Governor Murphy's Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) rules are a major step forward in the effort to protect New Jersey residents, businesses, and vital infrastructure from the devastating effects of climate change.
Governor Murphy's Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) rules are a major step forward in the effort to protect New Jersey residents, businesses, and vital infrastructure from the devastating effects of climate change.
Inundation in Ocean City caused by an unnamed winter storm
Update sea-level rise data to prevent construction in areas that are known to be at high risk of flooding.
New Jersey's coast is extremely vulnerability to rising sea levels. Adopting smarter design practices will better protect residents, businesses, and critical infrastructure from the catastrophic effects of climate change.
Revise stormwater rules to eliminate exemptions for stormwater management in redevelopment projects.
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New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country, and each year more urban and suburban areas experience devastating flood events. Until the state adopts stricter stormwater regulations for construction projects in these areas, such events will become more frequent, destructive, and deadly.
Homes in Somerset County flooded by Ida
Homes in Somerset County flooded by Ida
Wetlands along the Passaic River
(c) Regan Vercruysse
Strengthen protections for New Jersey's precious and irreplaceable wetlands.
Our state's wetlands do more than provide vital habitat for a host of threatened and endangered species. They are also a critical public water management resource. Wetlands absorb and disperse billions of gallons of runoff, filtering it of contaminants and keeping it from overwhelming local rivers and streams--and they do it for free! And yet, thanks to loopholes in the state's current regulations, hundreds of acres of our wetlands are destroyed every year by private interests. Governor Murphy needs to ensure that New Jersey's wetlands are better protected for the good of all state residents.
Step 2: Deliver on Governor Murphy's commitment to prepare New Jersey for climate crisis impacts by publishing the NJPACT/REAL rules and make the Garden State a safer, healthier, and more prosperous place to live.
The original NJPACT announcement stated that "our state is ground zero for rising sea levels, more intense storms and flooding, and rising temperature. The effects of climate change present real threats to New Jersey's economy, way of life, environment, and public health and safety."
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It's time to move forward on this critical policy.
A water rescue in Paterson
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