Sussex Beat, March 7, 2000 Castle Wants Beach Funding NOTE: Sussex Beat is a mix of news, analysis and commentary by Eric Magill, publisher of Sussex County Online. CURRENT SUSSEX BEAT: Castle Wants Beach Funding Voice Your Opinion Site Not to be Missed By ERIC MAGILL SC Online Publisher Beach Replenishment ... Delaware Congressman Michael N. Castle (Rep.) questioned the Clinton Administration's "repeated failure" to include Delaware's beach replenishment needs in its annual budget during a press conference on Monday, March 6, 2000. Castle stressed the national importance of Delaware's beaches and announced new funding level requests to maintain beaches in Lewes, Bethany Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Fenwick Island and Dewey Beach, all communities frequented by Washingtonians. Castle also called on Congress to label the West Rehoboth Sewer Expansion project a priority and to give it federal funding to improve the system. "Over the years, our beaches and shorelines have taken harsh beatings from storms and hurricanes, which hit our coastlines, destroying dunes and often leaving no barrier between the ferocious ocean and the homes, businesses and roads," said Castle. "The beaches are a national resource and the federal government should be a partner with the states in beach preservation. It should be a shared effort." Castle noted that the Clinton Administration has again failed to include beach replenishment funding in its budget, deeming it a "low priority". Castle wrote to Congressman Ron Packard, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, to include in the FY2001 Energy and Water Appropriations bill $6.987 million in funding for shore protection projects in Delaware as follows: $6.01 million -- To continue the construction phase of the Rehoboth Beach/Dewey Beach shore protection project; $325,000 -- To initiate the construction phase of the Port Mahon horseshoe crab protection project; $33,000 -- To continue funding for Preconstruction, Engineering and Design (PED) studies in Bethany Beach and South Bethany. $124,000 -- To continue funding for Preconstruction, Engineering and Design (PED) studies at Roosevelt Inlet and Lewes beach; $200,000 -- To continue funding for Preconstruction, Engineering and Design (PED) studies at Fenwick Island; $304,000 -- To continue funding for Preconstruction, Engineering and Design (PED) studies at Broadkill Beach. Castle also requested funding from Congressman Jim Walsh, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on VA-HUD and Independent Agencies, for $15 million to expand the Dewey Beach Sanitary Sewage District into West Rehoboth Beach. Expanding the sewer district would help control nutrient pollution such as Pfisteria in Delaware's waterways, Castle said. "Delaware has worked hard and has been successful in providing for its water infrastructure needs through existing federal low-interest loan programs," said Castle. "On rare occasions, these federal loan programs do not reach far enough down to meet the needs of the community. That is why I am asking for this money from the federal government to help make sewage bills more affordable for low and moderate income residents." Your Opinion ... You can voice your opinion on Sussex County issues in the Sussex County Online Forum or cast your vote on various Sussex County issues on our online poll. Just follow the links below to make your voice heard and your vote count: Voice your opinion in the Sussex County Online Forum Cast your vote on a variety of issues on the Sussex County Online poll   Sites Not to be Missed ... For links to the web sites of Presidential candidates, visit the Sussex County Online 2000 Presidential Campaign Page. Sussex Beat Index Local News Index | News Index

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