Positive Growth Alliance members & interested parties:
Last Thursday, we met with DNREC regarding the EPA's Chesapeake Bay initiative. The goal is to clean up the Chesapeake Bay on an accelerated schedule, as ordered by President Obama through an Executive Order.
EPA is using the threat of a takeover of issuance of National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits from DNREC as their hammer. If they did so, it would mean most land use activities or sewer system upgrades would have to deal directly with the EPA to get permission to do anything. Quite frankly, DNREC seems to see the EPA as more of a partner than they do a threat.
Most of the technical people in our group see this program as a huge problem for business and the economy. Even more interesting is that the EPA says only about 1% of the pollution going into the Chesapeake Bay is coming from Delaware.
Does the EPA actually have the legal authority to take this power? We don't know. We asked DNREC if they had asked for a formal ruling from the Attorney General and they said no. For that reason, we are making sure that the Attorney General receives a formal request for a ruling on EPA's authority under the Clean Water Act.
In the meantime, there will be a joint EPA/DNREC meeting from 5 - 7 p.m., Monday, October 11 at the Owens Campus of Delaware Technical and Community College in Georgetown.
To prepare for the meeting, we strongly suggest you read this compilation of EPA threats to any state that dares not to say "yes sir" to whatever EPA demands: http://www.wr.dnrec.delaware.gov/Information/WatershedInfo/Documents/Chesapeake%20Phase%201%20WIP/EPA_ExpectationsAndConsequences_1209.pdf
Rich Collins
302-381-1610
