SUSSEX COUNTY, DE - The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Secretary Shawn Garvin, alongside other executive officials, visited the Indian River Inlet today for a beach cleanup and to address climate concerns.
Against the backdrop of ongoing restoration efforts following recent high tides that breached Route 1, Garvin emphasized the tangible impacts of climate change on the state.
"Climate change is real, it's happening every day," Garvin said. "This is a perfect backdrop and setting that shows the actual practical impacts we're seeing here in Delaware."
The damage caused by severe weather events, exacerbated by climate change, has become increasingly severe, according to Gavin. "We're never gonna beat mother nature, we just want to stay ahead of her," he added. "It's gotten considerably worse. We're seeing much more impactful storms. We used to see one or two a season, and now we're seeing it every week."
Ray Bivens, Director of Delaware State Parks, said the Indian River Inlet was a perfect place to highlight the issues as it is both a popular state park and a 'frontline defense' against rising sea levels.
"One of our most popular state parks in the system, but it's also kind of ground zero for climate change," Bivens said. "If Delaware is the lowest state in the nation, which it is, Delaware Seashore is the lowest point itself. Our dunes are the frontlines protecting us from the ocean."
