ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 40

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

 

 

By Assemblyman DiGAETANO

 

 

An Assembly Resolution memorializing the United States Congress to enact a Passaic River acquisition, relocation and mitigation program similar to the program enacted for communities within the Mississippi and Missouri River Basins.

 

Whereas, The State's Passaic River Basin has a long history of flooding and efforts to diminish the flooding have been embroiled in controversy over whether structural remedies are economically and environmentally sound solutions to the basin's flooding problems; and

Whereas, Flooding within the Mississippi and Missouri River Basins during 1993 established a greater awareness of the lack of protection afforded by structural flood control versus the effectiveness of nonstructural measures; and

Whereas, That experience has dramatically and significantly increased the perception that development in flood plains with a structural approach toward flood protection is not economically or environmentally in the public interest; and

Whereas, Based on this perception, the federal government has enacted legislation to provide hazard mitigation and relocation assistance for communities along the Mississippi and Missouri River Basins, which the United States Congress passed in both houses by voice vote, showing broad bi-partisan support; and

Whereas, The State has recognized problems similar to those in the Midwest in the flood plains of the Passaic River Basin due to overdevelopment, and Governor Christine Todd Whitman has repeatedly publicly supported a nonstructural solution to flooding in the Passaic River Basin; and

Whereas, On November 22, 1993, the Environment Committee of the State General Assembly favorably reported a resolution in support of a nonstructural solution for the flooding problems of the Passaic River Basin involving acquisition, relocation, and flood proofing assistance; and


Whereas, Three counties and 40 municipalities within the Passaic River Basin have expressed support for a nonstructural approach to mitigating the flooding; now therefore,

 

    Be It Resolved, by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. The United States Congress is memorialized to enact a Passaic River acquisition, relocation, and mitigation program through the amendment of the "Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act," (42 U.S.C.§5121 et seq.), which would establish a similar program by the federal government as was enacted for communities within the Mississippi and Missouri River Basins.

 

    2. A duly authenticated copy of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the Vice President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Governor of the State and every member of Congress elected from this State.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This resolution memorializes the United States Congress to enact, through an amendment of the "Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act," (42 U.S.C.§5121 et seq.), a Passaic River acquisition, relocation, and mitigation program similar to one enacted for communities within the Mississippi and Missouri River Basins.

    Three counties, Bergen, Hudson and Passaic, and 40 municipalities have expressed opposition to the structural approach of constructing a flood tunnel and have called for alternative non-structural solutions to be examined. The 40 municipalities are: Belleville, Bloomfield, Carlstadt, Clifton, East Newark, East Rutherford, Elmwood Park, Essex Fells, Fair Lawn, Garfield, Hanover, Harding, HoHoKus, Kearny, Livingston, Lyndhurst, Madison, Mahwah, Maywood, Midland Park, Millburn, Montclair, North Arlington, Nutley, Passaic, Ramsey, Ringwood, Rochelle Park, Roseland, Rutherford, South Hackensack, Upper Saddle River, Verona, Wallington, West Milford, the Borough of Chatham, the Township of Chatham, the Borough of Hillsdale, and the Towns of Boonton and Harrison.

 

 

Memorializes the United States Congress to enact a flood mitigation program similar to one enacted for communities within the Mississippi and Missouri River Basins for the Passaic River Basin.