President Biden tours damage in Manville, N.J., in aftermath of Tropical Storm Ida.
POLICY
In Wake of Ida, DEP Looks to Buy More Flood-Prone Properties
Federal money may be available to expand popular Blue Acres program, state says
JON HURDLE / NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS – New Jersey’s top environmental official says the state will expand its program that buys private properties in flood-prone areas after the devastation caused by Ida, but warned that any plan to move whole communities out of harm’s way is beyond the state’s means, and would require federal help.
Shawn LaTourette, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, said the state now has the money to buy some additional properties, and will do so, thanks to the Legislature’s decision in 2019 to dedicate more revenue to the so-called Blue Acres program from the Corporation Business Tax …
