The following letter was sent to senators Tom Carper, Chris Coons and Rep. Blunt Rochester with a copy submitted to the Cape Gazette for publication.

I am writing in support of the letter you recently received from the Mayor of South Bethany, Pat Voveris, on behalf of several members of the Association of Coastal Towns. In the correspondence, Mayor Voveris discussed the imperative need for the dredging of our state's recreational waterways. Personally, I have heard from numerous individuals - many of whom are boaters - who have experienced difficulty and even the inability to navigate our waterways due to severe sediment build up. Some have commented that they may need to relocate their households in order to utilize their marine equipment. While the recreational needs impact thousands of registered boaters in our state, we must also consider the effect on our economy, businesses, and environment. Without the ability to navigate our waterways, boating sales and suppliers, marinas and locally sourced seafood restaurants will not survive. Beyond economics, though, is the very cleanliness of our water. The maintenance of our waterways through dredging is necessary in order to make our bays clean. I am currently scheduling a meeting with Gov. John Carney and DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin to discuss this concern in further detail. Your assistance in bringing attention and funding to this dire matter is respectfully requested, as this situation is only worsening. I look forward to working with you as we address the needs of Delaware's waterways.

Sen. Gerald Hocker
20th Senatorial District