NJ Lawmakers Want $500K To Prevent Peckman River Flooding

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Three state lawmakers want New Jersey to put aside $500,000 to help prevent flood damage along the Peckman River.

Sen. Kristin Corrado (NJ-40) has introduced a bill that would appropriate funds to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for the dredging and restoration of the Peckman River.

Corrado’s Republican peers in the New Jersey Assembly’s 40th District – Christopher DePhillips and Al Barlas – have introduced a companion bill, A-3927.

The Peckman River is a tributary of the Passaic River that flows through the townships of Cedar Grove and Verona in Essex County, and Little Falls and the Borough of Woodland Park in Passaic County.

Residents of the above towns who live near the river have experienced severe flooding as result of recent storms, Corrado noted. See Related: Epic Flooding Soaks Essex County, Sends Rescuers Scrambling (PHOTOS)

“For years, our communities across the state have been devastated by flash flooding, forcing families out of their homes with nowhere to go,” Corrado said. “With this funding, we can ensure the areas that are traditionally susceptible to these disasters are safe and keep residents in their homes with the security they deserve.”

The bill directs the state commissioner of environmental protection to create an application process to determine the amount of funding provided to each municipality.

The proposed legislation unanimously advanced out of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee this week. It now heads to the Budget and Appropriations Committee for further review.

The 40th District includes the following municipalities:

• Essex County – Caldwell, Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell, Verona and West Caldwell
• Bergen County – Franklin Lakes, Ridgewood and Wyckoff
• Passaic County – Hawthorne, Little Falls, Totowa, Wayne and Woodland Park

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