At regionwide Community Meeting #5 on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, Resilient NENJ received feedback on draft recommendations for increasing resilience through projects, programs, and policies. We reported out on the findings of the flood impact and climate hazards assessments, which document the need for both short- and long-term actions. In breakout rooms, participants shared the most important actions to advance, and who should be involved in the process.

We’ll be incorporating feedback into our Draft Action Plan, expected in summer of 2022.

Please check out the meeting presentations and / or recordings and continue to be part of the process! You can share any feedback that you have about draft recommendations with us via this form, and send us any other questions or feedback by email at resilientNENJ@dep.nj.gov or by voicemail at 201-275-0861

Meeting Survey

If you attended the meeting and have thoughts on how it went, please take our meeting survey HERE to let us know!

Presentations

Introductory Presentation

In the introductory presentation, we gave updates on the findings of our flood impact and climate hazards assessments, and provided an overview of the draft action plan.

Breakout 1: Draft actions that will change our built environment

In Breakout 1, we discussed our draft recommendations for actions such as drainage improvements, green infrastructure, and coastal protections that will be physical projects that we can see. We also highlighted policy changes that would also shape our built environment.

Breakout 2: Draft actions that will change how we work together

In Breakout 2, we discussed our draft recommendations for outreach, education, capacity building, policy, governance, programs, services, and emergency management.

Recordings

Introductory presentation: English | Español

Breakout 1: Draft actions that will change our built environment: English | Español

Breakout 2: Draft actions that will change how we work together: English | Español

What did we hear?

All of the feedback that we received at the community meeting is being compiled and reviewed for incorporation into the action plan. We invite you to continue sharing your feedback with this form.

Some key themes that we heard:

• Concerns about increased density and development and how this overwhelms already undersized drainage infrastructure. Participants shared that this points to the need for increased drainage capacity and policies that require redevelopment to manage stormwater.
• Concerns about gentrification associated with redevelopment and with greening of communities, and interest in ways that this can be avoided such as with anti-displacement policies, rent control, and through programs that empower people already living in these spaces.
• Support for the approach of using contaminated sites, vacant sites, and impervious areas to maximize stormwater storage, green infrastructure, and access to green space.
• Excitement about workforce development programs such as a program that would pay and train local leaders to educate community members about how to incorporate sustainable and resilient practices. This could be coupled with tax incentives to support people in installing green infrastructure at their homes.
• Continued feedback about the contribution of clogged catch basins to flooding, which drives the need for adopt-a-catch-basin programs and additional street cleanings and maintenance.
• Continued feedback about conducting engagement that meets people where they are, such as having meetings at senior centers and libraries, and reaching people through houses of worship and community-based organizations