DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Waste & Hazardous Substances is offering another opportunity under the Universal Recycling Grants and Low Interest Loan Program to help Delaware organizations support the state’s municipal solid waste (MSW) diversion goal of 60 percent diversion of MSW by Jan. 1, 2020. The most recent statistics from 2017 place Delaware at a 43.1 percent diversion rate, compared to the National Diversion Rate, which stands at 34.7 percent as of 2015.

“Statistics show that Delaware is already a national leader in recycling, but we know we still have room to grow under the Universal Recycling law, which guarantees access for recycling to all residents of the First State whether at home, work, school, or play,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “The goal of this grant program is to help organizations within Delaware increase diversion to meet and exceed our statewide goals. We encourage collaborative and creative solutions to help Delaware raise the bar and keep recycling moving in the right direction.”

DNREC, in collaboration with the Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC), is offering the following opportunities:

Open/Competitive Programs (total funding: $210,000): This category focuses on projects that promote five key areas identified by RPAC: leveraging data to increase recycling; identifying new or existing markets to accept Delaware’s diverted materials; identifying and measuring ways to educate and encourage recycling or waste reduction behavior change; establishing recycling and/or waste reduction programs within a school, district, or university; and establishing programs to support municipal or county-led waste diversion initiatives. In this category Projects that support the goals outlined in 7 Del. Code §6055 will be considered even if they fall outside of the above parameters.

Food Waste Reduction Initiatives Program (total funding: $100,000): Projects within this category must be directed at ways to help the food service/restaurant industry reduce the amount of food waste going to Delaware landfills.

School Field Trip Program (total funding: $80,000): Funding for school bus companies to take students/classes from a single grade level from every school in Delaware to the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) Education Center located in New Castle. This program is open to any public or private school in Delaware.

Application forms and the guidance document are available at Delaware recycling grants and loans, or via Delaware’s recycling website at recycling.delaware.gov. Applicants are advised to read the guidance document prior to submitting their applications. Applications will be due to DNREC by the close of business Friday, July 12, 2019. Due to the limited amount of funding, partial grants might be awarded based on RPAC’s discretion. RPAC and DNREC emphasize that applicants for grants and low-interest loans do not need to be recycling experts to put forward a recycling grant proposal. DNREC highly encourages creative solutions and collaboration among applicants.

To learn more about Delaware Recycles, or for assistance with a grant application, call 302-739-9403 or email recycle@delaware.gov.

Proposals from county and municipal governments due by April 1

DOVER – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Environmental Finance and the Department of Health & Social Services Division of Public Health State Revolving Fund programs are now accepting applications from county and municipal governments for the Wastewater and Drinking Water Asset Management Incentive Programs. Applications must be received by both agencies’ close of business (4:30 p.m.) Monday, April 1.

An asset management incentive program is a tool that helps local governments prioritize and classify assets associated with managing and operating a wastewater or drinking water utility. The program results in more efficient management of public utilities, lower replacement costs, and an overall healthier community.

Asset Management Incentive Program participants can receive funding to develop and implement asset management plans for their facilities. To receive financial incentives, municipal governments must sign a five-year agreement with DNREC and DHSS, which requires the development and implementation of system-wide asset management plans for wastewater and/or drinking water utilities. The plan must be consistent with EPA’s Framework for Asset Management, which includes: 1) Current state of assets, 2) Level of service, 3) Critical assets, 4) Minimum lifecycle cost, and 5) Long-term funding plan.

Financial incentives for the program include:

• Up to a $100,000 grant (no match required) per municipality/county in Delaware to develop and implement an Asset Management Program (up to $200,000 for combined wastewater and drinking water programs)
• Loan interest rebate of up to one-half of the interest paid on a new wastewater and/or drinking water state revolving fund loan. Loans will be rebated back for up to five years after completion of projects (from loan amortization start dates).

The program will be funded from the respective non-federal administrative accounts for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs. Submittals will be recommended for funding by the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council through a first-come, first-served basis, based on receipt of an approved application meeting all of the requirements.

Asset Management Plan guidelines and the application can be found online at the Environmental Finance website. Application must be submitted by email to Greg.Pope@delaware.gov (Proposals submitted by email must be less than 10 MB).

For more information, contact Greg Pope, DNREC Environmental Finance, at 302-739-9941, or Heather Warren, Office of Drinking Water, at 302-744-4817.

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

Vol. 49, No. 50

DOVER – The Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council (WIAC) will meet Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. in Conference Room 220, Kent County Administrative Complex, 555 S. Bay Road, Dover, DE 19901. More information about the WIAC meeting, including the agenda, can be found on the Statewide Meeting Calendar at https://publicmeetings.delaware.gov/Meeting/61416. For more information about Delaware’s Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, please visit the DNREC website.

Vol. 49, No. 23

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DOVER – Environmental Finance within DNREC’s Office of the Secretary and the Division of Public Health will host a State Revolving Loan Fund public workshop Wednesday, Dec. 12 in preparation for the development of the 2019 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving (DWSRF) Project Priority Lists. The workshop begins at 10 a.m. in the Kent County Administrative Complex, Conference Room 220, 555 S. Bay Road, Dover, DE 19901.

The workshop will inform and provide municipal government representatives, privately-owned businesses, wastewater and drinking water utilities, consultant engineers, and other interested parties with detailed overviews of the CWSRF and DWSRF programs. The combined-program workshop will provide attendees with an accurate and efficient source of information for requesting financial assistance for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure project needs.

Notices-of-Intent (NOI) for wastewater, drinking water, stormwater, and related infrastructure projects will be solicited starting Wednesday, Dec. 12 and are due by Friday, Jan. 11 to prepare the 2019 CWSRF and DWSRF Project Priority Lists (PPLs). Projects must be listed on the CWSRF and DWSRF PPL, respectively, to be considered for funding. Workshop attendance is required by applicants and/or their consulting engineering firms who plan to apply for CWSRF and DWSRF assistance.

Workshop participants will learn about the following CWSRF and DWSRF program changes and infrastructure financing tools:
• One-stop loan application process for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure project assistance
• Land conservation and water quality improvement loan sponsorship programs
• Source water protection loans for drinking water supplies
• Wastewater, drinking water, and stormwater facilities matching planning grants
• Community water quality improvement grants
• Asset management plan development incentives
• Project planning advances
• Expanded eligibilities for privately-owned businesses

In addition, detailed information will be presented at the workshop about how and when to submit projects for funding consideration, project ranking criteria, project construction requirements, and how to apply for infrastructure planning grants.
To reserve a place at the workshop, please contact Laura Rafferty, DNREC Environmental Finance, by emailing Laura.Rafferty@delaware.gov or phone: 302-739-9941. Applicants who are ready to proceed with their notices of intent and require assistance prior to the workshop may contact Greg Pope of EF by phone at 302-739-9941, or by emailing Greg.Pope@delaware.gov.

Vol. 48, No. 329

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DOVER, Del. — Too much rain at the wrong time, like Delaware experienced in April and May, has destroyed several high dollar crops and threatens the yield of many others, leaving farmers to wonder what the future holds. In surveying the state and listening to farmers, Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse made a request for an emergency disaster declaration two weeks ago to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Service Center.

“Delaware family farms are the backbone of our economy, making agriculture our number one industry,” said Governor Carney. “Farming is hard no matter what – but when you get hit with the weather we have seen this spring, and the damage it has done to our fruit and vegetable crops, our grains, and our hay – it has a huge impact on our farmers, our communities, and the state as a whole.”

Once a request for a declaration is made, the FSA staff begins official surveys of the status of current crops at the state and county level. These reports are then compiled, reviewed, and sent on to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. In order to be eligible for this declaration, Delaware has to have at least 30 percent loss in crop production for at least one crop.

“It is impossible for Delaware farmers to come out of this without emergency assistance,” said Scuse. “Many of our fruit and vegetable farms have taken a beating and other crops definitely will not be able to reach optimal yields. We have farmers who are trying to plant field corn for the third and fourth time. That’s a lot of money invested in seed and when the bill arrives they are going to need help paying it.”

The state has three months from the last day of the disaster to file a declaration request to USDA.

The benefit of an emergency disaster declaration is it gives farmers time to apply and get an emergency loan. These loans help producers to recover from production and physical losses from the torrential rains and flooding in Delaware. Farmers have nine months to apply for the loans once USDA makes the official crop damage declaration, which provides them time to compile the paperwork and only apply for the funds they really need to borrow.

Once submitted, Delaware has to wait to learn if USDA will grant them the emergency declaration.

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Media Contact: Stacey Hofmann, 302-698-4542, stacey.hofmann@delaware.gov