NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
Aug. 21, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 356
For more information contact Chief William (Chip) McDaniel, Environmental Crimes Unit, Division of Air and Waste Management, 302-739-9401; or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.
DNREC’s Environmental Crimes Unit releases enforcement statistics
for first half of 2009; open burning violations decrease by 19 percent
DOVER, Del. – DNREC’s Environmental Crimes Unit released statistics today for the first six months of 2009 on its investigations into violations of Delaware environmental laws. Investigations totaled 2,014, up about 3 percent from the same period in 2008. Illegal open burning, the most frequently made complaint for the past several years, decreased by 19 percent in 2009.
Investigations were handled by DNREC’s Environmental Protection Officers or EPOs – sworn police officers who enforce environmental laws, investigate violations and prosecute offenders.
“Environmental crimes pose significant hazards to public health and to the environment that can be felt for years to come,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “DNREC’s Environmental Crimes Unit works every day to protect Delawareans – by targeting criminal activity such as illegal dumping and open burning, discharges of pollutants into waterways and the air, and other activities which negatively impact the quality of life for our residents.”
Several initiatives have been effective to help deter violations, according to Chief of Enforcement William (Chip) McDaniel. “Through our education and outreach programs more Delaware residents are aware of the environmental laws that protect the environment and public health,” he said. “We believe our outreach with communities and organizations has been instrumental in reducing the number of open burning complaints by 19 percent so far this year. In addition, we have increased our proactive patrols by 15 percent and added digital surveillance cameras at locations where activities, including illegal dumping, are prevalent.”
DNREC’s Environmental Protection Officers responded to individual complaints that included: 277 water related discharges; 263 open burning; 235 illegal dumping that included 16 arrests; 229 spills; 181 odors; 142 air pollution related releases; 127 permit checks; 96 notifications by industry; 73 vapor recovery checks (from gas stations); 44 asbestos; 26 erosion; 25 facility checks; and 14 wetlands-related issues.
More than 140 of the complaints involved DNREC Emergency Response Team (ERT) calls. EPOs and environmental scientists in DNREC’s Emergency Response Branch responded to emergencies that included industrial spills and releases, transportation accidents and other potentially hazardous incidents.
In addition, officers apprehended 10 fugitives with active arrest warrants from other police departments. Approximately 38 percent of the complaints were investigated on weekends and after hours.
The following is the breakdown this year of the January through June statistics per county:
Total Complaints: 2,014
New Castle County: 1092
Kent County: 464
Sussex County: 458
Total Enforcement Actions: 127
New Castle County: 68
Kent County: 33
Sussex County: 26
Ennforcement legislation enacted in June 2008 raised the minimum fine from $50 to $100 for the first offense of minor environmental regulations, including fines for open burning, unpermitted waste water discharges, septic and well installations, and adds the cost of a permit to the fine, if the violation includes an activity without the appropriate permit. For each subsequent offense, the fine increases from $500 to $1500.
DNREC’s community policing program – which trains municipal and county police officers to identify environmental violations, along with a ride-a-long program and liaison with community groups – has been very effective in increasing public awareness of environmental issues.
DNREC receives environmental complaints in three ways: from vigilant citizens who contact the agency’s Citizen Complaint and Emergency Response Line, proactive patrols by EPOs and from referrals from other Police departments, regulatory programs, and organizations.
Citizens are encouraged to call the toll-free, 24-hour Environmental Complaint Line at 800-662-8802 to report an environmental complaint or emergency. Verizon Wireless customers in Delaware can reach the line by calling #DNR (#367) on their cell phones.
For more information, contact Chief William McDaniel at 302-739-9401 or visit the environmental enforcement web site, http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/whs/awm/Pages/Enforcement.aspx.
