Holt, Lautenberg, Menendez, Pallone Secure $314,000 for Raritan River Basin Flood Mitigation

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez and U.S. Representatives Frank Pallone (NJ-6) and Rush Holt (NJ-12) today announced they secured $314,000 for the Army Corps of Engineers to continue Flood Mitigation in the Raritan River Basin. The New Jersey Senators and Representatives requested the funding earlier this year and it was included in the Fiscal Year 2010 Energy and Water Funding Bill, which the House passed earlier this month and which the Senate passed today. The President soon is expected to sign the bill into law.

The funding for flood mitigation in the Raritan River Basin will support the work of the Army Corps of Engineers to protect the region from flooding. As a result of the 2007 Water Resources Development Act, the Army Corps has begun preconstruction on flood mitigation projects that were recommended in the Corps feasibility report completed in September 2002. The project will include the construction of a storm surge barrier, floodwalls and levees, interior drainage facilities, and ecosystem restoration. The project will benefit the communities of East Brunswick, Old Bridge and South River. The project also received funding in the last budget.

“Residents along the Raritan River Basin know all too well that their communities are vulnerable to flooding,” Holt said. “This funding is critical to mitigating the damage that heavy rains can cause.”

“Families in these communities have suffered enormous losses due to severe weather, which is why the continued investment to prevent flooding is so important,” said Menendez. “This is about protecting the physical safety of our families and securing their property. It is about preventing personal and financial devastation.”

“Communities in the Raritan River Basin are subject to frequent, dangerous and costly flooding,” stated Sen. Lautenberg, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Investing in this project will improve the quality of life for thousands of families, mitigate a dangerous public safety hazard and protect neighborhoods throughout the basin. I am pleased to have helped secure this funding and will continue to prioritize flood mitigation for the Raritan River Basin.”

“Flood mitigation projects are incredibly important to keeping communities and residents safe from flood damage,” Pallone said. “The Raritan River Basin is susceptible to flooding and these funds will ensure that the Army Corps can continue its works to mitigate the problem.”