water
Water Quality Certification – Division of Water
Wetlands Permit – Division of Water
Beach Preservation Coastal Construction Permit – Division of Watershed Stewardship

At the public information session, Delaware residents and visitors can review display boards, engage with staff, federal partners, and the applicant and ask questions. The display boards, an online survey and other materials will be available after the session. Feedback from the public information session will inform the formal presentation for the Joint Virtual Public Hearing on July 9.

Written comments for the record will be accepted from now until Sept. 9, 2024, via email to DNRECHearingComments@delaware.gov; by using the online form at de.gov/dnreccomments; or by U.S. mail to Lisa A. Vest, Hearing Officer, Office of the Secretary, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901. Social media or text messaging platforms will not be accepted for submission to the record.

For additional details about the project, along with related documents, the public is encouraged to visit DNREC’s website at de.gov/uswind.

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 DNREC Division of Water manages and protects Delaware’s water resources. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

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

###

Parks Plans Wind Transmission Line Informational Event

Displays Will Highlight Construction’s Potential Impact on Recreation

Residents will have an opportunity to learn about recreational impacts of US Wind’s proposal to bring power lines from its offshore wind project ashore at 3Rs Beach in Delaware Seashore State Park during a public engagement event March 12.

US Wind’s projects, MarWin and Momentum Wind, entail the installation of up to 121 turbines. In December, Gov. John Carney announced the start of formal negotiations with US Wind for the potential lease of state land at 3Rs Beach to deliver power from the turbines to the regional electrical grid. For the March 12 meeting:

The information session is only about potential lease to allow the underground cables at 3Rs, including the construction plan and what will be visible to park users after construction.
The meeting will not cover or take comment about the wind turbines themselves and other possible parts of transmission lines, which are subject to other federal state permitting processes that have had or will have future opportunity for public comment.

The US Wind Projects are currently going through a federal permitting process that is separate from any state process, and the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is currently considering input from a recent public comment process on the project’s environmental impact. Should the projects proceed, state environmental permits will also be required.

Shawn M. Garvin, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), said the Department is committed to engaging the public to the greatest extent possible throughout the project’s development.

“US Wind’s proposal to bring transmission lines ashore in Delaware, along with Gov. Carney’s announcement about negotiating a potential lease, have generated considerable public interest,” Secretary Garvin said. “While the formal permitting process is ongoing, this public engagement event provides us an opportunity to share how this discrete portion of project will impact recreational aspects at the park.”

Ray Bivens, Director of DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation, said Parks staff will be available throughout the 4-hour event to answer questions. Visitors can arrive at any time during the event to browse the displays and ask questions.

“While the scope of this event is limited to sharing information about the impact of recreational activities at the park and, specifically, the parking lot where construction is anticipated to be taking place, we believe park visitors will benefit from the information being presented,” Director Bivens said.

Visitors will be able to browse informational posters showing the existing parking area that will be impacted, inground-infrastructure, impact during construction, the proposed construction area and any anticipated restrictions on recreational access during the construction period.

The timeline and Web addresses for related future public meetings, as well as how and where to sign up for public notices and press releases, will also be available.

The public engagement event will take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, at Bethany Beach Town Hall, 214 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach.

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 DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Jim Lee, jamesw.lee@delaware.gov

###

DNREC Announces New Superintendents at Three Delaware State Parks

Tyeast Amankwah, Auburn Valley State Park; Diana Marsteller, Brandywine Creek State Park; Lindsey Goebel, Delaware Seashore State Park. /DNREC photos

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is pleased to announce three new superintendents at Delaware State Parks. Tyeast Amankwah is now the superintendent at Auburn Valley State Park, Diana Marsteller is the superintendent at Brandywine Creek State Park and Lindsey Goebel is the superintendent at Delaware Seashore State Park.

Tyeast Amankwah has been with the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation for 23 years, starting as an administrative specialist with Wilmington State Parks in 2000. In 2018, she was hired as the assistant park superintendent at Bellevue State Park. She has twice been called upon to lead the park as the acting park superintendent during staff transitions. Amankwah received advanced training through the State Park Supervisory Development Program, the Events Management and Revenue Development Schools at Oglebay, and Event Security Planning for Public Safety Professionals through the Delaware State Fire School. She also received several awards from the division, including Outstanding Motivator and two Outstanding Customer Service awards from the division.

Diana Marsteller comes to Delaware from the Maryland Park Service, where she most recently held the position of state park ranger lead for their training division. She previously worked at Elk Neck State Park and supported front-line operations at the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area. She also has experience as a communications coordinator and in special projects for Johns Hopkins University, from which she also received a master’s degree in environmental science and policy. She holds numerous professional certifications in instructing trainings for emergency medical responders, wilderness and remote first aid, and CPR/AED instruction for professional rescuers.

Lindsey Goebel hails from Trap Pond State Park, where she was most recently the assistant superintendent. Her work with the division started as a seasonal naturalist at both Killens Pond and Trap Pond state parks. She previously worked in a civilian position with Denton Police Department in Maryland and held numerous positions in outdoor recreation, including as a camp specialist with the Maryland Park Service and kayaking guide for the Assateague Explorer. Goebel holds a bachelor’s degree recreation and park management from Frostburg State University and is a graduate of the prestigious National Association of State Park Directors Leadership School. She also received several awards from the division, including Outstanding Achiever, Outstanding Team, and the division’s prestigious Mohr Jennings Award.

Amankwah, Marsteller and Goebel are now responsible for all daily operations at their respective state parks, including supervision, scheduling and evaluation of staff; coordination of maintenance and visitor service programs; development and continuation of relationships with partners, adjacent landowners and community groups; and fiscal, programmatic and infrastructure planning.

Delaware State Parks welcome 8 million guests annually and have been selected as the best-managed state parks system in the nation on multiple occasions.

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 DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts:
DNREC: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov

###