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Delaware Gov. Meyer says he will eliminate state’s ‘electric vehicle mandate’ – WHYY

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Delaware Gov. Meyer says he will eliminate state’s ‘electric vehicle mandate’ – WHYY


‘Going to make a weaker Delaware with worse air quality’

Dustyn Thompson, who heads Delaware’s chapter of the Sierra Club, said he’s disappointed by Meyer’s plan to eliminate the mandate.

Thompson predicted the move would both reduce sales of zero-emission vehicles in Delaware and damage air quality. He also said Meyer is assisting Republican President Donald Trump, who pledged during his Jan. 20 inaugural address that he would “revoke the electric vehicle mandate.” A total of 17 states — including New Jersey and Maryland, but not Pennsylvania — have adopted the California zero-emission vehicle standard known as Advanced Clean Cars II.

Dustyn Thompson of the Sierra Club says Meyer’s move would harm Delaware’s air quality. (Courtesy of Dustyn Thompson)

“It’s going to make a weaker Delaware with worse air quality and it’s going to do Trump’s job for him,” Thompson said. “So fundamentally, we don’t support either of those two things and by process of elimination, we don’t support pulling out of the program.”

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Thompson said that since Carney enacted the mandate in November 2023, “we’re seeing far more in-state sales being registered in the state of Delaware than out-of-state sales being registered in the state of Delaware for clean cars. If we pull out, you can expect an exact opposite reaction to the market in Delaware.”

While Meyer didn’t specify how he would seek to terminate the mandate, Thompson speculated that the governor would have to go through the same process Carney did to put it in place: Give notice of his intention, hold public hearings and seek comments from the public before making it official in the Delaware Register of Regulations.

“We’re obviously going to advocate against pulling out of the program entirely, and of course targeting Meyer if that’s the route that we’re going to go through,” Thompson said.

Charlie Burton, president of the I.G. Burton chain of dealerships in Delaware, countered that while he sells EVs and owns one himself, he’s delighted that the governor plans to eliminate the mandate.

“I’m tickled to death,” Burton said. “I like the [electric] car. I’m not against the car. What I don’t want, and I don’t think the public wants, is to be told what stocking levels I have to do and what I have to sell and what they have to buy.

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Car dealer Charlie Burton
Car dealer Charlie Burton shows off two of the electric BMWs at his dealership in Milford. (Courtesy of Charlie Burton)

“I think that was the wrong approach to the car because it’s kind of like, ‘This is what your new thing is and you got to buy it.’ Whereas I think, ‘Hey, here’s an option, man. It’s electric, we got gas [vehicles] here, too.’ So I’m glad he’s getting rid of it, but the market’s not going to go away. There’s been too much investment in electric and battery development and all that. But in addition, it’s just a really great car.”

Burton’s Milford dealerships will be holding an event Saturday to showcase EVs and answer questions from prospective buyers.

Meyer’s assertion that the mandate will be stricken also comes after a legislative effort by Republican state Rep. Lyndon Yearick to eliminate it hit a roadblock in the Democrat-dominated state House.

State Rep. Lyndon Yearick
State Rep. Lyndon Yearick’s legislative effort to halt the mandate was blocked by House Democrats. (Courtesy of Lyndon Yearick)

Yearick’s bill was blocked by Democrats in the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee from advancing to the full House for a vote.

Told by WHYY News of Meyer’s remarks about ending the mandate, the Kent County lawmaker said he hopes the governor follows through and doesn’t backtrack.

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“I’ll be cautiously optimistic,” Yearick said. “We want what I would view as the most favorable outcome in regard to our consumer’s choice here in Delaware. Hopefully, he does the right thing and strikes it from the regs.”

This story was supported by a statehouse coverage grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.



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PennDOT, hardware stores prepare for first snow of season in Delaware Valley

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PennDOT, hardware stores prepare for first snow of season in Delaware Valley


PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Crews and customers across the Delaware Valley are gearing up for the region’s first accumulating snowfall of the season, expected late Saturday into Sunday morning.

PennDOT says it has more than 100,000 tons of salt ready and plans to deploy over 400 trucks across the region for this event.

Road crews began brining operations Friday, which will continue through the weekend with plowing on Sunday.

READ MORE | Accuweather Alert: Light snow to blanket the region Saturday night into Sunday morning

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“Maybe 1 to 3, maybe a little bit more depending on how the storm tracks,” said Brad Rudolph of PennDOT.

He added that timing is key with the snow beginning to fall on Saturday night, while many may be out and about, and with thousands expected to travel to Lincoln Financial Field Sunday for the Eagles game against the Raiders.

Preps underway for first snow of the season in Delaware Valley

“People are going to travel, they’re going to need to take it slow. We’re going to push back snow from travel lanes, we’ll make the roads passable. They may not be completely clear of snow and ice, something to consider,” Rudolph said. “We expect this storm to push out relatively early Sunday, well before that Eagles game, but we still might have some cleaning up to do. We’ll be working long after this snow is done.”

At Stanley’s Hardware in Roxborough, workers spent Friday unpacking boxes and moving thousands of pounds of salt and other supplies to fill commercial and individual orders.

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“Our aisle is filled right now. We have tons of skids of rock salt, ice melter, shovels,” said Joe Jaconski of Stanley’s Hardware.

Customers were already stocking up.

“We have food, we have shovels, just had to get some salt just to make sure we’re keeping the sidewalks nice and safe for everyone,” said Matt Skomsky of Roxborough.

Customers were steady at Stanley’s Friday, and business is expected to pick up through the weekend, but managers say don’t wait to get ready.

“I recommend just being ahead of it. Try to beat the storm because when the storm comes, it gets very busy in here-the lines wrapped around,” Jaconski said.

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PennDOT urges drivers to keep their distance from plow trucks and check the forecast before heading out.

Copyright © 2025 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Done Deal: 695 Delaware Avenue – Buffalo Rising

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Done Deal: 695 Delaware Avenue – Buffalo Rising


Ellicott Development has expanded it local property portfolio. Ellicott’s 4628 Group Inc. purchased 695 Delaware Avenue on Wednesday for $1.025 million. Fred Kaplan Living Trust was the seller. The 8,454 sq.ft., three-story barn-like structure with mansard roofed addition is occupied by media production and marketing firm Crosswater Digital Media. It was the home of WKBW radio for a number of years. The property totals 0.4 acres in size with a large parking lot fronting Delaware Avenue.

The property is bookended by the Westbrook Apartments and Wilcox House apartment buildings, both ten-story structures. It sits across the street from 700 Delaware, the former Computer Task Group Building Ellicott purchased in 2018 and is now occupied by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.



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Man, 77, dies after collision with teen driver near Hartly, police say

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Man, 77, dies after collision with teen driver near Hartly, police say


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A 77-year-old man died following a two-car crash near Hartly on the morning of Dec. 10, Delaware State Police said.

The man, from the Dover area, has not been identified by police pending family notification.

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According to police reports, the man was driving a Honda Accord east on Judith Road approaching Hartly Road about 9 a.m., as an 18-year-old woman was driving a Ford Focus south on Hartly Road approaching Judith Road.

Police reported that a preliminary investigation shows the Honda moved from the stop sign into the Ford’s path, causing a collision.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman, from Hartly, was treated at the scene. Police said she refused to be taken to a hospital.

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.

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