The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has released a report with 13 recommendations on how to establish a regulatory advisory committee overseeing Coastal Zone Conversion Permits.
The Consensus Building Institute, a nonprofit expert in government collaboration, prepared the report. The recommendations include splitting the committee between representatives from industry, public health and environmental advocacy.
The report also offers a number of recommendations on how to ensure the nomination process is transparent and fair, including setting clear criteria for membership and actively reaching out to interested groups.
The Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act — signed into law by Governor Carney in August 2017 — amended the decades-old Coastal Zone Act and authorized the DNREC to issue new permits for heavy industry use at 14 existing sites.
The regulatory advisory committee will guide how the permits are distributed. Each permit will require an assessment of potential environmental and economic impacts.
