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HB391 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT FUND.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT FUND.

Budget
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Lambert
Last action
2026-05-12
Official status
Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation 5/12/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's status is 'Passed Legislature' but there is no effective date provided in the official summary or text.

Changes to Reporting for Environmental Project Fund

This act changes the reporting requirements of the Community Environmental Project Fund to annual reports instead of quarterly ones, updates who receives these reports, and mandates that all expenditures be reported annually to the Joint Finance Committee.

What This Bill Does

  • Revises the reporting frequency from quarterly to annual for the Community Environmental Project Fund.
  • Updates recipients of the reports to include the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate.
  • Requires that all expenditures made by or on behalf of the fund be reported annually to the Joint Finance Committee in DNREC’s budget presentation.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Controls (DNREC)
  • Organizations receiving funds from the Community Environmental Project Fund
  • Members of the General Assembly

Terms To Know

Community Environmental Project Fund
A fund that receives payments from civil and administrative penalties for environmental violations, which are then used to support projects in affected communities.
Joint Finance Committee
A committee within the Delaware General Assembly responsible for reviewing financial matters related to state agencies.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when these changes will take effect.
  • It is unclear how much administrative burden this change will actually reduce for DNREC.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-12 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 ABSENT

  2. 2026-05-12 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee in Senate

  3. 2026-05-06 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Natural Resources & Energy) in House with 11 On Its Merits

  4. 2026-04-30 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Assigned to Natural Resources & Energy Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT FUND.
This Act revises the reporting requirements for the Community Environmental Project Fund for the purpose of easing the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Controls’ (DNREC) administrative burden. The fund was created by the General Assembly in 2004. This fund is capitalized with civil and administrative penalty payments received by DNREC. The collected funds are then disbursed to organizations serving communities affected by environmental violations.
Projects provided by these organizations include eliminating, minimizing, or abating pollution, improving environmental conditions that impact human health, enhancing natural resources to improve habitats, and expanding recreational opportunities.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Lambert & Sen. Poore

Reps. Burns, Griffith, Morrison, Berry, Snyder-Hall; Sen. Hansen

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 391

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT FUND.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 6042, Title 7 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 6042. Civil and administrative penalties; Community Environmental Project Fund.

(f) The Department

shall

must

submit

quarterly

annual

reports on the progress of the expenditures

and/or

or

projects conducted with the Community Environmental Project Fund to the Governor and

members of the General Assembly

the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives for distribution to all Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate for distribution to all Senators, and the Director and Librarian of the Division of Legislative Services

.

All of the expenditures made by or on behalf of the Fund, together with an explanation the process utilized for selecting and prioritizing Projects, shall be reported annually to the Joint Finance Committee in the Department’s budget presentation.

SYNOPSIS

This Act revises the reporting requirements for the Community Environmental Project Fund for the purpose of easing the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Controls’ (DNREC) administrative burden. The fund was created by the General Assembly in 2004. This fund is capitalized with civil and administrative penalty payments received by DNREC. The collected funds are then disbursed to organizations serving communities affected by environmental violations.

Projects provided by these organizations include eliminating, minimizing, or abating pollution, improving environmental conditions that impact human health, enhancing natural resources to improve habitats, and expanding recreational opportunities.