The following is the detailed proposal Mike outlined today at the Center for Inland Bays.
Mike Protack for Governor
Center for Inland Bays
6 June 2008
I believe as Governor we should adopt an integrated environmental/quality of life approach similar to the Whole Basin Approach to address economic growth, energy use and development, watershed sustainability and transportation needs.
Specific Inland Bays Proposals
1. Regulations for buffers on primary and secondary waterways with incentives and compensation to land owners. The buffers must be marked and maintained in perpetuity.
2. State support for removing treated wastewater from the Lewes Rehoboth Canal.
3,. State should require NRG Energy to install closed-cycle cooling systems on the facility and support enforcing the Clean Water Act, which requires minimizing fish kills.
4. Adequate enforcement of current regulations concerning pollution.
5. Enact our own Freshwater Lands Law.
6. Assessment of Watershed Carrying Capacity for land-use decision-making.
7. Innovative Approaches to Nutrient Reduction through emerging technologies
8. Increased environmental monitoring including upgrading of the volunteer Citizens Monitoring Program.
9. Reassessment and redirection of NRG’s discharge permits in light of recent public health revelations.
My door will be open to all citizens in working towards these goals. We can have a clean environment and a sound economy if we dare to think beyond our present limitations and work together to create a climate of innovative solutions rather than continued adversarial polarization.
Mike Protack
690 3946
Mprotack@aol.com
Energy Environmental Proposals
1. Our energy proposals will be driven to the shift to the renewable energy market using incentives so 20% of Delaware is using renewable energy products and systems; we produce 20% of all energy in Delaware with renewable sources by the year 2020.
2. Redirect the state percentage of the real estate transfer tax (above a $100 million threshold and not to exceed $5 million) to home buyers to use towards the purchase of renewable energy technology for homes, farms and businesses.
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3. Make the cost (up to $200) of a certified energy audit tax deductible for all property owners.
4. Allow the purchase of smaller energy savings devices (like the combination ceiling fan/heater) qualify as a dollar for dollar tax deduction for those who do not desire to purchase a larger system.
5. Provide home builders with tax incentives/impact fee reductions to construct homes consistent with “Green” Home building standards according to the National Association for Homebuilders/Green Energy Standards or the Energy Star standards.
6. Provide a “stretched out” repayment period (joint state/SEU and utility) for dollars spent on renewable energy home systems.
7. Provide existing homeowners with rebates for upgrading major plant systems like air conditioners and heating systems based on SEER or AFUE increases. Also, provide 20% rebates to homeowners who upgrade major appliances like ranges or refrigerators if they purchase Energy Star Label Products and donate the pre existing appliances for redistribution to needy households.
8. Establish a statewide recycling program through markets and mandates.
9. Support the building of a renewable energy park in Delaware.
Wetlands Perspective from the Imagine Delaware Series
There is no better time than now to explore a common sense and logical win-win solution for all of Delaware. Given the current housing/development slowdown there is a window of opportunity to reflect on the past and smartly move into the future. As Governor I respect individual property rights as key to economic growth but property rights are much like the First Amendment right to free speech, it is sacred but not absolute and any clarifications will be directly compensated.
The first step is education on the functions of wetlands. It is a key component because many do not realize the great importance of these areas and new economic analyses have finally begun to quantify their functions in dollars. Their functions are highly valuable and in some cases irreplaceable. Delaware will not be a place worth living if we do not protect these wetlands.
As Governor I feel those who act as good stewards of wetlands, particularly in agricultural landscapes, should be rewarded for maintaining the services that wetlands provide to all Delawareans. In addition to regulation, there should be defined incentives for stakeholders to protect and conserve freshwater wetlands. The program should also include more responsive permit decisions for developers and maintaining current agriculture exemptions for existing farming practices. Yes, consensus building is important but we must have a bottom line on resource protection and work toward positive commitments from all stakeholders.
As Governor I believe safety and security would be my most important job and preserving our natural resources in Delaware is almost as important as protecting lives. You and I would be well-served by enacting our own Freshwater Lands Law. To put things in perspective, Delaware has lost around half of its freshwater wetlands resources to drainage and filling since the founding of the First State. Certain areas of Delaware like the Inland Bays Watershed have lost much more. Such a loss is not an event without consequences because it is a great concern for wildlife, flood control and water quality.
Furthermore, the freshwater wetlands that remain are not in good condition and many do not provide high levels of function for which they are so highly valued. Importantly, recent Supreme Court decisions have greatly weakened federal protections for freshwater wetlands and the capacity of the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to enforce these protections has long been inadequate. Delaware should enact its own wetlands law to protect these ecosystems which protect the quality of our rivers and bays, particularly for the most valuable wetland types, some of which have no federal protection.
Wetland mitigation banks have a greater chance of replicating the functions of wetlands damaged or destroyed through a regulatory permitting process than do piecemeal wetland restoration or creation projects. As Governor I am committed to a well thought out mitigation banking program, as it would be a positive move for Delaware’s future.
However, before a program like this one should be considered, it’s crucial that a strong freshwater wetlands law be developed that minimizes wetlands loss. There is a strong upside to using state land: This can help to provide funds to improve the condition or restore key pieces of wetlands, many of which are owned by the state.
Still there are restrictions on using many state lands for mitigation offsets for private sector projects, particularly if certain federal funds were used to purchase the land as is the case with state wildlife areas. Additionally, use of state lands would limit private entrepreneurial wetlands banking which would be a market-based system that would promote wetlands conservation.
However, there are potential weaknesses: in using state lands relative to purchasing privately owned wetlands for mitigation, the real costs of mitigating a wetland impact greatly decrease. This use could encourage greater levels of wetland impacts. Also, by not purchasing privately owned wetlands for mitigation you miss out on an opportunity to fully protect more wetland acreage
