The 2017 Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act amended the Coastal Zone Act to allow the reuse of 14 existing sites of heavy industry use within Delaware’s Coastal Zone. On August 26, 2019, following a joint public hearing by DNREC and the Coastal Zone Industrial Control Board, the Board approved amendments to the Regulations Governing Delaware’s Coastal Zone (7 DE Admin. Code 101) to reflect that change. DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin signed Secretary’s Order No. 2019-CCE-0035 to formally promulgate the regulations.

An application for a Coastal Zone Permit is necessary for any new or expanded manufacturing activity that will have an impact on the environment, the economy, the aesthetics or neighboring land uses. A Coastal Zone Status Decision can help determine whether a proposed activity is considered heavy industry, or to determine if the proposed activity is exempt from having to obtain a Coastal Zone Permit.

If a project requires other permits from DNREC, the Coastal Zone permit generally takes precedence, although related permit applications may be processed concurrently.