Pascrell Announces $750,000 Flood Prevention Grant for Rutherford

Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today held a press conference in Rutherford to announce a $750,000 federal grant his office secured to strengthen stormwater management and meet the growing challenge of flooding in Bergen County.

“Heavy rain and extreme weather events are causing too many of our neighbors’ lives to be swept away. Flooding has a massive impact on our communities – and it’s not going away,” said Congressman Pascrell. “These funds will help reduce chronic flooding that our neighbors face every year.”

The $750,000 in federal funding Pascrell won will make improvements to the Borough’s storm water management capabilities to protect residents from the effects of flooding. The funds will cover the cost of repairing and reconstructing stormwater inlets and outlets to allow for more water to enter the storm water system, mitigating the backflow effect felt by Rutherford residents.

Congressman Pascrell’s full prepared remarks are below.

Congressman Pascrell speech on strengthening Bergen County flood preparedness

Rutherford, New Jersey, April 11, 2023

Good morning. Thank you first and foremost to Jim Keene for welcoming us to his lovely street. I hope we are bringing some good news.

Also, I want to thank Mayor Nunziato for his tireless advocacy of Rutherford. I know being a mayor is not easy and he gets the job done.

Hurricane Ida was two years ago. But we remember the destruction like yesterday. Homes damaged. Businesses destroyed. Streets flooded.

Sadly, it does not take a hurricane for this to happen in North Jersey.

Heavy rain and extreme weather events are causing too many of our neighbors’ lives to be swept away. Flooding has a massive impact on our communities - and it’s not going away.

Hurricane Sandy and Irene were a giant hit to our communities in North Jersey. Flooding all along the Passaic River and storm surges up the Hackensack and into the Meadowlands caused massive issues we’re still dealing with.

It was a titanic struggle to get our region the help we needed. I know the recovery process is not easy. That is why I have fought relentlessly for more federal funds to reduce flooding in our communities.

My friends, it is always nice to play Ed McMahon for a day.

My office secured this $750,000 specially for Rutherford to improve our Borough’s stormwater management capabilities.

These funds will help reduce chronic flooding that our neighbors like Jim face every year.

We have tried a full court press to get people the help they need. As New Jersey’s only member of the Ways and Means Committee, I have also made tax relief for disaster victims a top priority.

My Disaster Savings and Resilient Construction Act would create a $3,000 tax credit for homes and a $25,000 tax credit for businesses.

For our neighbors facing a hard rebuilding, this will give them a helping hand. These credits will simultaneously encourage construction of resilient structures for the future.

Last Congress we also passed our landmark roads and bridges law. It’s making historic investments in stormwater systems.

Overall it included more than $50 Billion to enhance our drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. This is the single largest investment in water that the federal government has ever made.

Last year our great state received over $168 Million of these funds as a downpayment to improving our drinking water systems. We recently secured another $31 Million to upgrade our essential wastewater and stormwater systems.

As you can see, we are not giving up. We have achieved a slew of victories. These wins have given our nation its best economy in decades.

Unemployment is at a record low. Wages are up. Gas prices are dropping. Inflation has fallen eight months straight.

All told, the Biden administration has added over 12 million jobs!

None of this has happened by accident. We have passed some truly historic laws to make it happen. Preventing flooding and ensuring safe drinking water is a key part of all that.

I won’t forget about it. I will fight for every penny we need to protect our communities.

Thank you all and God bless America.