DOVER – The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that DNREC will hold a public workshop Wednesday, Oct. 19 to provide information about several wastewater projects currently proposed by the City of Rehoboth Beach. The workshop will begin at 6 p.m. inside Rehoboth Volunteer Fire Company Station 86, 219 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.

Rehoboth’s proposed wastewater projects include a pump station, a force main and an ocean outfall. The new pump station and a 24-inch force main are required to convey the treated wastewater to the ocean outfall and through diffusers located 6,000 feet offshore in water approximately 40 feet deep.

These proposed projects require several DNREC permits and approvals including a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit, a Coastal Zone Management Act Federal Consistency Determination, a Subaqueous Lands Lease, Water Quality Certification, a Wastewater Facilities Construction Permit, and a Beach Preservation Coastal Construction Permit. An overview of the various projects will be provided by the City of Rehoboth Beach’s consultants on the projects, while DNREC staff will be on hand to offer information about the Department’s permitting and approval processes.

The workshop will give the public an opportunity to learn more about the City of Rehoboth Beach’s proposed wastewater projects and to ask questions about the projects and the necessary DNREC permits and approvals that must be in place before the projects can begin. Rehoboth’s permit applications and supporting documents, and a fact sheet and a draft NPDES permit are available on DNREC’s website.

For more information about the workshop, please call John Schneider at 302-739-9939 or email John.Schneider@delaware.gov.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 342

Proposals due by Nov. 16

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship, the office of Environmental Finance, and the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Division of Public Health are now accepting proposals from state, county and municipal governments and governmental subdivisions for matching grants for wastewater, surface water, and drinking water project planning. Proposals must be received by 4:30 p.m. Nov. 16, 2016.

Eligible projects include planning, preliminary engineering and feasibility analysis of: wastewater and drinking water projects; stormwater retrofits; green technology practices; stream and wetland restoration projects; small watershed studies; master surface water and drainage plans; and other source water pollution control projects.

Grant applications of up to $50,000 will be considered with a 1:1 cash match requirement. Up to 10 percent of the grant funds may be used for administrative costs. There is an annual cumulative grant award cap of $100,000 per successful applicant per fiscal year.

The Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Surface Water Matching Planning Grant programs are set-asides in Delaware’s Clean Water and Drinking Water Revolving Funds. Projects will be recommended for funding by the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council through a competitive grant process.

For a Wastewater Matching Planning Grant, the project guidelines and the application can be found online by clicking Wastewater Matching Planning Grant. Proposals must be submitted by email (less than 10 MB) to Greg.Pope@delaware.gov.

For a Surface Water Matching Planning Grant, the project guidelines and the application can be found online at Surface Water Matching Planning Grant. Proposals must be submitted by email (less than 10 MB) to James.Sullivan@delaware.gov.

For a Drinking Water Matching Planning Grant, the project guidelines and the application can be found online at Drinking Water Matching Planning Grant. Proposals must be submitted by email (less than 10 MB) to Heather.Warren@delaware.gov.

For more information, contact Greg Pope, DNREC Environmental Finance at 302-739-9941, Jim Sullivan, DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship at 302-739-9922, or Heather Warren, Division of Public Health at 302-744-4739.

Media Contact: Melanie Rapp, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 349

DOVER – The Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council will meet Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9 a.m. in Conference Room 220, Kent County Administrative Complex, 555 S. Bay Road, Dover, DE 19901.

Agenda:

WIAC- informational

• New Council Member – Ralph Cetrulo
• New Environmental Finance Engineer – Keith Kooker
• Presentations – Community Water Quality Improvement Grant Project Implementations
  • Judy Schwartz –George, Miles & Buhr – Town of Bethel Stormwater Retrofits
  • Dr. Marianne Walch – Center for the Inland Bays – Loop Canal Living Shoreline
  • Sara Esposito – Drainage Program – Bridgeville Branch Stream Restoration
• Clean Water and Flood Abatement Task Force update – Jeff Bross, WIAC Chair
• FY 2016 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Fed Cap Grants – 20% required state match status
• CWSRF and DWSRF Project Notice-of-Intent (NOIs) received
• DWSRF Loan Restructuring Request – Town of Frankford

New Business

• CWSRF Loan Request – Town of Bridgeville, USDA loan refinance
• Wastewater Matching Planning Grant requests
• Wastewater Planning Advance request
• Surface Water Matching Planning Grant requests
• Drinking Water Matching Planning Grant request
• Innovation and Technology Grant request
• Additional Subsidization Assistance Program request – Lewes Board of Public Works
• Draft Proposed Guidelines – CWSRF and DWSRF Subsidies for Privately Owned Utilities

Reports

• Administrators’ Reports
  • CWSRF Project Status Update
• Financial Reports
  • CWSRF and DWSRF Cash Flow Models
• Subcommittees’ Reports
  • Wastewater
  • Drinking Water
  • Surface Water Management
  • Finance

Meeting Preview – Feb. 15, 2017

• Assessment of Asset Management Development Program – 5 completed studies

Public Comment

For more information about the WIAC, please call 302-739-9941.

DOVER – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Environmental Finance is now accepting applications from county and municipal governments for the Wastewater and Drinking Water Asset Management Incentive Programs. Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. August 31, 2016.

An asset management 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/Department of Health and Social Services, which requires the development and implementation of system-wide asset management plans for wastewater and/or drinking water utilities. Plans must be consistent with EPA’s Framework for Asset Management: 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 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 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 on DNREC’s Environmental Finance website. Applications 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, Department of Health and Social Services, Office of Drinking Water at 302-744-4817.

Media Contact: Melanie H. Rapp, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Vol. 46. No. 263

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship and the office of Environmental Finance are now accepting project proposals from state, county and municipal governments and governmental subdivisions for matching grants for wastewater and surface water project planning. Proposals must be received by close of business (4:30 p.m.), Thursday, Aug. 4.

Eligible projects include planning, preliminary engineering and feasibility analysis of: wastewater projects; stormwater retrofits; green technology practices; stream and wetland restoration projects; small watershed studies; master surface water and drainage plans; and other source water pollution control projects.

Grant applications of up to $50,000 will be considered with a 1:1 cash match requirement. Up to 10 percent of the grant funds may be used for administrative costs. There is an annual cumulative grant award cap of $100,000 per successful applicant per fiscal year.

The Wastewater and Surface Water Matching Planning Grant programs are set-asides in the State’s Clean Water Revolving Fund. Projects will be recommended for funding by the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council through a competitive grant process. New for this grant cycle are insurance requirements of the grant recipient.

For a Wastewater Matching Planning Grant, the project guidelines and the application can be found online by clicking Wastewater Matching Planning Grant. Proposals must be submitted by email (less than 10 megabytes) to Greg.Pope@delaware.gov.

For a Surface Water Matching Planning Grant, the project guidelines and the application can be found online at Surface Water Matching Planning Grant. Proposals must be submitted by email (less than 10 MB) to James.Sullivan@delaware.gov.

For more information, please contact Greg Pope, DNREC Environmental Finance, at 302-739-9941 or Jim Sullivan, Division of Watershed Stewardship, at 302-739-9922.

Contact: Melanie H. Rapp, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902                      

Vol. 46, No. 245