MORNING STAR • ApRIl 3010 - MAy 2009 MORNING STAR • JANUARY - 16,6, 2008
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Allensought FamilytoFoods’ firsthomeowners session attracts growers Law protect and72insurance ByInsurance Lynn R. Parks Commissioner Matt Denn and members of the Senate federal government has andThe House Insurance Commitstrengthened regulations for tees will pursue a new law inmanthe agement waste from large aniwake of aofDelaware court ruling mal would farmingallow operations, including that insurance comDelmarva poultry farms. panies to refuse to renew homeNewinsurance rules published in the owner for policyholdFederal Register in November ers who make claims against require any farm with 37,500 their policies, or even ask quesbirds or more that has any runoff tions about waterways doing so. Recently, into public to file fora Delaware Superior Court judge a state discharge permit. Farms ruled in favor of two insurance that have 125,000 birds or more industry groups in a lawsuit have to have permits regardless seeking to overturn a 2005 Deof their discharge. partment of are Insurance regulation Growers also required to banning practice of non-reinclude athe nutrient management newing homeowners insurance plan as part of the permit appolicies as a result of plication. Terms of themaking nutrient claims. management plans will be enThe regulation forceable, meaningalso thatprohibited farmers insurers from treating simple who do not follow them could questions from policyholders be cited for being in violation as of claims. The insurers had argued their permits. in court that the Insurance DeOperators of farms that do partment did not au-be not discharge anyhave wastethe can thority such actions by certifiedtoastake “zero dischargers.” According to the EPA, the Denn new regulation. Commissioner rules embrace a “zero discharge standard.” Previous rules required management of manure, but did not say that nutrient management plans had to be part of a discharge permit. The new regulations were first In 2008,inat2003. a time when state published They have and federal grants have leveled off or even decreased, Chesapeake announces that the GolfUtilities Tournament grantThe levels of the Sharing Rotary Fund annual Nanticoke have increased for those who Golf Tournament is May 15, have assistance. withqualified a 9 a.m. for shotgun start, best Chesapeake Utilities created ball format. the Sharing Fund with donations The cost is $75 per golfer. provided by customers, employmay calland Towers ees, Golfers the community ChesaSigns at 629-7450. peake Utilities Corporation to ensure that the elderly, ill and those facing financial hardship are not Job support workshops forgotten during winter Last fall afterthe thecold announcemonths when energy are to at ment that Invista wasbills going their peak. off a few hundred peobe laying “Now not the time be ple, areaisclergy and laytopersons cutting on grants met toback determine howfor to those supinport need,” stated Breakie, those whoShane are experiencing president of the Chesapeake unemployment and difficulty in Emergency Energy Recipient finding work. The Job Loss Response Team has developed workshops based on the book by Richard Nelson Bolles, “What Color is Yourat Sussex County Council, for those elected who are itsParachute?” January 8 meeting, underemployed. itsunemployed officers foror2008, selecting Topics and dates include: as president Councilman Finley • Developing Resumes & B. Jones Jr. of Greenwood, and May 6Councilman asContacts, vice president Lynn• Interview Skills, May 13 J. Rogers of Milton. • Entering the World of 50+, Councilman Dale R. Dukes 20 held the council presiofMay Laurel • How to Choose a New Cadency for the past year, while reer, May 27as vice president. Jones served • How to Start Your Own As president Jones will preBusiness, June 3 side These over all council meetings workshops are free. in 2008, with Rogers substituting Preregistration is preferred as ifseating Jones isis unable attend. limited.toCall Susan It isatcustomary for the Kent 302-745-1935 or counemail cil, at the first meeting of each susankent@yahoo.com. new year, to elect its officers
been on hold resolution stated that he pending would appeal the of court cases filed by agriculture Superior Court’s decision to the interests and by environmental Delaware Supreme Court. groups. While the appeal is pending, The EPA estimates thatlegislaevCommissioner Denn and ery year, the new regulations tive leaders will seek to enact will preventto56 millionthe pounds legislation provide same of phosphorus and 110 million protection afforded by the dispoundsregulation. of nitrogen from enterputed ing waterways. Both phosphorus “We will fight on every availand nitrogen, nutrients found in able front to protect animal manure, causehomeownexcess alers from abusive practiceswhich by the gae growth in waterways, insurance industry,” Commisin turn deplete oxygen from the sioner said. water, Denn creating “dead zones” and State to Sen. leading fishDavid kills. Sokola, a member of the Senate Insurance The EPA also says that the Committee, will be the chief new rules will keep 2 billion sponsor of sediment the legislation be pounds of out of to public introduced on Jan. 8. waterways every year. Sediment “It isturbidity, completely unfairsunlight for causes limiting insurance companies to water, punish that can get through the homeowners for making and fills in creek and riverroutine botclaims against their toms, covering waterhomeowners grasses that insurance,” Sokola communitiesSen. of fish rely said. on for “I and am disappointed that the food breeding grounds. court InsurIn has orderprevented to help itsthe 300 indeance Department from prohibitpendent contract growers comply withthis thepractice, new regulations, Allen ing and I hope the Family Foods, a chicken producer based in Seaford, is holding a series of information sessions with farmers and representatives of the EPA. The first session was held Thursday morning in the Seaford Fire Hall, with 72 growers attending. Nearly 50 growers Program whichheld manattended (CHEERP), a second session, ages the Sharing Fund. “ChesaThursday afternoon in the fire peake hall. Utilities is proud to be able to increase our efforts to help Tom Brinson, corporate envicustomers year.”for Allen’s, ronmental this manager For 2008, Chesapeake Utilisaid that the “compliance asties will nearly double its contrisistance training” followed bution to the Sharing Fund. visits by In EPA representatives to 12 Aladdition to increasing grant len’s farms, six in Delaware and levels, additional grants are being six in Maryland. Bothare therecently visits offered to those who and the training sessions are as a unemployed or struggling with result of meetingsissues. held between mortgage-related EPA representatives Charles Sharing grants are and available “Chick” Allen,customers president of Alfor all eligible len’s, Brinson said. living on Chesapeake Utilities “Mr. Allen said, ‘I’ll offer you Delmarva. for come the grants myApplications farms, and you here are available Catholic Chariand tell usthrough what you like and ties Delaware (302-674-1782) whatinyou don’t like,’” Brinson and said.Shore-Up “There’s in noMaryland better way(410to 749-1142). explain things than to look at the situation right on a farm.” As part of Thursday afternoon’s two-hour training session, EPA representatives Hank and appoint legal staff. TheZygmunt and Ashley Toyunanishowed five-member council picturesapproved of the farms they mously Jones andhad visited, and explained situations, Rogers for their posts. good and bad, they found Council alsothat unanimously there. Some of the farms approved James D. Griffinhad to uncovered manure piles that were another one-year appointment leaching into ditches and on into aspublic County Attorney.others Griffin will waterways, had serve as the elected body’s chief feathers and poultry litter that counsel. had blown through chicken house Vincent G. Robertson vents and into ditches. and Richard Berl were seOne E. farm hadJr.18also uncovered lected forpiles one-year re-appointmanure and two large sheds ments as assistant county attordesigned to hold manure, one of neys, whichwith wasRobertson empty. to serve the Planning & Zoning “Housekeeping is theCombiggest mission to prevent serve the thing weand canBerl do to runBoard of Adjustment. off,” Brinson told the farmers.
“If manure isn’t onwill yourwork ground, General Assembly then Commissioner there’s no chance of ittorunwith Denn ning this off your property into theso pass legislation promptly watershed.” homeowners can once again be Brinson also told the farmers protected.” thatState goodRep. stewardship also means Valerie Longhurst, understanding their farms. “Ask a member of the House Economyourself, ‘How does that water ic Development, Banking and run off myCommittee property?’”and he said. Insurance the “Is the condition of your machief House sponsor of the new nure shed such that a driving rain
can get in?”pointed out that the legislation, “There are a numberwas of houseregulation in question imkeeping issues you can do that plemented only after the House weRepresentatives feel are pretty easy,” of failedZygto admunt the added. dress issue in 2005. Toy explained to the group “The last time the House of that a nutrient management Representatives was given aplan bill addresses factors, includto address nine this problem, it did ing act,” adequate storage for manure, not she said. management of dead birds, “Now that the legislature may handling of chemicals, land ap-
plication of body fertilizer be the only thatand can record protect keeping. homeowners from these unfair At the conclusion of the will practices, I hope the House Thursday afternoon session, Tom take this issue more seriously.” Miller, vice is president of 05C-10support The case C.A. No. services Allen’s, said that he 309 SCD,for American Insurance was pleased with the information Association and Property and presentedInsurers and withAssociation the numberofof Casualty growers who attended. America vs. Delaware Depart“I think this all went well,” he ment of Insurance. said.
Chesapeake Utilities have doubled assistance program
Sussex Council has new leadership
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