LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP, NJ – Long Beach Township acknowledges the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) recent decision to amend its proposed Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) coastal flood rules. Notably, the revisions reduce the proposed design elevation requirement from 6 feet (5 feet + 1 foot of freeboard) to 5 feet (4 feet + 1 foot of freeboard) above FEMA’s base flood elevation and include a 180-day grace period for existing projects.
“The Township supports responsible measures to protect public safety and adapt to sea-level rise,” said Mayor Joseph Mancini. “However, this rulemaking does not strike a practical balance. It is based on a Rutgers study projecting only a 17% probability of 5 feet of sea-level rise by 2100—standards that go beyond FEMA’s guidance.”
According to the NJDEP Commissioner, sea level has risen 18 inches since 1913—a span of 112 years. Imposing sweeping regulations based on long-term projections and uncertain probabilities places an undue burden on property owners. The Governor’s initiative, while well-intentioned, amounts to an unfunded mandate on New Jersey residents.
Long Beach Township believes a more measured, incremental approach is a more prudent and effective way to address sea-level rise. We urge the Governor to instead, increase it by 1ft just as Governor Christie did after Super Storm Sandy. This would bring the total to BFE plus 2ft which would align with standards that New York adheres too. The BFE standards should be re-evaluated every 5 years.
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LBT’s Mayor Mancini’s comments about NJ PACT and the proposed rules, can be found here: NJPACT-Letter
NJ PACT is short for NJ DEP Protecting Against Climate Threat
