Sherrill, Pascrell Urge Inclusion of the Peckman River Project in President’s Budget

Funding crucial to protect home, business owners as flood season begins.

Parsippany, NJ — U.S. Representatives Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09) today urged President Biden to include the Peckman River Project in his administration’s budget request to Congress for Fiscal Year 2022 at the highest possible level of funding.

“The Army Corps of Engineers’ report recommends a federal funding contribution of not less than 35% of the project’s total cost, and up to 50% for structural flood risk management measures. This urgently needed investment in critical infrastructure will provide relief for chronically flood-affected communities in our districts,” the Members wrote.

On April 29, 2020, the Army Corps of Engineers published a Flood Risk Management Feasibility Report on the Peckman River Basin in New Jersey. The report recommends the construction of flood damage mitigating structures such as culverts, weirs, levees and flood walls, and channel modifications to reduce the risk of flooding to the communities of Little Falls and Woodland Park, New Jersey. The 116th Congress authorized the Peckman River Project in December 2020 but did not include it in end-of-year appropriations.

The text of the Members’ letter is provided below:

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

President of the United States

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Biden:

On April 29, 2020 the Army Corps of Engineers published a Flood Risk Management Feasibility Report on the Peckman River Basin in New Jersey. The report recommends the construction of flood damage mitigating structures such as culverts, weirs, levees and flood walls, and channel modifications to reduce the risk of flood to the communities of Little Falls and Woodland Park, New Jersey. Lieutenant General Todd Semomite, U.S. Army Chief of Engineers described the project in a handwritten addendum to that report as a “critical project that reduces flood damages and life safety risks in a densely populated area.”

We write to urge you to include the Peckman River Project in your administration’s budget request to Congress for Fiscal Year 2022 at the highest possible level of funding. The Army Corps of Engineers’ report recommends a federal funding contribution of not less than 35% of the project’s total cost, and up to 50% for structural flood risk management measures. This urgently needed investment in critical infrastructure will provide relief for chronically flood-affected communities in our districts.

The 116th Congress authorized the Peckman River Project in December 2020 but did not include it in end-of-year appropriations. As we enter another flood season in New Jersey, we urge you to prioritize the needs of small business owners and homeowners whose property may suffer catastrophic damage or be destroyed without immediate federal investments in flood resiliency and risk management. We appreciate your consideration of this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

###