Rep. Tom Malinowski Meets Scotch Plains Residents Impacted By Hurricane Ida

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — Congressman Tom Malinowski spent a day in Scotch Plains meeting with residents, business owners and local leaders who were severely impacted by Tropical Storm Ida.

During his visit to various Scotch Plains locations on Friday, Malinowski updated residents on his efforts in Congress to mitigate flooding through the recent infrastructure bill. He also listened to residents' concerns on receiving federal relief for flood damage.

“Tropical Storm Ida made clear, once again, the urgent need to protect people, homes, and businesses in New Jersey from extreme weather,” Malinowski said. “With major storms becoming more frequent, I will keep working with the Army Corps of Engineers and with local officials to fix old infrastructure and better manage our rivers and streams so that we’re better prepared.”

Malinowski met Mayor Joshua Losardo and other local officials at the town municipal building to discuss the Township's plans for flood mitigation projects. Scotch Plains is part of the Green Brook Sub Basin and Rahway River Watershed, and has long been susceptible to extreme flooding from heavy rains.

According to a release, Malinowski fought to reverse the Army Corps of Engineers’ termination the Rahway River Flood Risk Management Feasibility Study. After pressuring the Corps and enacting a new law that he helped to draft, the Corps agreed to provide additional federal funding to complete the study.

This is meant to serve as a blueprint for future flood mitigation along the Rahway River.

Malinowski then visited homeowners around town to check in on their recovery from Ida, including many who were displaced due to the storm. Many families in the area received FEMA relief, which helped them rebuild.

The Congressman reiterated his office's promise to help people in NJ's 7th District struggling to access federal relief.

At Black Drop Coffee downtown, Malinowski met with local business owners affected by Ida. Business owners expressed the need for additional federal flood relief to help make their Main Street more resilient and better prepared for future weather events.

Malinowski also stopped by the Green Brook flood control project, which recently received $496 million in federal funding as part of the post-Ida disaster relief bill that he helped to pass. The project will help to mitigate flooding in the north side of Scotch Plains and along Route 22.

The Congressman's final stop was the Shady Rest Golf and Country Club — the first Black-owned golf course in the country. The facility is now owned by the town and contains a small museum honoring the golf club's generations of African-American history.

Lastly, Malinowski held a public town hall alongside Scotch Plains officials at Shady Rest where residents asked questions about future federal support through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Residents also asked about what projects are underway to protect the town from future storms.

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