Storms Mean New Jersey Residents Need To Build 'In A Way That's More Resilient'

By Bob Pepalis | The Center Square contributor, The Center Square New Jersey

November 6, 2022

(The Center Square) – The head of an environmental awareness group said his organization supports the governor’s efforts to protect against climate threats through the adoption of an Inland Flood Protection Rule.

Gov. Phil Murphy and Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette announced the rule proposal late last month that is intended to better protect New Jersey’s communities from stormwater runoff and worsening river flooding.

“In the timespan of someone’s 30-year mortgage, they can expect to have a 100-year storm," Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, told The Center Square. “So that means folks need to be building in a way that's more resilient."

The proposed rules don’t change so much where folks can build, but really change how they build.
Potosnak said Murphy signed an executive order setting a timeline to introduce rules in a pact to protect against climate threats in recognition that residents are seeing more intense and frequent storms that disrupt their way of life, everything from getting to and from work to having a business remain open during storms.

“I mean, we lost 40 people in Hurricane Ida here in New Jersey. In fact, two were sucked down sewer drains while they were walking through floodwaters,” said the head of the nonprofit that aims to protect natural resources by raising awareness of key environmental challenges.

New Jersey just commemorated the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. The state will have higher floodwaters more often.

“We should be requiring homes that are built to be prepared for that,” Potosnak said.
"The rule proposal includes updating climate data; the state now uses information from 1999.
By updating the data and flood maps to take into account future storms with the use of modernized precipitation forecasts, the state can be prepared," he said.

The proposed rule would only apply to new construction or major redevelopment projects. Potosnak said in some places it would mean building a few inches higher while in others it might be a couple of feet higher. That makes the foundation a little more costly and adds a few more steps up to the front door and possible regrading of a hill in front of the home.

“Those changes are going to protect you from being completely wiped out, and in storms that we know are coming,” he said.

"New Jersey has more concrete and pavement per square mile than anywhere else in the United States. That adds to challenges faced even in normal storms as natural areas to absorb the water runoff don’t exist. The Inland Flood Protection Rule doesn’t address stormwater infrastructure, but the state needs complementary policies to ensure more green infrastructure gets built to mimic nature and absorb the floodwaters – and clean them up," he said.

"Individuals and businesses can take steps to help with stormwater runoff," he said. Everyone contributes to the problem. Investing in things like a rain garden or a rain barrel can work individually. Municipalities can install bioswales, which are installed just before a sewer grate or drain. They use natural landscaping to handle the water and use it for life to grow as it helps reduce the amount of flooding.

The state could use stormwater utilities, an authority that would charge for installation of concrete and pavement, using that revenue to install stormwater systems. Credits are given to property owners who install features like bioswales or pervious pavement, which allows water retention in the ground.

The focus of the work of The Center Square New Jersey is state and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility.