WHEREAS, Delaware has 28 miles of Atlantic coastline; and
WHEREAS, Delaware is home to one of the largest remaining expanses of tidal salt marsh in the mid-Atlantic region; and
WHEREAS, Delaware serves as an important refuge and breeding ground for migrating birds and other wildlife, including 86 endangered species; and
WHEREAS, many species rely on the health of Delaware’s aquatic ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, the Delaware coastline provides numerous social and economic benefits to Delawareans; and
WHEREAS, the Delaware coastline draws millions of tourists to Delaware each year; and
WHEREAS, more than 60,000 jobs are tied to tourism and recreation along Delaware’s coastline; and
WHEREAS, coastal-related activities contribute $7 billion annually to Delaware’s economy; and
WHEREAS, at least one-tenth of the Delaware economy, including jobs, taxes, and production, is directly generated by coastal-related activities; and
WHEREAS, permitting leases for offshore drilling endangers the health of Delaware’s aquatic ecosystem due to
the risk of industry-caused environmental degradation, such as an oil spill or ecosystem disruption; and
WHEREAS, a threat to the health of Delaware’s aquatic ecosystem is a direct threat to the health of the Delaware
economy and the livelihood of Delawareans.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section
1.
The
General
Assembly
and
Governor
oppose
the
sale
of
oil
and
gas
leases
in
federal
waters
off
of Delaware’s
coast,
as
proposed
by
the
Bureau
of
Ocean
Energy
Management’s
2019
–
2024
National
Outer
Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program (“Draft Proposed
Program”).
Section
2.
The
General
Assembly
and
Governor request that the Department of Justice review the Draft Proposed Program, and any other actions taken by the Secretary
of
the
U.S.
Department
of
the
Interior targeted at approving an oil and gas leasing program, and take any appropriate legal steps to prevent the sale of oil and gas leases off the coast of the State of Delaware. The Department of Justice shall report to the Governor and General Assembly by January 1, 2019, with respect to any steps it has taken with respect to this Section.
Section
3
.
The
General
Assembly
and
Governor
direct
the
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
and
the
Coastal
Zone
Industrial
Control Board to enforce compliance with the Coastal Zone Act, Chapter 72 of Title 7 of the Delaware
Code.
Section 4. The General Assembly and Governor direct the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to do the
following:
(1)
Review
the
Delaware
Coastal
Management
Program
Program’s policies and enforceable mechanisms as they relate to offshore drilling to ensure they reflect Delaware’s current environmental laws and regulations
for purposes of their use in the consistency review
process under the
Federal
Coastal Zone Management
Act.
(2) Report to the Chair of the Senate Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Committee and the
Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee any legislative changes that are identified as necessary under paragraph (1) of this Section.
Section 5. The General Assembly directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit copies of this Act to the
President and
Vice
President
of
the
United
States,
the
Secretary
of
the
United
States
Department
of
the
Interior,
the
Director
of
the Bureau
of
Ocean
Energy
Management,
the
members
of
Delaware’s
Congressional
delegation,
the
Attorney
General,
the Secretary of the Department, and the Chair of the Coastal Zone Industrial Control
Board.
