Assembly Republican Deputy Conference Leader Scott Rumana, a member of the Governor’s Passaic River Flood Advisory Commission and Chairman of the Passaic River Basin Flood Task Force, called today’s announcement by the Christie administration that New Jersey will receive nearly $50 million in FEMA grants for flood protection projects welcome news, especially for homeowners in the flood-prone Passaic River Basin who will receive the lion’s share of the funds.

            “Having spent the better part of the past 17 years representing a portion of the Passaic River Basin , I find it encouraging that the federal government is providing further aid to those who reside and operate businesses in the Basin region. As we know all too well, our communities are prone to devastating floods on an almost annual basis,” said Rumana, R-Passaic, Bergen and Essex, noting that according to statistics from the Army Corps of Engineers, flooding costs in the Passaic River Basin area since 2007 have topped $2 billion.

“These grants, coupled with the recent news that low-interest SBA loans are now available for Passaic River Basin region residents who suffered great loss during March’s torrential rainstorms, will go a long way in not only helping those affected recover, but will help residents who wish to relocate, reduce the danger for our emergency responders, and minimize the impact of chronic flooding in this region.”

            New Jersey Office of Emergency Management officials announced today that $48.3 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds have been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for state, county and local flood protection projects.  Wayne Township will receive the bulk of the funding - $25 million, while Little Falls Township will receive the second highest amount - $7 million, for a combination of property acquisitions and home elevations in Wayne , Little Falls, and Pompton Lakes .

            Last month, the Christie administration announced that low interest Small Business Administration (SBA) loans of up to $200,000 were being made available to flood victims in Passaic, Essex, Bergen and Morris counties, whose homes and property were damaged or destroyed during severe flooding in March.

            Noting that the $48.3 million in grants represents nearly double the total amount received in the 14 years prior to 2009, Rumana said, “Those of us who live and work in this region live in constant fear every time heavy rains are predicted.

            “I applaud the efforts of the Christie Administration, the various federal officials who have worked to assist us, and most importantly, the members of the Passaic River Basin Flood Task Force for all of their efforts that have encouraged the federal government to continue to increase assistance to our affected residents. 

            “The fact that the federal government, in recent years, has almost doubled its aid shows that it is growing to understand the crippling effect recurring flooding has on those who live in the Basin area,” he continued. “While this aid will be helpful to further our buyout efforts in the Basin, we need to continue to keep the pressure on the federal government to help us work toward a solution to ultimately stop the flooding from entering our residences, businesses, and roadways.”