Ocean View DNREC maintenance dredging notice: comments due Aug. 4

Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has posted a wetlands-and-waterways public notice for an Ocean View maintenance dredging request, and it includes a clear deadline for public input.

The notice (DNREC Notice No. WR20260264) was published July 15, 2026. Written comments are due by Aug. 4, 2026, and the notice explains how residents can also seek a public hearing using DNREC’s “meritorious objection” process.

What the WR20260264 notice says is being requested

In the DNREC notice, DNREC lists the application as being “under consideration” and names the applicant as Brett Michael Cox. DNREC describes the project as:

“To conduct maintenance dredging in an unnamed lagoon adjacent to White Creek at Martins Way, Ocean View, Sussex County, DE.”

DNREC also says the application and plans for this public notice are posted online as part of the WR20260264 notice record.

How to submit comments (and how to request a hearing)

DNREC says to submit all written comments and/or a meritorious request for a public hearing to the email address Wetlands_LegalNotice@delaware.gov.

The notice explains that a public hearing on the applications will not be held unless:

• the Secretary of DNREC determines a public hearing is in the public interest, or
• a written meritorious objection is received within 20 days from this notice.

The notice says a “meritorious” objection shows familiarity with the application and includes a reasoned statement of the action’s probable impact.

Why Ocean View waterfront owners and boaters may want to weigh in

Even when a project is labeled “maintenance,” dredging is the kind of work that can affect how Delaware regulates activities in wetlands and regulated waters.

DNREC’s general permitting guidance notes that Delaware regulates activities in tidal wetlands and in tidal and non-tidal waters, and that regulated activities can include dredging. DNREC also says Delaware law requires a state permit before conducting certain activities in tidal wetlands, as well as tidal and non-tidal waters within Delaware.

For Ocean View readers, the practical reason to look at the WR20260264 file (and comment if you’re affected) is to understand what DNREC is reviewing and where the lagoon is located near White Creek and Martins Way.

What to do next during the comment window

DNREC states that the application and plans are posted online for this public notice. If you’re a nearby waterfront property owner, marina customer, boater, or otherwise directly affected by work near White Creek/Martins Way, consider reviewing the posted materials and submitting specific comments tied to what DNREC is evaluating—by Aug. 4, 2026.

Timeline to mark on your calendar: DNREC published WR20260264 on July 15, 2026. Comments (and any meritorious objection/hearing request) are due by Aug. 4, 2026.

Sources

• DNREC Public Notice WR20260264 (English)
• WR20260264 application document (Cox.pdf)