The Point at Cape Henlopen to close for season

Charlie MegginsonCulture, Headlines

DNREC PHOTO The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park, including a stretch of ocean and bay beach, will be closed beginning March 1 for the duration of the spring and summer. Since 1993, The Point has closed annually for most of the spring and summer to protect threatened and endangered beachnesters and migratory shorebirds. Those species include red knots, piping …

State park fee season begins March 1

Charlie MegginsonCulture, Headlines

Delaware State Parks When does winter end? Google says March 20. Punxatawney Phil says March 16. DNREC says March 1. That’s the day Delaware State Parks will transition from the winter free-season to the summer fee-season. The fee season will remain in effect until Nov. 30, 2022. State park entrance fees for vehicles registered in Delaware are $4 at inland …

NCCo touts upgraded sewer cleaning trucks

Ken MammarellaGovernment, Headlines

The Vactor 2100i recycles water while it cleans sewer lines. (New Castle County)   Two new sewer cleaning trucks promise to save water, energy and time by recycling cleaning water, New Castle County says in a flyer accompanying its annual sewer bills. The new vehicles use hydraulic jets to dislodge debris, and they vacuum up debris and liquid from the …

Delaware's surf-fishing permit was a hot ticket during our cold winter.

Surf fishing tags sell out hours after going on sale

Charlie MegginsonCulture, Government, Headlines

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced Tuesday that Delaware standard surf fishing permits sold out just hours after going on sale. The announcement came after sales reached the cap of 17,000 standard tags issued for the 2022 calendar year. While no more standard surf fishing permits that allow fishing anytime will be sold until the 2023 season, …

Wells among concerns at first clean water committee hearing

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A new committee focused on improving water quality in Delaware offered a glimpse into some of the projects it hopes to tackle during the first of three public meetings Tuesday. The Delaware Clean Water Trust Oversight Committee has a broad list of objectives, including improving flood resilience, repairing failing sewer pipes, improving drinking water quality, removing pollution from Delaware’s waterways …

Clean water committee seeks ideas on how to spend money

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

DNREC Photo Six months after being signed into law, DNREC officials have shared their plans to solicit public input on priorities for the Delaware Clean Water Trust Oversight Committee. The agency will host three virtual public information sessions to hear from Delaware residents and businesses about how the trust should support water quality improvements. House Bill 200, or the Clean …

Sledding on the dunes is against the rules

Charlie MegginsonCulture, Headlines

Those caught trespassing in dune areas restricted to the public could face fines upward of $100 from the DNREC Natural Resource Police. (Photo courtesy of DNREC) In the state with the lowest mean elevation of all U.S. states, the dunes at Cape Henlopen and other beaches along Delaware’s Atlantic Coast might feel like mountains.  And when a snowstorm blows in, …

DNREC to close facilities, reduce hours due to omicron variant

Charlie MegginsonCulture, Government, Headlines

Several activities and facilities will be closed or operate under reduced hours throughout January due to the COVID-19 omicron variant. (Pixabay/LifeOfPix) Citing a surge in coronavirus cases driven by the highly contagious omicron variant, DNREC has announced that it will close or reduce hours for several public activities and facilities. While state parks, nature and wildlife areas continue to be …

Yo, Bambi and friends: Firearm hunting season opens in January

Betsy PriceCulture, Headlines

A white-tailed doe. Photo courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service. Firearm deer hunting states in January, and the state is encouraging hunters to target does to help manage the size and quality of Delaware’s deer population, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced Wednesday. Deer hunting is allowed on all Sundays through January 2022, using only those …