NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

Feb. 5, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 39
                      
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEAS

Contact:  William P. McDaniel, III, Chief, Environmental Crimes Unit, 302-739-9401; or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

                                          DNREC Handles 3,854 Environmental Complaints
                                                     and 227 Enforcement Actions in 2008

Dover, Del. – DNREC’s Environmental Crimes Unit responded to 3,854 environmental complaints and initiated 227 enforcement actions statewide in 2008 covering a wide range of violations and emergencies of Delaware’s air, waste and water that threatened the environment and public health and safety.

Investigations were handled by DNREC’s Environmental Protection Officers or EPOs - sworn police officers who enforce environmental laws, investigate environmental violations and prosecute environmental crime.

EPOs responded to individual complaints that included: 639 for open burning; 457 water related discharges; 365 air related releases; 479 spills; 297 odors; 411 illegal dumping; and 298 permit checks. In addition, officers apprehended 12 fugitives with active arrest warrants from other police departments or courts. Approximately 41 percent of the complaints were investigated on weekends and after hours.

More than 300 of the complaints involved emergency response team 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.

According to Chief of Enforcement William (Chip) McDaniel, new initiatives in 2008 were effective to help deter violations. “Delaware’s new enforcement legislation goes a long ways toward promoting compliance with environmental laws,” said McDaniel. “Stronger penalties for violations, along with our Community Policing Program and new education and outreach programs targeting businesses and communities, are making a tremendous difference in reducing the number of environmental complaints and enforcement actions.”

Senate Bill 309, signed into law by Governor Minner on June 21, doubled the minimum fines for environmental violations and increased penalties to include the cost of the permit plus a 25 percent surcharge. For each subsequent environmental offense, fines now range from $500 to $1500.

The Environmental Crimes Unit offers a Community Policing Program which trains municipal and county police to identify environmental violations. In addition a ride-a-long program and liaison with community groups is part of the unit’s education and outreach efforts.

Following is a breakdown of the January through December 2008 statistics per county:

Total Complaints:  3854   
      New Castle County:  2272  
      Kent County:  740      
      Sussex County:  842    

Total Enforcement Actions:  227  
      New Castle County:  100     
      Kent County:  50       
      Sussex County:  77 
     
DNREC receives environmental complaints in three ways – from citizens who contact the agency’s Citizen Complaint and Emergency Response Line, through proactive patrols by EPOs, and from referrals from other 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 #367 on their cell phones.

For more information, contact Chief William McDaniel at 302-739-9401 or visit our web site, http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/whs/awm/Pages/Enforcement.aspx.