GREEN DELAWARE ALERTS

Port Penn, DE.  May 8, 2001.  The years-long effort to get raw sewage our of Delaware’s rivers is at an important point.  House Bill 195 would ban raw dumping into Delaware’s
rivers as of Jan 1, 2009.  Support for the bill is strong, with at least 40 Senators and Representatives as co-sponsors (this is two-thirds of the entire Delaware General Assembly).

The process for passing a bill has various steps.  In this case:  Introduction (thanks to Rep. Dick Cathcart); House Land Use Committee considers bill (this is the Wed.  hearing); if the committee approves, the entire House of Representatives will consider the bill.  Then, over to the Senate, first to a Senate Committee, then to the entire Senate.  Any changes made by the Senate have to be approved by the House in another vote.  Then, to Governor Minner for signature.  This is a
time-tested process intended to ensure that bad bills don’t slip through, but it means that a show of public support is needed at every stage to keep things moving.

The usual suspects are fighting the bill: The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the City of Wilmington.  Governor Minner has so far avoided taking a position.  Few Delaware “environmental” groups have so far had anything to say–at least to Green Delaware.  The Delaware Academy of Medicine (the Doctor’s lobby) has
not responded to correspondence from Green Delaware.  Big water companies, who pump water out of rivers and sell it to us to drink, are silent.   And so on....  What’s a no-brainer to us ordinary folks is incomprehensible to special interests.

On a lighter (?) note: DNREC Secretary Nick DiPasquale compares Muller to a pedophile:

Green Delaware participated, uninvited, in the “blame the people for pollution” event put on by DNREC, the City of Wilmington, and the “Partnership with the Polluters” on April 27th.  (See GreenDel Alert #92.)  Ross Abson wore his Grim Reaper outfit.  Alan Muller wore a
black-and-white striped “jailbird” suit.  Jake Kreshtool carried signs saying “all Wilmington toilets flush into river....”   Because this was an official corporate greenwash event, the WYCA produced a gaggle of kids to be used as props.  Not surprisingly, many of the kids were more interested in Green Delaware’s signs and costumes than the official babble about “we
are all polluters,” and “DNREC needs more money.”  Nick’s comment: “You’re abusing the kids.  That’s how pedophiles operate.”  We love you too, Mr. Secretary.

If you are associated with an environmental or civic or health organization, please ask it to support HB 195. If you are an officer of such an organization, please contact Green Delaware. See contact info below.