Transparency and accountability.
These are values people everywhere – across the political spectrum – are demanding from their government.
Rehoboth Beach residents have now been waiting two years for a decision from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control on how the city will dispose of treated wastewater.
Rehoboth is under a consent-order deadline of Wednesday, Dec. 31, to get its wastewater out of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.
After some delay, city officials embarked on a highly public process that involved hearings and public comment from many agencies, residents, scientists, environmental groups, Surfriders and others. City officials eventually selected ocean outfall, which requires an environmental impact statement, triggering a new round of public hearings and comments.
While many, including the Cape Gazette, disagree with the decision to send the water a mile offshore, it is difficult to argue that the process lacked transparency – up until the statement landed on the desk of then-DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara.
Months passed. O’Mara worried an ocean outfall could harm future tourism. But he resigned without a decision; longtime Deputy Secretary David Small replaced him.
More months passed. Still no decision.
Gov. Jack Markell said officials wanted to ensure the decision could withstand legal challenge. But what seems to be at the heart of the problem is economics. State officials don’t want to dump wastewater in the ocean, but they don’t have a plan or money for a land-based solution.
Small recently responded to a request for comment by restating what we already know: That the decision deserves full consideration because it is so important to the future of the Inland Bays and the City of Rehoboth.
Continued indecision makes a mockery of the entire process. What is the point of months of meetings, hearings, testimony and comment if the resulting document sits on a desk with no action and no meaningful comment?
The public has done its part. Now it’s time for our government to deliver.