For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Jackie Greger, Jackie.Greger@sierraclub.org
NJ Hit with Fatal Heat & Flash Flooding While Delaying Climate Rules & Legislation
New Jersey - Over the Fourth of July weekend, New Jersey was hit by a days-long, record-breaking heatwave, with many towns experiencing temperatures as high as 105 degrees. The Star Ledger has estimated that 29 New Jerseyans have lost their lives due to the extreme temperatures and at least one person died in the flash flooding from thunderstorms that struck New Jersey.
Amidst the storms, thousands lost power and were left in the dark and heat without air-conditioning. Even four days later, thousands of people were still without power and there are more severe thunderstorms projected for late this week.
The intense weather also resulted in countless delays to NJ Transit during one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year and FIFA World Cup games.
In response, NJ Sierra Club Director, Anjuli Ramos-Busot, issued the following statement:
“The Fourth of July in New Jersey usually marks the kickoff of summer celebrations across the state. Instead, what we saw was climate chaos - dangerous heat, public transit delays, intense thunderstorms, and life-threatening flash flooding.
Unfortunately, we clearly continue to see that our electric grid is not resilient or prepared for these severe weather and climate impacts as New Jersey families lost power, were left in the heat, and in the dark.
We need urgent action now to protect residents from not only the very real, physical danger of climate events, but also the financial and emotional burden left after storms. Just last week, the NJ legislature failed to post and vote on the Make Polluters Pay for an Affordable NJ Act, (A3735 (Collazos-Gill) /S2338 (McKeon), a critical piece of legislation that not only holds polluters accountable but generates funding for climate change adaptation and resiliency projects, like flood protection, stormwater protection, and transportation infrastructure.
Despite a long list of sponsors in both the Senate and the Assembly, this bill did not make it to the finish line and now, New Jerseyans will continue to pay the price of Trenton’s inaction.
Asbury Park saw severe flash flooding on Monday near brand-new condo developments. The massive luxury boom is making the impact of these storms significantly worse. What’s even worse is that the state decided to delay critical, life-saving flooding and stormwater resilience rules. The NJ PACT REAL rules, a package of protections, would ensure new buildings are constructed above FEMA flood-levels. The rules were officially adopted in January of this year and were set to begin implementation in late July. However the NJDEP announced in June that the rules would be delayed one year to ensure a “balanced framework and achieved permitting efficiency.” Delaying the implementation of the REAL rules leaves a critical year-long gap where new projects like the ones in Asbury Park, can legally be built using outdated, flood vulnerable standards.
The past days of devastating extreme heat and flash flooding are and have been a warning that climate change is no longer a distant threat, but is a current crisis hammering New Jersey communities.
We urge the legislature, the Sherrill Administration, and its NJDEP to work together to enact and move forward these lifesaving accountability and resilience measures so we can truly help New Jerseyans persevere with severe weather and climate change impacts. We need to quickly implement the strongest version of the NJ PACT REAL rules, pass the Make Polluters Pay for an Affordable NJ Act, and modernize our electric grid without industry driven delays. Opponents continue to say these climate rules and legislation will be a costly burden on local taxpayers, but these storms are literally costing people’s lives, 30 so far just this year, and billions of dollars to municipalities, the state and taxpayers. It’s time to stop prioritizing corporate profits over public safety. It’s time to act now.”
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About the Sierra Club: The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information about our work in New Jersey, visit www.sierraclub.org/new-jersey