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Common sense policies needed at Prime Hook

November 12, 2012

We would like to thank the secretary of the Delaware Department of Transportation and all of the personnel at DelDOT for their assistance and dedication during Hurricane Sandy.

We live at Prime Hook Beach where DelDOT employees have come to our aid every time the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge has flooded our road and homes over the last four years.  Unfortunately, as a direct result of the failure of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to close the breaches at Fowlers Beach, substantial state funds have been spent on road repair caused by the lack of action on the part of a federal agency.  We can only hope that the final comprehensive conservation plan will correct this faulty policy.

We have lived at Prime Hook for over six years. In order to build our home here we were required to apply to the Army Corps of Engineers for a Nationwide 18 Permit, which entailed the approval of over 20 federal, state and local agencies.

In addition we spent several thousand dollars on an environmental study of our lot (because it abuts the refuge) and nearly $20,000 on a macrobiotic septic system.  We willingly paid these costs for the privilege of living next to the refuge.  We mention this because we get the impression that government officials think we moved here illegally!

It is such a waste of taxpayers’ money to see the refuge destroyed when it could all have been avoided by some common sense policies and less cost to the state of Delaware.

Joseph and Kathryn McCann
Prime Hook Beach

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