UPDATED – 06/02/25 – 9pm –  After hours of discussion and testimony during Monday’s Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee meeting, Senate Bill 159 was released from committee.  A full Senate vote is planned for next week.

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The public had a chance to comment during a Senate Committee meeting forth Environment, Energy and Transportation Committee about Senate Bill 159, which would permit an electric substation as an allowed conditional use – even though it has been denied by the Sussex County Council. Some testimony was heard while the Committee members discussed the legislation – including from Sussex County Administrator Todd Lawson who was asked more about how a conditional use is obtained in Sussex County, what is allowed in heavy industrial zoning and whether Delaware’s energy reliability was brought up during the public hearings.

Members of the public who spoke during the public comment session were split on their support of SB 159. There were over 60 people who spoke either in person or virtually.   With the exception of members of the State Senate or State House, most members of the public were limited to 1 minute of comment – and then reminded that they can submit their full written comments to the committee to be included and preserved for the record. Not all 8 members of the Senate Environment, Energy and Transportation Committee were not present – Senator Elizabeth Lockman (D-SD 3) and Senator Spiros Mantzavinos (D-SD 7) were absent from the meeting.

Several towns were represented including the mayor of Fenwick Island and members of the Dewey Beach and Ocean View Town Councils and the Georgetown Town Manager. Multiple groups – including the Delaware Farm Bureau, League of Women Voters, Sierra Club, People for Off-shore Wind, Citizens for Environmental Preservation and the Delaware Audubon Society – were represented during the public comment session.

Sussex County Administrator, Todd Lawson spoke again at the end of the in-person part of the public comments to reinforce his opposition to SB 159 and to say that all three Delaware Counties are considering resolutions in support of the preservation of local governance. The Sussex County Council will discuss that resolution during Tuesday’s meeting.

Public comment can be taken by written comment up to 24 hours after the end of the committee meeting, which was 3:30pm Monday. Submit any written remarks on the legislative agenda items to the Environment, Energy, and Transportation Committee’s email address at SenateEnvironmentEnergyTransportation@delaware.gov  to ensure that they are distributed to committee members and preserved for the record.