Environmental advocates told the Joint Capital Improvement Committee they hope it will fully fund clean water initiatives in Delaware.
Gov. John Carney has requested $6 million in investments in clean water and drinking water infrastructure.
But State Rep. Michael Mulrooney (D-New Castle), who vice-chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, said $6 million isn’t enough. He points to the Hockessin aquifer being added to the EPA’s Superfund site list this week.
“You could double it, triple it, 10 times, whatever," he said. "It’s still not enough. It’s a 100 million deficit right now.”
Mulrooney is sponsoring a bill to create a clean water trust fund by charging a fee to taxpayers and businesses. But he doesn’t have the votes to move it out of committee.
He said the bill is likely dead this session because it’s an election year.
