While I don’t often discuss the First State on this forum, I was alerted to an important piece of upcoming regulation which may affect those who decide to flee high-tax Maryland for the greener pastures of Delaware. In looking at these proposed changes, I’m beginning to wonder if those who live in the less-densely populated portions of our neighbor to the north are enduring a “War on Rural Delaware.” Granted, Delaware is a far smaller state in population than Maryland is, but they are similar in the fact that a small number of counties, in their case just one, tend to dictate the entirety of state government.
These are the proposed septic regulations (ignore the first portion being replaced) and as I read them they seem like a full employment act for politically connected inspectors. For example, have you ever heard of having to have your system inspected every six months? Me neither, but it’s in the regulations as are other provisions pointed out by the 9/12 Delaware Patriots. Other scary clauses give the government full say as to whether you can sell your house and the right to inspect at a moment’s notice.
But you can get a waiver – if you promise in perpetuity not to subdivide into plots less than ten acres. That’s not adding much in the way of land value.
As written currently, these regulations only cover certain regions, but just like in Maryland those in Delaware should look for continuing efforts to bring more and more areas under the jurisdiction of these rules. We’ve played that game in Maryland with the protected areas around waterways in the Chesapeake Bay watershed expanding farther and farther away from their shores.
So what can be done? Well, the hour is late as this change sort of flew under the radar (as these sorts of schemes are wont to do.) The 9/12 Delaware Patriots say this:
We think you should demand a public workshop where DNREC can explain the need for these new rules and their authority to impose them.
I would go a step further and encourage conservatives in their General Assembly to take whatever steps are necessary to overturn these rules, at least the most egregious parts. It may do just as much good against Wilmington Democrats as it does here in Maryland against the I-95 corridor cabal but it may also shed some much-needed light on the process. Why is it the state’s job to stamp their blessing on the sale of my private property to a willing buyer?
So let me guess: enviroweenie Delaware liberals are going to believe I’m for dirty water? Sorry, I’m for freedom. When you can prove to me this is a significant enough problem to outweigh other documented issues with water pollution stemming from poorly-maintained urban sanitary sewer systems, then maybe we’ll talk about a prudent approach. But this set of regulations is mighty far from a prudent approach.