The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Division of Air Quality (DAQ) will conduct a virtual public hearing (Docket #2022-R-A-0011) on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, beginning at 6:00 p.m. to consider comments from the public on the proposed amendments to regulation: 7 DE Admin. Code 1140 “Delaware Low Emission Vehicle Program.”

The purpose of the amendments to 7 DE Admin. Code 1140 is to update the adoption by reference of California’s Advance Clean Car II (ACC II) low emission vehicle and greenhouse gas standards and add the requirements for zero emitting vehicles for model year 2027 and beyond. The ACC II regulations will reduce criteria and greenhouse gas emissions from new light- and medium-duty vehicles beyond the 2025 model year as well as add the new requirements for zero emission vehicles. These standards were adopted in 2010 and went into effect for model year 2014, and since the original adoption California has made changes necessary for automobile manufactures to comply. Section 177 of the Clean Air Act requires that Delaware standards must be “identical to the California standards.”

The proposed amendments to the regulation may be inspected online starting April 1, 2023 at regulations.delaware.gov/services/current_issue.shtml, Air Quality’s Regulatory Development website, dnrec.delaware.gov/air/permitting/under-development/, or by contacting Kyle Krall by phone at 302-739-9402 or by email at: kyle.krall@delaware.gov.

The web link to the virtual hearing can be accessed through the DNREC Public Hearings site at de.gov/dnrechearings. If prompted for a passcode, please use: 693764. To access the audio-only portion of the virtual hearing, dial 1-646-931-3860 and enter the meeting ID: 963 6971 8957. Closed-captioning is available by request if made at least 7 days before the event.

Those wishing to offer verbal comments during DNREC public hearings must pre-register no later than noon of the date of the virtual hearing at de.gov/dnreccomments or by telephone at 302-739-9295.

The Department will accept public comment through Thursday May 26, 2023. Comments will be accepted in written form via email to DNRECHearingComments@delaware.gov, or by using the online form at de.gov/dnreccomments, or by U.S. mail to the following address:

Theresa Smith, Hearing Officer
DNREC — Office of the Secretary
89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901

Related Topics:  air, air quality, Low Emission Vehicle Program, permitting and regulation, public comment, public hearing, public notice