Delaware DNREC

⚠️ Governor Matt Meyer has declared a statewide drought watch due to ongoing dry conditions. We’re asking Delawareans to voluntarily reduce nonessential water use. Limit lawn watering and use non-drinkable water on lawns and turf fields when possible.

⚠️ ¡Alerta de vigilancia por sequía! El Gobernador Matt Meyer ha declarado una vigilancia por sequía para todo el estado debido a las condiciones de tiempo seco actuales. Solicitamos a los habitantes de Delaware que voluntariamente reduzcan el uso no esencial de agua, que limiten el riego y que usen agua no potable para regar jardines y césped cuando sea posible.

⚠️ Atansyon, Gen yon Siveyans Kontini Sechrès! Gouvènè Matt Meyer deklare yon siveyans kontini sechrès nan tout eta a poutèt kondisyon yo rete sèch. N ap mande moun Delaware yo pou yo volontèman redui itilizasyon dlo ki pa esansyèl. Wouze pelouz yo mwens epi sèvi avèk dlo ki pa potab sou pelouz yo ak sou teren ki kouvri ak gazon yo lè sa posib.

UPDATE: The Delaware City Refining Company has notified DNREC repairs to the refinery’s coker carbon monoxide boiler have been completed and the unit has been returned to normal service. The boiler was out of service for approximately 24 days, from May 7 through May 30, while repairs were made.

With the unit back in operation, the refinery has indicated that the increased sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions associated with the temporary backup pollution control process have ceased.

We will continue to review emissions data and other information related to this event. As previously communicated, any emissions that exceeded permit limits will be evaluated through the Department’s enforcement process and may result in violations and penalties.

*UPDATE*

The Delaware City Refining Company has notified DNREC repairs to the refinery’s coker carbon monoxide boiler have been completed and the unit has been returned to normal service. The boiler was out of service for approximately 24 days, from May 7 through May 30, while repairs were made.

With the unit back in operation, the refinery has indicated that the increased sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions associated with the temporary backup pollution control process have ceased.

We will continue to review emissions data and other information related to this event. As previously communicated, any emissions that exceeded permit limits will be evaluated through the Department’s enforcement process and may result in violations and penalties.

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Delaware City Refining Company (DCRC) has notified the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) it will begin repairs on equipment at its coker carbon monoxide boiler that will cause it to shift from a primary pollution control process to a secondary emissions control. This change to the alternative process means that the facility will be emitting sulfur dioxide at a significantly higher level than normal. This is the same shift to secondary emissions control that happened for 17 days in May-June 2025 while the facility undertook repairs.

DNREC will monitor the situation and fully expects that these increased emissions – which are expected to last for four weeks – will exceed the limits of the facility’s permits and will be assessed for violation and penalties.

For the Delaware City community, DNREC is providing the following information and guidance during this event:

The use of the secondary pollution control process will result in increased sulfur dioxide being released from the facility’s “stack” high in the air, so that it disperses into the atmosphere. Any concern for public health impact would occur if conditions caused the sulfur dioxide to be increased at ground level. A facility can have increased emissions and exceed its permit and still have ambient air readings at ground level remain in the green, or good, range.

DNREC and the public can monitor sulfur dioxide readings at ground level at two DNREC-maintained air monitoring stations in the Delaware City area located east of the refinery on Route 9 and west of the refinery near Lums Pond. That data, updated hourly, is continuously available at de.gov/airdata. Those two stations are part of a statewide network of 11 air monitoring stations for various pollutants.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency health standard for sulfur dioxide is 75 parts per billion in the ground level air, when people with asthma or other breathing related issues are advised to limit time outdoors or wear masks to reduce exposure. During the May-June 2025 refinery increased emissions, the highest hourly measurement at DNREC’s Delaware City monitor during the incident was 29.6 parts per billion, and most hourly values over the 17 days were 2 parts per billion or less.

As a result of a DNREC order this document with from a previous incident finalized this week, the refinery has acquired fenceline sensors to measure air quality on the edges of the refinery property and to make that data publicly available. The refinery has indicated four of those sensors are being immediately put into place to begin operations and provide air quality readings; however, the publicly accessible website for those readings has not been completed. DNREC is urging the refinery to complete that website as soon as possible to share information during this period, and until the website is available, also to publicly report out the results on a regular basis until it does.

The public can expect to see notice of these increased emissions from the refinery posted on DNREC’s Delaware Environmental Release Notification System (DERNS), available at de.gov/derns, which provides reports about environmental releases statewide, from small fuel spills to significant air emissions.

After the repairs are complete, DNREC will assess the total level of increased sulfur dioxide emissions for violation and potential penalty. The May-June increased emissions, along with a number of other incidents, resulted in DNREC assessing a $300,000 penalty to DCRC, the maximum allowed by law for those violations. That penalty has been appealed by the refinery to the state Environmental Appeals Board.

Over the last year, DNREC has also been working to expand air quality monitoring and public access to information in and around Delaware City. The Clean Air Council will be installing two community air sensors and partnering with local organizations to engage the community, funded in the state bond bill through efforts of Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown and Sen. Nicole Poore, along with DNREC. Through a grant from the Community Environmental Project Fund, the Department is funding additional community-scale air quality sensors to measure sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter 2.5, volatile organic compounds and hydrogen sulfide in residential corridors affected by industrial and traffic sources at three locations, including a home in Delaware City.

As part of an Environmental Improvement Project funded through Delaware City Refining enforcement, a PurpleAir sensor to measure particulate matter was deployed at Rose Hill Community Center last week. In addition, DNREC ordered the refinery to install the fenceline sensors following a butane leak in November, has coordinated with the Delaware National Guard and Delaware Emergency Management Agency on possible emergency sensor deployment locations and has begun the regulatory process to require permanent fenceline sensors at some industrial facilities.

DNREC will continue to monitor the refinery’s repair work closely, compare the company’s information with state air monitoring data and keep the public informed as new information becomes available.

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season produced 13 named storms, including five hurricanes and four major hurricanes, with three reaching Category 5 intensity.

While no hurricanes made landfall in the United States, these storms can still impact Delaware through heavy rainfall, storm surge and flooding. Hurricanes remain the most common and costly natural disaster nationwide.

Learn more about hurricane season, flood risks and how to prepare on Outdoor Delaware. ⬇️

As gas prices climb, many Delaware drivers are thinking about their long-term transportation costs.

Fortunately, electric vehicles offer a cleaner alternative — and making the switch might be more affordable than you think.

EVs run on electricity, which can offer lower and more predictable costs than gasoline. With fewer moving parts, they also require less routine maintenance and repair. Combined, these savings add up: driving a battery electric vehicle is estimated to save drivers up to $2,200 per year.

While EVs continue to become more affordable, many are still priced higher than their gas-powered counterparts. Most drivers will see that premium pay off within a few years, but incentives can help reduce the cost of going electric right now.

That's why the Delaware DNREC Climate, Coastal and Energy Clean Vehicle Rebate Program offers cash rebates to help make electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles more affordable for Delaware residents and businesses. Rebates are available for both new and used vehicles, with more than 70 eligible models.

This rebate is not a tax credit — it's a cash rebate that can help lower upfront costs. Residents can receive the rebate at the point of sale through participating Delaware dealerships or post-purchase. Applications must be submitted within 90 days of purchase or lease.

Worried about where to charge? Most EV drivers can meet their daily driving needs by conveniently charging at home. Incentives are also available to help offset the cost of residential charging equipment.

Energize Delaware's Residential EV Supply Equipment Rebate Program offers rebates of up to 50% of equipment and installation costs or up to 90% for income-eligible customers. Applicants must complete a Home Performance Audit through Energize Delaware prior to applying, and applications must be submitted within 60 days of installation.

Live in an apartment? DNREC's EV Charging Station Rebate Program is open to property owners and managers of multi-family dwellings, covering between 75 - 90% of equipment and installation costs. The program is also open to publicly accessible, fleet and workplace charging stations. A pre-approval application must be submitted before project inception. As this is a cash rebate, recipients are responsible for covering their own costs as they are incurred.