Pascrell Announces Funding for Cresskill Flood Prevention

In wake of catastrophic storm damage, congressman had requested support for flood prevention study

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today announced that the Biden administration has agreed to his request that they provide funding to initiate a study on the Tenakill Brook to protect Cresskill, New Jersey from future flood events. Tropical Storm Ida caused the brook to overflow its banks and caused upwards of $20 million in damage to the borough. The feasibility study will start to be paid for with funds from the landmark infrastructure law passed by Congress last year.

In a January 4, 2022 letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Pascrell had called for urgent funding to commence the flooding study, supporting requests for help from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The Army Corps today announced that $50,000 will be directed to initiate a feasibility study under section 205 of the Flood Control Act.

“Hurricane Ida inflicted enormous damage on our Cresskill community in North Jersey,” said Rep. Pascrell. “The costs to our town were so catastrophic, and Cresskill neighbors are still sifting through the wreckage. Working with the state, we asked for help and the Biden administration listened. It is essential that our government provide resources to understand precisely why the damage was so extensive and learn what we can do to protect towns like Cresskill when the next storm rears its ugly head.”

“We are very thankful for Congressman Pascrell’s help to address this serious problem,” said Cresskill Mayor Benedict Romeo. “Cresskill residents welcome this announcement and believe a solution to manage flooding issues can help the town immensely. Bill Pascrell truly cares about all the people.”

“We can’t thank Congressman Pascrell enough for all his work on flooding issues and the school renovation. His announcement today is a huge step towards saving the future of education in Cresskill,” said Cresskill Public Schools Superintendent Michael Burke.

Rep. Pascrell has worked closely with Cresskill leaders since Ida devastated the community. The storm caused the closure of the Cresskill middle and high school building, displacing hundreds of students since the beginning of the school year. Rep. Pascrell has also organized meetings between his office and Cresskill community leaders to ensure continued communication between the borough and federal agencies.

Rep. Pascrell fought for emergency supplemental funding to help families, small businesses, and communities hammered by Hurricane Ida. In September 2021, Pascrell voted in favor of H.R. 5305, the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, which passed the House on a bipartisan 254-to-175 vote and was signed by President Biden. The law provides $28.6 billion in emergency disaster funding to address the rising cost of climate change including major disasters declared in 2021 and prior years, such as Hurricanes Ida. Included in this funding is $100 million for the USACE to study potential projects that would reduce risk from future floods and hurricanes and $3 billion to accelerate construction of flood and storm damage reduction projects to reduce risk from future floods and hurricanes.

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