Gov. Jack Markell signed legislation that establishes a dedicated funding source for the state’s waterway management operations.
Sponsored by Republican Sen.Gerald Hocker and Reps. Ronald Gray and Ruth Briggs King, Senate Bill 261 allocates increased revenue from the state’s boat registration program to a newly-created Waterway Management Fund for the exclusive support of Delaware’s waterway management operations.
Boating registration fees were doubled to provide the funding for waterways.
“Improving the navigation of Delaware’s waterways supports our economy and tourism, as well as commercial and recreational fishing,” said Markell. “With almost 60,000 boats registered in Delaware, this legislation is a critical step toward improving the safety and access of our waterways for the boating public. I want to thank the bill sponsors, the Delaware Waterway Management and Financing Advisory Committee, and DNREC for their work in establishing dedicated funding for waterway management operations.”
“This legislation is essential in helping DNREC achieve its mission of keeping Delaware waterways safe and navigable for boaters,” said DNREC Sec. Small. “The responsibility for dredging and channel marking in federally authorized waterways has fallen to DNREC in recent years, but during an era of challenging state budgets, funding has not kept pace with need. Having a dedicated revenue stream will be a great boost to our waterway management program.”
DNREC estimates the increase in boating registration fees will generate approximately $1.3 million annually. Priorities for dredging in the state include many channels in the Inland Bays where boating activity is the highest. Massey’s Ditch, connecting Rehoboth and Indian River Bays, the Lewes & Rehoboth Canal, Herring Creek, Love Creek, and Whites Creek are all in need of dredging.
The Massey’s project is estimated to cost $4 million, the Lewes & Rehoboth Canal project is estimated at $2.4 million, and Herring Creek project is estimated at $2.4 million. Planning and engineering costs for Love Creek and Whites Creek are estimated at $700,000.
Since 1970 DNREC has dredged waterways to maintain adequate depths in them. Over the years, waterway management activities have been conducted with General Fund and Bond Bill appropriations provided by the state legislature. Due to substantial reductions in federal funding and assistance, DNREC is now responsible for the dredging and maintenance of all but three of the 20 federal channels in Delaware, as well as having responsibility for additional waterway activities, including navigational channel marking and removal of derelict vessels and debris.
The Delaware Waterway Management and Financing Advisory Committee was created in 2014 by Senate Resolution 64 and directed to develop recommendations for sustainable and dedicated funding for waterway management activities statewide. The Committee was comprised of a broad range of interests.
Hocker (R-Ocean View) said, “With tourism being so important to this state, it is a must that we do all we can to keep our bays in the best condition possible for our boaters, for both recreational and commercial activities. Fishing, clamming, crabbing, and waterskiing are just a few examples of why it’s important to keep our channels open and properly marked. As a result of the U.S. Coast Guard turning this responsibility over to the states, a task force was formed for the purpose of coming up with a revenue source necessary for dredging operations. The 148thGeneral Assembly passed legislation, SB 261, to ensure a dedicated revenue source of an estimated $1.3 million to be used for our channel dredging and marking. This represents about 1/3 of the monies needed annually.”
The legislation becomes effective January 1, 2017.
