National Governors Association announced 2017-2018 committee membership on Wednesday

WILMINGTON, Del. – The National Governors Association on Wednesday announced that Governor John Carney will serve on the association’s Economic Development and Commerce Committee, to exchange ideas and best practices with fellow governors on economic development and economic growth.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson will chair the Economic Development and Commerce Committee, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper will serve as the committee’s vice chair.

“Governors have the unique ability to demonstrate leadership on economic issues, help drive economic growth, and create an atmosphere that will lead to the creation of good-paying jobs across our states,” said Governor Carney, who last week announced a statewide Jobs & Economy Tour to meet with business leaders. “In Delaware, we’re already focused on restructuring economic development efforts to focus on helping small businesses and entrepreneurs grow, and on fostering innovation. Working together to improve our economy is not a partisan issue, and I’m looking forward to serving with governors of both parties on the committee.”

The committee’s membership includes:

• Gov. John Carney, Delaware;
• Gov. Kim Reynolds, Iowa;
• Gov. Bruce Rauner, Illinois;
• Gov. Larry Hogan, Maryland;
• Gov. Chris Sununu, New Hampshire;
• Gov. Roy Cooper, North Carolina;
• Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, Puerto Rico;
• Gov. Gina Raimondo, Rhode Island;
• Gov. Scott Walker, Wisconsin; and
• Gov. Phil Scott, Vermont.

Read more about the NGA’s announcement on Wednesday and the work of the Economic Development and Commerce Committee.

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New law will allow responsible redevelopment of 14 legacy industrial sites along coastline

CLAYMONT, Del. – Governor John Carney on Wednesday signed into law House Bill 190 – bipartisan legislation that modernizes Delaware’s Coastal Zone Act. The new law will allow for the responsible redevelopment of 14 legacy industrial sites in the coastal zone, new job creation, and additional environmental clean-up of those legacy sites along Delaware’s coastline.

Representative Ed Osienski, Senator Bryan Townsend, Senator Brian Pettyjohn, Representative Debra Heffernan, and Representative Ron Gray sponsored the legislation, which passed the General Assembly with bipartisan approval.

Governor Carney – who called for responsible changes to the Coastal Zone Act during a joint address to the General Assembly in March – signed the legislation at the former site of chemical manufacturer General Chemical in Claymont, now owned by D2 Management.

“This spring, I urged members of the General Assembly to make responsible changes to the Coastal Zone Act that would allow us to create new jobs, while continuing to protect our environment. The responsible changes in this bill meet that test,” said Governor Carney. “By passing this legislation, the General Assembly recognized that we can clean up our abandoned industrial sites, responsibly redevelop them, and put them back to work for Delawareans. This new law will help create good-paying jobs, and help us ensure that Delaware’s economy works for all Delawareans. Thank you to Representative Osienski, Senator Townsend, and all members of the General Assembly for their leadership on this issue.”

“I strongly believe the 46-year-old Coastal Zone Act was – and still is – a landmark piece of legislation. It has limited heavy industry activity to only 14 sites, comprising less than 2% of our total coastal zone, and House Bill 190 does not change that,” said Representative Osienski, D-Newark. “House Bill 190 and the conversion permit it creates will achieve the balance between protecting our coastal zone and allowing responsible companies the opportunity to redevelop on the original 14 sites that were active when the CZA passed in 1971.

“If we are able to convert some of these abandoned brownfields into active industries, these sites could employ hundreds, even thousands, of Delawareans, offering good-paying jobs that could become careers for many. The process of remediating and building up an industry would mean more environmental cleaning and construction jobs. An active industry would contribute personal income taxes, corporate income taxes, and property taxes to our local school districts once again.”

Senator Townsend led the effort to approve the law in the Senate. He said the new law strikes a good balance between economic development and environmental protection.

“These changes to the Coastal Zone Act have been robustly debated, as well they should have been because, nationally, the CZA was and remains landmark legislation. I’m confident that the limited scope of the changes we’re making today and the regulations that will govern them will breathe new life into abandoned industrial sites while staying true to the principles underlying Governor Peterson’s vision,” said Senator Townsend, D-Newark. “It is a vision of balance and of environmental protection, of limited heavy industry along a largely undeveloped coast. We owe it to present and future generations to get that balance, and enforcement, right.”

“Let’s be clear, the protections for the vast majority of the Coastal Zone will remain in place and unaffected,” stated Representative Gray, R-Selbyville. “This legislation will appropriately channel development to sites which are best situated to support these types of operations. It provides some common sense flexibility, allowing for the clean-up and re-use of industrial brownfields in a way that will lead to the creation of new, quality jobs, while maintaining a commitment to environmental protection.”

House Bill 190 establishes a conversion permitting process, overseen by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), to allow additional industrial development on specific legacy industrial sites within the coastal zone.

“The amending of the Coastal Zone Act continues to realize the original intent of the Act in striking a balance between protecting the natural resources and environment of Delaware’s coastal zone, and spurring our state’s economy,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin.

Companies seeking a conversion permit must submit an application that details the environmental and economic impacts of previous uses and planned redevelopment of the site, a proposal to offset any negative environmental impacts of industrial redevelopment, and a plan to prepare the site for the long-term effects of sea-level rise.

“At D2, we’ve always known the site had great potential, but this legislation was crucial to attract larger industrial tenants,” said Keith Delaney, President of D2 Management, who hosted Wednesday’s signing event at the former General Chemical site. “The passage of this bill is a transformative first step toward revitalizing Delaware’s manufacturing industry and creating many new construction and permanent jobs in the region. We thank the Governor and the legislators for their tremendous vision and support.”

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Governor will meet with business leaders at small business roundtables and innovative business tours

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney announced on Tuesday that he will spend August talking to Delaware business owners about Delaware’s economy, economic development, and the importance of supporting Delaware small businesses, innovators and entrepreneurs. Governor Carney also will sign two major pieces of legislation to modernize the Coastal Zone Act and to restructure Delaware’s economic development efforts.

“Delaware’s economy remains in a period of significant transition, and we’re focused on making sure our economy works for all Delawareans,” said Governor Carney. “That starts with improving access to good-paying jobs across our state. This month, I will sign into law pieces of legislation that will help revitalize Delaware’s abandoned industrial sites, and restructure our economic development efforts to support small business owners, innovators, and entrepreneurs. And I look forward to meeting with business leaders up and down our state to discuss their concerns, their thoughts and ideas for moving our state’s economy forward.”

Follow the Governor’s tour on social media using the hashtag #DEworks.

Additional details:

Bill Signings

WHAT: Governor Carney will sign two major pieces of legislation to modernize the Coastal Zone Act and to restructure Delaware’s economic development efforts.

2:00 p.m., August 2 – House Bill 190 – Coastal Zone Act Modernization
– Location: Former General Chemical site, 6300 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont, DE 19703

2:00 p.m., August 14 – House Bill 226 – Economic Development Restructuring
– Location: Delaware Innovation Space, Building 500, DuPont Experimental Station, 200 Powder Mill Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803

Small Business Roundtables

WHAT: Governor Carney will meet with small business owners across the state to hear their thoughts, ideas and concerns at small business roundtables hosted by members of the General Assembly.

The following roundtables are invite-only for participants and open to the press.

3:30 p.m., August 3 – Middletown – Hosted by Representative Quinn Johnson
– Location: Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce, 402 N. Cass Street, Middletown, DE 19709

Noon, August 16 – Bethany Beach – Hosted by Senator Gerald Hocker
– Location: Cottage Cafe, 33034 Coastal Highway, Bethany Beach, DE

10 a.m., August 28 – Dover – Hosted by Senator Brian Bushweller
– Location: Becker Morgan Group, 309 S. Governors Ave, Dover, DE 19904

10:30 a.m., August 30 – Delaware City – Hosted by Representative Valerie Longhurst
– Location: Crabby Dick’s, 30 Clinton St, Delaware City, DE 19706

2:00 p.m., September 19 – Lewes – Hosted by Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf
– Location: Bethany Blues,  18385 Coastal Hwy, Lewes, DE 19958

2:30 p.m., October 10 – Seaford– Hosted by Representative Daniel Short
– Location: Seaford Public Library, 600 N. Market Street Ext., Seaford, DE 19973

4:30 p.m., October 26 – New Castle– Hosted by Senator Margaret Rose Henry and Representative J.J. Johnson
– Location: Bowlerama, 3031 New Castle Ave, New Castle, DE 19720

2:00 p.m., October 31 – Milton– Hosted by Representative Steve Smyk
– Location: Irish Eyes, 105 Union St, Milton, DE 19968

Innovative Business Tour

WHAT: Governor Carney will meet with business leaders and tour innovative businesses across Delaware.

The following tours are open to the press.

2:00 p.m., August 14 – Delaware Innovation Space – Alapocas
– Location: Building 500, DuPont Experimental Station, 200 Powder Mill Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803

3:00 p.m., August 18 – The Mill – Wilmington
– Location: 1007 N. Orange St, Wilmington, DE 19801

1:00 p.m., August 29 – Avalanche Industries – Selbyville
– Location: 144 Dixon St, Selbyville, DE 19975

3:30 p.m., August 30 – Incyte – Wilmington
– Location: 1801 Augustine Cut-off, Wilmington, DE 19803

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*Additional details will be added to the Governor’s public schedule as they become available.

New law removes notary requirement, expanding voting access for younger Delawareans attending school out of state

DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney on Friday signed into law House Bill 47, bipartisan legislation that removes the notary requirement for qualified Delaware voters requesting absentee ballots. The legislation will eliminate a barrier for voters seeking to cast votes in Delaware elections – especially young Delaware voters attending school out of state.

Representative Lyndon Yearick and Senator Brian Bushweller sponsored the legislation, along with Senator Brian Pettyjohn and Representative Kim Williams. Governor Carney signed the legislation in Dover on Friday, surrounded by its sponsors and college students from Delaware.

“We should always look for ways to make it easier for qualified Delaware voters to participate in the democratic process – not more difficult,” said Governor Carney. “This legislation does just that. It takes the common sense step of removing a barrier that had a specific negative impact on young Delawareans attending college out of state. Thank you to members of the General Assembly of both parties for their leadership on this issue.”

“Before this bill was signed, Delaware was the only state in the nation that required a notary to authorize a voter’s affidavit requesting an absentee ballot,” said Representative Yearick, R-Dover South, the prime sponsor of the measure. “It hindered anyone seeking to cast an absentee ballot, but it was especially hard on students attending out-of-state colleges.  This new law streamlines the process, removes a needless expense, and makes it easier for young adults to become active participants in the Democratic process.”

Senator Bushweller shepherded the bill through the Senate and said it represents an important change in how Delaware conducts elections. “I want to make it easier for people who are properly registered to vote to take part in our elections,” said Senator Bushweller, D-Dover.  “Requiring that a notary sign off on a registered voter’s right to participate was a real roadblock for some voters and I’m glad we’ve removed it.”

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For details on all the legislation Governor Carney has signed into law, visit the Legislative Advisories page on the Governor’s website.

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney released the following statement on the preliminary results of the 2017 administration of the Smarter Balanced assessment announced on Thursday by the Delaware Department of Education:

“With the help of educators across our state, more Delaware students are making real progress and are on the path to long-term success. There are bright spots in this data, and many schools have made notable gains. It’s clear that teachers and school leaders are making a real difference in the lives of kids across Delaware.

But the difficult truth remains that too many of our students in the City of Wilmington – our largest city and the economic and cultural engine of our state – are being left behind. That is something that we cannot allow to continue. We must do more to help our most disadvantaged students – those affected by poverty, stress, and trauma. As I have already made clear, I will continue to engage with stakeholders across Wilmington and statewide, and I intend to take real action to address this issue.”