Brandywine Creek Nature Center/DNREC photo

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) will close or reduce hours for several public activities and facilities following the surge in coronavirus cases driven by the omicron variant.

While state parks, nature and wildlife areas continue to be open, the following closures and reductions in hours will be in effect through the end of January due to current or anticipated staffing shortages:

• The Brandywine Zoo will reduce its open hours to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in January.
• Public restroom facilities in state parks and reserves will close starting next week. Portable toilets will be available for visitors in place of the public restrooms. Campground facilities will remain open.
• State park offices will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Nature centers, interpretive centers and museums, and the St. Jones Reserve visitor center will be closed starting Monday. Jan. 3.
• The Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center will continue to operate with reduced days and hours by appointment only. Details are available at de.gov/ommelanden.
• Indoor programs will either be held virtually or canceled. Outdoor programming and volunteering will continue. Restrictions may apply to outdoor programs. For questions regarding specific programs, contact the office at the park or location where the program is scheduled.
• First Day Hikes will still occur on Saturday and will have a self-check-in option at each park.
• Mandatory in-person hunter education field days in January will continue, but with fewer students in smaller groups.

DNREC encourages the public to take advantage of online resources, including applications for permits and licenses, and virtual educational content. Public hearings and meetings are also virtual with updated information available on the DNREC online calendar, de.gov/dnrecmeetings.

All conditions are subject to change. Staff and visitors in state buildings and facilities are still required to wear face coverings. For the latest information on COVID-19 in Delaware, visit de.gov/coronavirus.

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. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Shauna McVey, shauna.mcvey@delaware.gov

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DOVER – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will be accepting public comments on proposed fees for coastal zone conversion permits required under the Coastal Zone Act from Monday, Dec. 2 through close of business Tuesday, Dec. 31. Comments may be emailed to CZA_Program@delaware.gov.

The fees, set by DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, apply to conversion permit applications, conversion permit modifications and annual cost of issued conversion permits. The fee for a conversion permit application is $15,000 and the fee for a conversion permit modification is $5,000. Additionally, the annual fee for coastal zone conversion permit holders is $1,500, to cover costs related to the required annual review of financial assurance and environmental offsets, as applicable, as well as other reviews over the life of the permit.

The Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act authorized DNREC to issue permits for construction and operation of new heavy industry uses at 14 existing former heavy industry use sites within the state’s coastal zone, and to set fees for those permits. Coastal zone conversion permits allow sites to return to active or more productive uses while ensuring the protection of natural resources.

DNREC’s CZA Program, within the Division of Coastal, Climate, & Energy, evaluated actual direct costs and estimated staff costs that will be necessary to evaluate and administer conversion permits, initially and on an ongoing basis. These fees approximate and reasonably reflect the costs necessary to defray the expenses related to this new permit.

For more information, including questions concerning the fees or requirements for obtaining a coastal zone conversion permit, contact Laura Mensch, DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal, & Energy, at 302-739-9283, or visit https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/coastal-zone-act/conversion-permits/.

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

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DNREC to cap number of annual surf-fishing permits issued at 17,000

DOVER – Delaware’s Parks and Recreation Council, which advises DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation, today voted to raise surf fishing permit fees this year and to limit the number of permits issued annually to no more than 17,000. Both decisions were made at a regularly-scheduled Parks and Recreation Advisory Council meeting, for which the council had received written comments in advance about the two issues voted on. Over 100 individuals and organizations submitted written comments ahead of the meeting, while about 20 people commented to the council before the vote was taken.

When the approved changes to the surf-fishing program go into effect Feb. 1, yearly surf fishing permit fees will be increased from $80 to $90 for Delaware residents, while out-of-state residents will pay $180 for the annual surf fishing permit, up $20 from 2018 fees. Surf-fishing permit holders will continue to receive the additional benefit of their permit serving as an annual parks pass, providing access to all 17 of DNREC’s Delaware’s state parks.

The fee increase is intended to help ensure public safety, and to continue improving the quality user experience for Delaware State Parks’ visitors, including surf-fishing permit holders, at designated multi-use beaches. Limiting the number of permits will enable more efficient management of the state’s surf-fishing program, said Division of Parks & Recreation Director Ray Bivens. The fee increase also aligns with DNREC’s priority to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors to Delaware’s award-winning state parks system, he said.

The most common public comment received by DNREC on the surf-fishing program was the request for more enforcement of current surf-fishing rules and regulations. At the meeting, the Division of Parks & Recreation presented findings demonstrating a three-fold increase in the last year for violations of the “actively-engaged in surf fishing” rule. The Division of Parks & Recreation also announced at the meeting the addition of a new full-time Delaware Natural Resources Police Park Ranger for the region and expansion of Rangers’ work week from 37.5 to 40 hours, creating 1,000 hours of expanded coverage annually for the coastal parks. “The ‘actively-engaged’ rule will continue to be a priority area for targeted enforcement in the future,” said Parks & Recreation Director Bivens.

Regarding the cap on annual permits, another presentation made at today’s meeting showed that the issuing of surf-fishing permits has increased at a rate of seven percent annually from 2011-2017. “Implementing a first-come, first-served cap on the number of permits issued is the best way to be equitable to all beach users, to manage a limited resource, and to protect against overcrowding our beaches in the future,” Bivens said.

Sixty-five percent of the funds used to operate and maintain the parks come from the collection of user fees. Revenue generated by the new fee increase will advance the Division of Parks & Recreation’s efforts to improve increase enforcement efforts, improve amenities and better educate parks’ visitors on the state’s multi-use beaches.

The authority to increase park user fees is included in Section 87 of the FY2019 bond bill, and requires “adequate opportunity for public comment and approval of the appropriate public advisory council.” The Parks and Recreation Council is an 11-member board, appointed by the Governor that serves in an advisory capacity to DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation.

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

Vol. 49, No. 13

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation will discuss proposed changes to the surf fishing program at its upcoming, regularly-scheduled Parks and Recreation Council meeting. The meeting, open to the public, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 17th, at the Dover Public Library, 35 East Loockerman Street, Dover 19901.

Parks & Recreation staff will offer a presentation on proposed surf fishing permit fee increases, and the public will be given the opportunity to comment. The proposed fee increase, if approved at the council’s Jan.17 meeting, would go into effect on Feb.1.

DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation is proposing raising the surf fishing permit fees to $90 for Delaware residents, an increase of $10. Out-of-state residents would pay $180 for the annual surf fishing permit, an increase of $20. Surf-fishing permit holders would continue to receive the additional benefit of their permit serving as an annual pass, providing free access to all 17 of Delaware’s state parks.

The Division of Parks & Recreation is also proposing limiting the number of surf fishing permits issued to 17,000 annually. In 2017, the state issued 17,104 permits. The fee increase is being proposed to help ensure the public’s safety, and to maintain the quality user experience at designated multi-use beaches. The beaches have a capacity, and the Division of Parks & Recreation seeks to limit the number of permits issued to assist in continuing to manage the surf fishing program. The priority is to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors. A limit on the number of permits issued would help ease future congestion on all multi-use beaches.

Delaware’s state park system is primarily self-funded. Sixty-five percent of the funds used to operate and maintain the parks come from the collection of user fees. Revenue generated by the proposed fee increase would advance the Division’s efforts to improve amenities, and increase the presence of park enforcement at ocean parks.

The authority to increase park user fees is included in Section 87 of the FY 2019 bond bill, and requires “adequate opportunity for public comment and approval of the appropriate public advisory council.” The Parks and Recreation Council is an 11-member board appointed by the Governor, that serves in an advisory capacity to the Division of Parks & Recreation.

The public can submit written comments in advance on the Division of Parks & Recreation’s web page at www.destateparks.com/FeeProposal. Written comments can also be sent to: Greg J. Abbott, Attn.: Surf-fishing permit fee proposal, DNREC Division of Parks & Recreation, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901 prior to the Jan. 17 meeting. More information is also available at https://publicmeetings.delaware.gov/Meeting/61600.

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

Vol. 48, No. 337