Delaware’s Recycling Public Advisory Council to meet Wednesday, July 27 in Middletown

DOVER – The Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC) will meet from 1 – 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, at the Appoquinimink Library,  651 N. Broad Street #101, Middletown, DE 19709.

Topics on the agenda include:

  • Public Comments (20-minute cap, priority given to written comments)
    • Presentation by Tanya Whyte, Delaware Green Mattress Disassembling & Recycling, LLC
  • Approval of minutes from May 8 meeting
  • Funding status of Universal Recycling Grants and Low Interest Loan Program
  • Cycle 7 Recycling Grants Applications funding recommendations
  • Legislative update (HB 202)
  • Universal Recycling regulations
  • Recycling market update
  • Old/new business

The Recycling Public Advisory Council was enacted into law by Senate Bill 234 in May, 2010, and charged with advising the Governor’s Office, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the Delaware Solid Waste Authority on all aspects of recycling, including: development of grant criteria and selection of applications; a methodology for measuring recycling rates; and possible outreach activities designed to achieve higher recycling rates.

For more information on the Recycling Public Advisory Council, please visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov/whs/awm/Info/Pages/RPAC.aspx.

For more information or for directions to the meeting location, please contact Bill Miller, Solid & Hazardous Waste Management Section, at 302-739-9403.


DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation launches ‘Poké Park Adventure’ contest in Delaware State Parks

DOVER – Riding the wave of the popularity of the summer’s hottest craze, DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation today launched “Poké Park Adventure,” a contest for kids of all ages, in Delaware State Parks.

The “Poké Park Adventure” uses the free smartphone game (or app), “Pokémon Go,” in which players try to capture different monsters from Pokémon, a Japanese cartoon, using a combination of GPS and other technologies built into smartphones, including location tracking and cameras, encouraging players to visit – in this case, Delaware State Parks, in order to nab virtual loot and collectible characters. The point of the game is to “catch ‘em all!”

“This new contest is a great way to get kids, families, and all adventure-seeking Delawareans outside and into nature – a major goal of our Children in Nature Initiative,” said Governor Jack Markell. “I want to thank Delaware State Parks for taking advantage of the extraordinary popularity of this new technology to help encourage physical activity and showcase our amazing State Parks.”

“We are so pleased to offer this new and fun way for kids and families to get out into nature in our state parks,” said Delaware State Parks Director Ray Bivens. “The contest is being run from today through the end of July to give people a chance to visit all of the parks if they can.”

To win the “Poké Park Adventure,” players must take a screenshot of a view of their avatar in a park, and then take screenshots of each Poké Stop they visit. The screenshot must show that the player is in range of a Poké Stop. Then, players tag that park on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, using the hashtag #pokeparkde.

Whoever visits the most Poké Stops within any state parks (and park attractions) will receive a “legendary” prize pack complete with Pokémon merchandise, a 2017 Annual Park Pass, a YETI rambler bottle and other prizes.

The contest is open now through July 31 to give everyone a chance to travel across the land, searching far and wide. The winner will be announced Wednesday, Aug. 3.

To find out more about “Poké Park Adventure,” including rules, visit www.destateparks.com/pokepark

(Pokémon and Pokémon Go are trademarked by The Pokémon Company. Delaware State Parks is not affiliated with Pokémon in any way.)

Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 261

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DNREC takes action to thwart ‘upwind states’ from transporting air pollution into Delaware, which brings with it a wide range of public health problems

DOVER – On behalf of Delawareans and public health, DNREC has taken two recent actions through the federal court system and US Environmental Protection Agency  aimed at requiring “upwind states” to reduce air pollution generated within their borders that carries into and pollutes Delaware’s air, causing asthma, respiratory disease, and other public health problems for Delawareans.

The first action – a petition filed in U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit challenges an EPA final rule that granted a one-year extension to the Philadelphia-based ozone nonattainment area to comply with the 2008 national ozone standard. This area includes Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey. Delaware believes EPA should require pollution reduction programs to address the transport of emissions from one state to another, rather than granting the extension. Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey requested the extension of the attainment deadline, but Delaware argued against it based on its analysis that meteorological conditions were more responsible for temporary improved air quality readings in the nonattainment zone, rather than actual reductions in air pollution.

“Delaware residents, businesses and industry have made great strides in reducing our own sources of air pollution’” said DNREC Secretary David Small. “But we cannot meet our air quality standards without sources in other states taking similar action. We are still dramatically affected by what upwind states are doing – or not doing – toward meeting air quality standards. If we are going to continue to ask Delawareans to do more, we need EPA to take steps to level the playing field between states. This action is the latest in a number that the Department has taken to seek EPA’s help.”

Delaware has complied with the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act by adopting in-state control measures for the prevention of emissions that would significantly contribute to non-attainment of the 8-hour ozone standard established by EPA. These actions have not only helped improve air quality in Delaware but have helped reduce impacts to our neighboring states that can be affected by the transport of air and contaminants. However, Delaware’s ability to achieve and maintain health-based air quality standards is severely impeded because more than 94 percent of bad ozone levels in Delaware are created by the transport of air pollutants from upwind states. DNREC’s Division of Air Quality has determined that attainment of the 8-hour ozone standards in Delaware is possible only through additional emission reductions in these upwind states that include  Maryland and Pennsylvania and other states further west and as far away as Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky..

Predictably, the return of typical summer weather conditions of hot, humid sunny days has led to ozone exceedances in the Mid-Atlantic region, and air monitors throughout the Philadelphia non-attainment area, including Delaware, have confirmed that  air remains unhealthy by recording multiple exceedances of the ozone standard, with more exceedances likely to come over the next couple of months.

The second action taken this week by DNREC and Delaware is aimed specifically at the Brunner Island Power plant near York, Pa. Delaware filed a petition with the EPA under Section 126 of the Clean Air Act asking EPA to make a finding that emissions from the Brunner Island plant, with its three coal-fired electric generating units, significantly contributes to unhealthy ozone concentrations in Delaware.

Delaware’s petition is based on computer modeling that demonstrates that emissions from Brunner Island’s coal-fired units contribute heavily to ozone levels in Delaware that exceed the 2008 and 2015 8-hour ozone standards. EPA’s granting of the petition would require the Brunner Island facility to promptly reduce the emissions that significantly contribute to ozone exceedances in Delaware.

Brunner Island’s three coal-fired electric generating units are not currently equipped with modern nitrogen oxide (NOx) controls similar to those installed starting in 2010 at Delaware’s NRG Indian River facility near Millsboro – which have reduced the annual NOx emissions rate by upwards of 80 percent from the last remaining coal-fired electric generating unit at that facility, according to DNREC statistics. Modern NOx controls, such as selective catalytic reduction (SCR), have been in commercial service at coal-fired electric generating units for decades, and have the ability to significantly reduce NOx emissions from coal-fired combustion sources.

NOx is a precursor pollutant to the formation of ambient ozone. Ozone is formed when chemicals in the air such as NOx and volatile organic compounds react together in hot sunny conditions. Under Section 126 of the Clean Air Act, the EPA must make the requested finding or deny DNREC’s petition within 60 days after receipt.

Background on ozone The EPA established a short-term ozone standard (8-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard) to address the potential health impact of short-term exposure to high levels of ozone. Short term exposure to ozone can cause rapid, shallow breathing and related airway irritation, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and exacerbation of asthma, particularly in sensitive individuals and asthmatic children. Short term exposure to ozone also suppresses the immune system, decreasing the effectiveness of bodily defenses against bacterial infections. Research studies indicate that markers of cell damage increase with ozone exposure. Some studies suggest that there is a link between ozone exposure and premature death of adults and infant death. Other studies indicate a link between ozone and premature birth and adverse birth outcome, cardiovascular defects, and adverse changes in lung structure development in children. Children, the elderly, those with chronic lung disease, and asthmatics are especially susceptible to the pulmonary effects of ozone exposure. Additionally, studies have shown that ozone can adversely affects trees and vegetation, can cause reduced crop yields, and can contribute to the “nitrification” of bodies of water.

The formation of atmospheric ozone is a particular problem in the eastern United States and to Delaware because of its strategic Mid-Atlantic location during warm summer months when atmospheric conditions are the most conducive to ozone formation. The summer months also tend to coincide with periods of high electric consumption and the required electric generation to meet the electric demand. High levels of NOx emissions associated with the generation of electricity using fossil fuels contribute to the formation of ozone. In fact, the annual period comprising May 1 through September 30 is referred to as the “ozone season.”

CONTACT: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 250


Building and Sustaining a Stronger, More Prosperous Delaware: Building:Better Trail Systems

Wilmington, DE – Beginning last week, the Governor’s office began releasing a series of videos highlighting the progress the state has made over the past eight years through the voices of Delawareans. They will address ways in which the lives of Delawareans today, and generations to come, are being affected by efforts to strengthen our schools, develop cleaner and more efficient energy, make the state a safer and more welcoming place for all people, improve recreational and cultural options, and create more economic development and opportunity.

In conjunction with today’s ribbon cutting of the Delaware City Branch Canal Trail, the video addresses the impact of one initiative: the First State Trails and Pathways Initiative. DNREC and DelDOT worked to create a world-class network of new pathways and trails. In addition to adding 50 miles of new trails and pathways, as a result of the First State Trails and Pathways Initiative, Delaware’s Bike Friendly state ranking rose from 31st nationally to 3rd.

Excerpts from the video:

“We just moved here from Iowa about a year ago,” Adam Foley, Delaware Running Club Member.  “It’s a very different landscape, but I’ve loved the variety of trails and actually being able to find some hills in some wooded areas instead of running along and through corn fields.”

“We get a lot of people who are now buying bikes simply to use the trail to commute to work,” Eric Lowe, Owner of Seagreen Bicycle. “Same thing for the kids to get to high school and back, now that there is a trail and protected section that you’re not on the highway or any of the major roads, I think, is a positive thing for everyone.”

“Every gallon of gas you save is 20 pounds of CO2 emissions you prevent from getting in the environment,” Ali Mirzakhalili, Director of the Delaware Division of Air Quality. “You help clean the air, combat climate change—it’s all good!”

The video series will be released via email as well as on the Governor’s YouTube channel. This week’s video is available on:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/ljhBkqqFloI
Delaware.Gov: http://governor.delaware.gov/podcast_video.shtml
By email: Please contact our press team to subscribe to our press list
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/governormarkell
Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/governormarkell


Delaware Forest Service to conduct 74-acre controlled burn near Frankford

FRANKFORD, Del. – The Delaware Forest Service plans to conduct a prescribed fire on 74 acres west of U.S. Route 113 near the Town of Frankford, Sussex County. The burning could begin as early as Monday, October 27, though officials estimate the date might be closer to mid-week. The actual date of ignition will depend on local weather and fuel conditions. The land is owned by Delaware Wild Lands Inc., a non-profit conservation organization headquartered in Odessa, Delaware. The prescribed fire will be coordinated by the Delaware Forest Service, which will provide key staff and conduct the burn.

Unlike a wildfire, a prescribed fire or “controlled burn” is a fire that is intentionally ignited according to carefully-defined weather conditions identified in a prescribed burn plan. Factors such as fuel type, wind speed and direction, and air temperatures are critical elements of the prescribed fire plan, which is designed to maximize safety and control and to effectively disperse smoke away from human populations. For this project, the acreage in the prescribed burn plan has been broken into six smaller blocks to allow more effective control of the project. Prescribed fires are a useful land management tool that can be effective for habitat restoration, site preparation for reforestation or other land conservation objectives, removal of accumulated fuels that could cause future wildfires, and invasive species management without the use of herbicides.

In the past year, the Delaware Forest Service completed nine prescribed fires on a total of 184 acres, including a 90-acre controlled burn on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. In 2013, Delaware Forest Service staff worked with officials from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s (DNREC) Environmental Stewardship Program to conduct a 16-acre prescribed burn at Brandywine Creek State Park. The previous year, the DFS worked with Delaware State Parks officials to conduct a controlled burn at  Cape Henlopen State Park .

It is possible that some residents or visitors to the area may see or smell smoke. People should not be alarmed; the fires will be carefully monitored. Local authorities will be notified prior to burn days and kept informed throughout burning operations.

Contact: Erich T. Burkentine – DFS Southern Regional Forester and Regional Fire Management Officer – 18074 Redden Forest Drive, Georgetown, DE 19947  Office: 302. 856.2893 Cell: 302.233.1994, email: Erich.Burkentine@delaware.gov

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Additional contact: John Petersen, Community Relations Officer, Delaware Forest Service
office: 302.698.4552  cell: 302.233.8180 email: john.petersen@delaware.gov