IBF supports the mission of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), which is to: “protect and manage the state’s vital natural resources, protect public health and safety, provide quality outdoor recreation, and serve and educate the citizens of the First State about: the wise use, Conservation, and enhancement of Delaware’s Environment.”
However, the IBF Board has raised concerns with Governor Carney and DNREC Secretary Garvin about the continuing water quality problems in Delaware and the need for more rigorous enforcement of the State’s environmental oversight responsibilities, especially its NPDES permitting role given the long-term failures of Mountaire Farms and Allen Harim to control their pollution in Sussex County.
Secretary Garvin held a series of DNREC sponsored environmental roundtables. IBF President Frances Hart was invited to the first session, which was an opportunity to further highlight those concerns.
The IBF Board and members regularly testify at DNREC permit hearings on issues that may negatively impact the Inland Bays Watershed. In addition, IBF has been critical of the “silo structure” approach DNREC takes to permitting and other processes, which often fails to provide the public stakeholders with sufficient information and context for the overall project/facility in question.
IBF also supports the Delaware Coalition for Open Government (DelCOG) and Maria Payan of the SRAP (Socially Responsible Agriculture Project) in their efforts to make DNREC more transparent through FOIA requests and other initiatives.