Alliance members are working to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius by reducing emissions, accelerating action, centering equity, and tracking progress. 

Explore Delaware's policies and actions across the Alliance's 10 key policy areas. Numbers presented below only reflect the number of policies in this database and thus may not reflect all climate policies pursued.

delaware

GHG Targets + Governance

Just Transition + Equity

Industry

Pricing Carbon + Valuing Damages

Electricity

Transportation

Resilience

Natural + Working Lands

Climate Finance

Buildings

total

Chapter 203: Establishing a Community Environmental Project Fund

Establishes the Community Environmental Project Fund  which "provides money to support the restoration of the environment in communities that were damaged by environmental pollution.”

The legislation authorizes the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to establish a grant fund by withholding 25% of funds collected as penalties for violations of environmental regulations.These funds are returned to the communities where the violations occurred as competitive grants to nonprofit organizations in equity focus areas to support community environmental projects.

The CEPF uses a searchable mapping tool to ensure that funding supports the state’s environmental justice goals. Delaware has identified Equity Focus Areas to direct investment to address existing inequities. These areas are shown on the map, along with locations of past CEPF investments and of facilities that have had penalty assessments.

Community Environmental Project Fund  “provides money to support the restoration of the environment in communities that were damaged by environmental pollution.” The fund was created by the Delaware General Assembly in 2004 (74 Del. Laws, c. 203). The legislation authorizes the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to establish a grant fund by withholding 25% of funds collected as penalties for violations of environmental regulations.

These funds are returned to the communities where the violations occurred as competitive grants to nonprofit organizations in equity focus areas to support community environmental projects.
The awards are determined by DNREC with input from Community Involvement Advisory Council. The projects must either mitigate pollution, enhance the environment, or create recreational opportunities.

DE Community Environmental Project Fund

environmental_justice

EO 18: Open Data Council

Expands the Delaware Open Data Council to include members from all executive branch agencies to promote data sharing.

The Delaware Environmental Navigator provides access to a variety of information collected by DNREC, including permitted facilities, enforcement actions and environmental monitoring.

DE Environmental Navigator

Delaware’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 2021

The 2021 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Report for the state of Delaware provides updated estimates of anthropogenic GHG emissions from 1990 through 2021, along with emissions projections for 2022 through 2050 under a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario. The inventory follows DNREC’s four core objectives: identifying and characterizing emissions sources and sinks; quantifying emissions and removals; documenting inventory data and analytical results; and documenting data sources.
Total gross GHG emissions in 2021 are estimated to continue the downward trend from 2020, with emissions largely driven by transportation, industrial, and electric power sectors, which together account for about 80 % of gross emissions.
The inventory is instrumental in tracking Delaware’s progress toward its statutory emissions reduction goals under the 2023 Climate Change Solutions Act: reducing net GHG emissions by 50 % from the 2005 baseline by 2030, and achieving net-zero by 2050.

Governor Meyer Announces Energy Package to Benefit Delawareans

Governor Matt Meyer announced a comprehensive plan which includes a mix of immediate actions and long-term legislative solutions to address rising energy costs in Delaware and strengthen consumer protections. Near-term actions include demanding immediate bill rate adjustments for Delmarva Power customers, reappointing a Public Service Commission (PSC) Commissioner who will focus on strengthening oversight and protecting Delaware ratepayers, and reviewing and overhauling the PSC dispute resolution process

Senate Joint Resolution 8

This Joint Resolution directs the Delaware State Housing Authority to create a pilot program for the purpose of providing technical assistance related to zoning ordinance reform to local governments in Delaware. The goal of this pilot program is to help participating local governments identify and implement zoning practices that increase the supply of affordable housing and support goals such as equitable development and economic growth throughout this State. By giving local governments the technical assistance needed to modernize zoning ordinances, this pilot program will help Delaware close its affordable housing gap while allowing local governments the flexibility to adapt best practices to meet their jurisdictional needs. If successful, this pilot program will establish model policies for local government zoning ordinance reforms that can be expanded across this State.