Gov. Phil Murphy and Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn LaTourette on Oct. 27 said the administration intends to propose an Inland Flood Protection Rule.

The announcement, which officials say will better protect communities from extreme weather, comes as New Jersey gets set to mark the 10^th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy.

The proposed rule would update New Jersey’s existing flood hazard and stormwater regulations by replacing what officials say are outdated precipitation estimates with modern data. They say the changes would help to reduce flooding from stormwater runoff and increase the elevation of habitable first floors by two feet in certain new developments located in flood-prone areas.

“In order to ensure the safety and economic wellbeing of New Jerseyans both today and in the future, our policy decisions must be informed not by obsolete data, but by challenging realities currently facing residents and businesses across the state,” said Murphy.

Battling climate change

State officials recently announced a new state lawsuit against major gas and oil companies – an attempt to drive home the impacts of climate change being felt in the Garden State. Click here to read more.

“Updating the data New Jersey uses to manage stormwater runoff and determine building elevations along rivers and streams will help flood-prone communities to better protect their homes and businesses, making us more resilient to the increasing extreme weather that New Jersey is experiencing,” said LaTourette. “We deeply appreciate the thoughtful feedback we have received over the last two years of engagement with the public and leaders in labor, business, local government, academia, and advocacy while designing this and other important reforms as part of the New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJ PACT) initiative.”

The formal rule proposal is expected to be published in the New Jersey Register on Dec. 5, which would then open a 60-day public comment period that will run through Feb. 3. A virtual public hearing will be held on Jan. 11.

Officials said the Inland Flood Protection Rule would establish design elevations that reflect the state’s changing climate, which produces more frequent and intense rainfall. The updated standards would apply to certain new and substantially reconstructed developments in inland riverine areas that are subject to flooding. The standards would not apply to existing development. Pending development applications before the DEP that are administratively complete at the time the rule gets adopted would not be affected by these changes.

“Today New Jersey moves one step closer to further expanding the already extensive arsenal of climate adaptation measures at its disposal,” said Murphy. “Indeed, the inland flood protection rule is but one critical piece of our comprehensive and tireless efforts to safeguard vulnerable communities from physical harm and property damage, efforts that will produce a stronger and more resilient New Jersey for generations to come.”

A copy of the rule proposal can be found here.