Delaware General Assembly

Lieu/Substituted 5/14/02

The General Assembly has ended, the current status is the final status.

HS 1 for HB 340

1/2/02

Cathcart

Reps. Buckworth, Carey, DiPinto, Fallon, Lavelle, Reynolds, Valihura, Wagner, Gilligan, Houghton, Keeley, Viola
Sen. Amick, Sokola, Connor, Sorenson

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO WETLANDS.

The federal government administers a regulatory program pursuant to the Clean Water Act for protecting wetlands in Delaware. On January 9, 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the federal government had exceeded its statutory authority over isolated, freshwater wetlands. As a result of this Supreme Court decision Delaware's ecologically important isolated wetlands such as Delmarva bays, dune swale wetlands, Atlantic white-cedar swamps, bald cypress swamps, and sea-level fens no longer receive any federal protection. This Act is intended to address the recent decision by giving the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control the authority to designate up to 50,000 acres to protect Delaware's most unique wetlands such as Delmarva bays, dune-swale wetlands, Atlantic white-cedar swamps, bald cypress swamps, and sea-level fens certain ecologically important freshwater wetlands that are no longer under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Secretary of the Department is required to adopt maps designating the location of, and procedures for, delineating these unique wetlands.

N/A

N/A

Takes effect upon being signed into law

N/A

View HTML View PDF