Over 160 members of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL), representing 35 states, have signed a letter in opposition to two recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposals to weaken water pollution limits for coal plants and rollback critical human health and safety standards for toxic coal ash. These rollbacks would allow millions of gallons of toxic wastewater to be dumped into waters daily, even though the technology to eliminate this pollution is widely used and affordable. It would also allow leaking ash dumps to continue to accept toxic waste. […]
Bill Would Extend Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Program
DOVER – Citing the success of helping Delaware families in difficult situations, Rep. John Kowalko filed legislation this week that would extend a critical state program that provides assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure. In response to the foreclosure crisis that gripped the state and nation during the past decade, Delaware lawmakers and former attorney general the late Beau Biden produced a package of bills in 2011 that were enacted with broad bi-partisan support. Among those measures was legislation that strengthened Delaware’s existing voluntary foreclosure mediation program. The Automatic Residential Mortgage […]
DART Holiday Schedule 2018
Dear Neighbor, Happy holidays! Warmest thoughts and best wishes to everyone this holiday season. Wishing you and your families a wonderful holiday and Happy New Year. Below you can find information about DART’s holiday schedule for this year. Additionally, the City of Newark will continue its tradition of offering downtown parking at no charge during select days to encourage residents and visitors to shop and dine local and support small businesses. From Sunday, December 23rd through Wednesday, December 26th as well as Monday, December 31st and Tuesday, January 1st, municipal […]
State Legislators From All 50 States Urge End of Investor-State Dispute Settlement System in NAFTA
Public Citizen | Press Release More Than 300 Republican and Democratic State Legislators From All 50 States Urge End of Investor-State Dispute Settlement System in NAFTA In Letter to U.S. Trade Representative, Lawmakers Say ISDS Undermines State Sovereignty and Lawmaking WASHINGTON, D.C. – With all eyes on the fate of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiations, more than 300 state legislators from across the political spectrum and from all 50 states released a letter today urging that the controversial Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system be eliminated from the deal. […]
State Lawmakers Petition Attorney General to Investigate Leaking of Confidential Report
The release of a confidential report by any government employee or agency is a startling and alarming incident of a breach of the public’s trust. When the report is additionally bound by confidential guarantees pertaining to individual personnel rights it becomes even more onerous when that confidentially is breached. When it becomes obvious that the release of a part of a report (out of context) is being used unfairly to besmirch the reputation of a political candidate within weeks of an election it translates from illicit to illegal to immoral. […]
Rally to Restore Rodney Square Bus Hub
Without full transparency and openness in the government’s decision making processes we, as legislators, cannot and should not expect to have the public’s confidence and trust in the policies we create and the decisions we make. Delaware’s government has consistently and repeatedly resisted efforts to ensure that the public is totally informed of decisions and policies being made. Despite state FOIA laws, the Governor, his Executive Branch, and other agencies have repeatedly resisted and impeded public access to records and private meetings that have taken place, leading to some of […]
Good news for Delaware utility ratepayers!
As a result of the efforts of the Public Advocate, joined by my colleagues in the General Assembly and members of the public, the Delaware Public Service Commission has ruled to accept the Public Advocate’s petition to restore windfall profits from the recent federal tax cuts to the ratepayers in Delaware. I also am greatly appreciative of a personal note of thanks from Mr. Drew Slater, the Delaware Public Advocate, who is a true champion for the people. We could not have done this without all of us coming together […]
Lawmakers Announce Bi-Partisan Letter of Support for Public Advocate Petition
Delaware General Assembly Rep. John Kowalko Rep. Kim Williams For immediate release: January 3, 2018 Lawmakers Announce Bi-Partisan Letter of Support for Public Advocate Petition Letter supports petition to the Public Service Commission requesting reduction of utility rates in Docket No. 17-1240 due to recently signed taxed reform DOVER – Twenty-six members of the Delaware General Assembly sent a letter to the Delaware Public Service Commission pronouncing their support for Public Advocate Drew Slater’s petition to open a docket “to reduce the rates of Commission-regulated utilities as a result of […]
Delawareans Urge Members of Congress to Prevent Medicaid, Medicare Cuts
For Immediate Release: October 2, 2017 Delawareans Urge Members of Congress to Prevent Medicaid, Medicare Cuts Press Conference at Legislative Hall in Dover, DE at 10:00 AM on October 4, 2017 National Day of Action Calls on Congress to Protect Health Care for Millions in the Budget and Reject Massive Tax Breaks for Wealthiest Americans Dover, Delaware – After Republican senators once again spent weeks attempting to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Delawareans today urged lawmakers to vote no on any federal budget that attempts to strip health care from millions […]
Press Advisory: New Report Shows Risks to Delaware River
For Immediate Release: August 30, 2017 Study Shows Trump Budget Cuts Cause Uncertainty for Delaware River Basin Restoration Efforts “Over the last few years, Delaware has made a concerted effort to reduce pollution from industrial activities and clean up our waterways. This effort to hold polluters accountable and restore waterways to health is now being threatened by the Trump Administration budget cuts. It is incomprehensible that any responsible leader would choose to put the environment, ecology, and health of over 15 million people at risk, but this report demonstrates that […]