The construction of a flood-resistance system to protect Hoboken as well as parts of Weehawken and Jersey City moved another step forward with the federal government’s release of $230 million in project funding, the Departments of Environmental Protection and Community Affairs said.
The release of the funds by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) authorizes the use of the full $230 million through the end of project construction. The project is in the design and environmental permitting phases.
“ This is an important milestone for a project that will provide critical protection for these Hudson River communities, which experienced significant flooding and property damage during Superstorm Sandy in October 2012,” said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin . “ This project serves as a model for how to address threats from storm surge in urban areas and is an important component of our comprehensive statewide effort to make New Jersey more resilient to storms and flooding.”
“ The steady progress being made on the Rebuild by Design-Hudson River project is a result of the strong collaboration between the Departments of Environmental Protection and Community Affairs, both of which have been at the forefront of the state’s Sandy recovery efforts, ” said DCA Commissioner Charles A. Richman . “ We recognize that resiliency initiatives are a critical part of helping New Jersey rebuild stronger from Sandy and look forward to continuing to partner on this innovative project.”
The project, selected for funding as part of a HUD-sponsored national Rebuild By Design (RBD) competition, is the result of a partnership among the DEP, DCA, and the three communities. DCA is administering the funding.
As the HUD-designated grantee, DCA is responsible for providing oversight to ensure HUD compliance, while DEP is facilitating design, permitting, and construction.
Construction is expected to begin in 2019, following formal project design that integrates results of the DEP’s Environmental Impact Statement.
According to the official announcement, construction should be completed by fall 2022.
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