Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge Restoration Project

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge is seeking a Federal Consistency Determination from DNREC.  Below is the Public Notice:

DNREC – Delaware Coastal Programs

PUBLIC NOTICE

FEDERAL CONSISTENCY DETERMINATIONS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE DELAWARE
COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE FOLLOWING:

USFWS Prime Hook NWR Proposed Restoration Project (2015.0006)

The US Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to restore the historic
tidal circulation and saltmarsh habitat within the Prime Hook National
Wildlife Refuge. This project will include closing the shoreline
breaches by placing 1.1 million cubic yards of hydraulically dredged
material along 6,375 linear feet of shoreline adjacent to Unit II
using material from a near-shore borrow site. Additionally, 113,739
linear feet of channels within Units II and III will be excavated to
20-40 feet wide and -2.5 to -3.5 feet deep to enhance habitat
diversity and increase tidal circulation. Information for this project
is available for review by contacting the Delaware Coastal Programs.
Comments concerning this Federal Consistency Determination will be
accepted for 20 days from the date of this notice.

Residents of Slaughter Beach can show their support of this Project by submitting comments to:

Delaware Coastal Programs
Ms. Sarah W. Cooksey, Administrator
5 E. Reed St., Suite 201,
Dover, DE, 19901.
For additional information please call (302) 739-9283.

 

A recent article about Prime Hook NWR can be found here.

 

S.B. Registered as a Community Wildlife Habitat

Slaughter Beach has been registered by The National Wildlife Federation as a Community Wildlife Habitat.  The next step will is to achive all the required goals to be certified.  Here is the press release from NWF and Delaware Nature Society: Registered Community

Also an article about the program from WDDE.

Ten new Certified Habitat signs will be posted on yards though out Town soon.   We are inching closer to  having the Town Certified as a Wildlife Habitat Community.  More yards are needed to fulfill our goal to be certified by Spring.  For more on what it entails go to the Programs/Initiative Tab and click on the Habitat Certification Initiative. Or you can download the application here: HabitatCertificationApplication.  If you have any questions you can email us at slaughterbeep@comcast.net.  Check us out on Facebook too.  Help us get the Town Certified by participating in the Initiative.

Habitat Certification Initiative

Check out the new Habitat Certification Initiative the Town is working on in cooperation with the  Delaware Nature Society.  You can find more information under the Programs/Initiative Tab, then click on the Habitat Certification Initiative.  Get involved.  Our Facebook back is up and working.  Don’t have to be on Facebook to check it out.  The page can be found here.

Smart911 Comes to Sussex County

We’d like to familiarize you with Smart911 & encourage you to sign up today. Please see the following information/links. It could save valuable time in an emergency- at home or away from home.

At a September 11, 2014 news conference, Sussex County announced the launch of Smart911 – a supplemental data service that allows you to create a safety profile that can be seen by emergency responders when you call 9 1 1.

For more information about Smart911 you can go to Sussex County’s website.   Smart911 is currently up and running in Sussex County! You can sign up today at Smart911.com.

DNREC Beach Regulations

Beach Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC): Updates to Regulations Governing Beach Protection and the Use of Beaches

 

The Division of Watershed Stewardship’s Shoreline and Waterway Management Section is evaluating potential updates to the Regulations Governing Beach Protection and the Use of Beaches that will increase the effectiveness of the Coastal Construction Program and improve its protection of the beach and dune system. The purpose of updating the regulations is to incorporate recent legislative changes into the Beach Preservation Act (Del. Code Title 7, Chapter 68) and to incorporate Division policies and construction standards that will result in less damage to structures and stronger protection of dune and beach resources. The updates will also harmonize various provisions of the regulations and clarify the amount and type of construction permitted seaward of the Beach Preservation Building Line. Updates to the Beach Preservation Building Line will also be considered.

The Division of Watershed Stewardship has created the Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC) as required by law to fully develop these regulatory revisions. The group of individuals asked to serve on this committee represent those with regulatory interest as well as technical expertise. This committee, which meets monthly, is charged with shaping updates to the current Regulations Governing Beach Protection and the Use of Beaches. Below are agendas, presentations and meeting minutes from those meetings.

The Web Page can be found here.

2014 Coastal Cleanup a Success

 

The 28th Annual Coastal Cleanup was held on Sept. 20th. Over 170 volunteers signed in to help with the Clean Up at Slaughter Beach. Close to 300 pounds of trash/debris and recyclables were removed from the shoreline, preventing it from blowing/washing back into the Bay and potentially harming marine life. Volunteers included Slaughter Beach residents, area residents, members of a 4-H Club, Cub Scout Pack 911 and Pack 186, and Girl Scout Troop 141. Plastic Bottle Caps lead the list of items collected, once again, with 389 caps removed from the beach. The most unusual items found this year were Chopsticks, a laundry basket, a mop, toy grenade, Badminton Birdie, and a pair of sneakers. The birds and “Sea Critters” thank all who helped with this years cleanup.

Prime Hook Restoration Update

Prime Hook Refuge restoration is projected to start in 2015. Here is an article from the Cape Gazette with the latest.

Horseshoe Crabs Saving Lives

An article about the Horseshoe Crab’s blood being used to test medicine for impurities from CNN.

Hurricane Preparedness

With Hurricanes in the news in the Pacific, here is a good article from the Cape Gazette about hurricane preparedness, from an insurance specialist. Also, under the Emergency Preparedness tab are links to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) for additional information.

Bill Signed into Law Prevents Flood Insurance Rate Hikes

President Obama signed a bill into law which now prevents Flood Insurance rate hikes.  Here is a link to an article about it.