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Welcome to Environment New Jersey, the
new home of NJPIRG’s environmental
program. As we take on issues old and
new, we thank you for your support over
the years. With your ongoing support,
Environment New Jersey aims to expand
the great environmental advocacy that
NJPIRG has championed over the years
on a range of issues like clean air, clean
energy, clean water and toxic pollution.
One environmental concern we’ll be
working on in the months and years to
come is stopping development of our last
remaining open spaces. As New Jersey
grows, some land is too ecologically
precious to loose; it must be saved from
the developer’s bulldozers. Land in flood
prone areas of our state are just the type of
places we should be saving. If we don’t, we
risk making our state’s already substantial
flooding problems even worse.
Flooding has become a way of life for some
in New Jersey. Parts of New Jersey, especially
along the Delaware River, have seen
three major floods in the last 23 months.
Yet the state has yet to adopt comprehensive
flood prevention policies.
We can stem the tide by ensuring no
new homes are built in floodplains and
by limiting development where flooding
is already a problem, protecting lives and
the homes of New Jersey residents.
After the major flooding last fall, the
Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) convened a Flood Prevention Task
Force. In February, the Task Force issued
a report, containing a list of anti-flooding
policy recommendations. These policies
should have been implemented long ago.
The February report is one of a long line of
reports issued by the state’s environmental
protection agency, going back decades.
In July, Environment New Jersey and our
environmental partners held a media event
calling on Gov. Corzine to quickly act to
adopt a comprehensive list of 12 flood prevention policies. At the center of our
recommendations are strong new limits
on development in areas immediately surrounding
all the state’s waterways. Open
space provides valuable absorption of
storm water when it rains, acting as a
sponge for water as it runs along the land
on its way to local waterways.
While flooding is a natural occurrence
brought on by Mother Nature, our 12
recommendations would help ensure we
are limiting the number of homes and
lives in harm's way, and would lessen the
severity of flooding statewide.
On August 22, Gov. Corzine announced
that he would put new leadership behind
comprehensive flooding prevention. Together
with Lisa Jackson, Commissioner
of the New Jersey DEP, the governor
pledged to adopt regulations that would
set limits on development in floodplains
and around waterways statewide. These
steps put New Jersey ahead of nearly
all other states in our effort to prevent
flooding.
When the new regulations are introduced
this fall, they’ll surely be met with opposition
from builders and developers.
Our advocates in Trenton will present
the facts and analysis that debunk the
opposition’s arguments. And we’ll be
actively working to demonstrate to the
governor and his staff that the public
strongly supports his actions.
Please make your voice heard in Trenton.
Call the New Jersey DEP and tell Commissioner
Jackson that you support the
new regulations to prevent flooding by
calling (609) 292-2885.
When powerful interests stand in the way
of common sense steps to protect our environment,
we can prevail, with your help.
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