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A5042
ASSEMBLY, No.
5042
STATE OF
NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MAY 11, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman� JOE DANIELSEN
District 17 (Middlesex and
Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
���� Establishes a pilot program
for State flood monitoring and rainfall sensing; appropriates $2 million.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
establishing pilot program for State flood monitoring
and rainfall sensing and making an appropriation.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a.� There is established
in the Department of Environmental Protection a two-year pilot program to be
known as the �Flood Monitoring Pilot Program.�� The purpose of the pilot
program shall be to facilitate comprehensive, continuous, economical, and
responsive flood monitoring systems across the State, particularly in
flood-prone areas of the State, in furtherance of State and local flood
prevention.� Through the program, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection
shall collaborate with the Davidson Laboratory at Stevens Institute of
Technology in order to oversee Statewide flood monitoring, rainfall sensing,
prediction, and analysis.��
���� b.� Under the pilot program,
the commissioner shall collaborate with Stevens to:
���� (1) establish three regions of
analysis for flood monitoring and rainfall sensing, one in each the northern,
central, and southern areas of the State;
���� (2) install as many flood and
rainfall sensors as necessary in each municipality selected as a site for flood
and rainfall monitoring through the program, with 10 municipalities in each
designated region, and coordinate with local authorities to obtain necessary
permissions for the deployment of the sensors by the Davidson Laboratory team;
���� (3) ensure the appropriate
staffing of qualified post-doctorate researchers at the Stevens Institute of
Technology, in order to support pilot program operations;
���� (4) conduct flood risk
assessments based on available radar coverage and deployed flood sensors;
���� (5) report on flood risk and
rainfall prediction assessments in each region based on available data;
���� (6) identify best practices in
flood monitoring; and
���� (7) monitor cost-savings and flood
risk reduction realized by sites of flood monitoring or rainfall sensing.
���� c.� Preference for flood
monitoring system installation through the pilot program shall be given to
municipalities and properties located in flood-prone areas, inundation risk
zones, floodways, and flood fringe areas in accordance with the �Flood Hazard Area
Control Act,� P.L.1962, c.19 (C.58:16A-50 et seq.).
���� d.� The commissioner, working
with Stevens, shall collaborate with municipalities to ensure that monitor and
sensor installments comply with municipal zoning ordinances, building codes,
land use master plan storm resiliency strategies, land use master plan green
building elements, land use master plan environmental sustainability elements,
or climate change related hazard vulnerability assessments, in accordance with
the �Municipal Land Use Law,� P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-1 et seq.).
���� e.� Through the pilot program,
the commissioner and Stevens Institute for Technology may collaborate with
other flood monitoring research organizations and solicit federal funds to
support the pilot project.� Nothing in this act shall preclude the Department
of Environmental Protection from receiving any other public or private funds
that may be available for flood monitoring and rainfall sensing program
development.�
���� f.� No later than six months
following the completion of the pilot program, the commissioner shall submit a
report on the outcomes of the program to the Governor, and to the Legislature,
pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1).� The report shall
contain information on: best practices in flood monitoring; program data;
methods and outcomes of data analysis; any cost-savings or flood risk reduction
realized by sites of flood monitoring or rainfall sensing; an outline of
program revenues and expenditures; and the advisability of the establishment of
similar programs on a permanent basis.
���� 2.��� The Commissioner of
Environmental Protection shall, in accordance with the "Administrative
Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and
regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
���� 3.��� There is appropriated
from the General Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection the sum of
$2,000,000 in order to effectuate the purposes of this act.� Of the amounts
appropriated, not less than $1,500,000 shall be dedicated to administration and
support of the pilot program by Stevens Institute for Technology.�
���� 4. This act shall take effect
six months following enactment and shall expire two years thereafter.
STATEMENT
���� This bill establishes a
two-year pilot program for Statewide flood monitoring, rainfall sensing,
prediction, and analysis, to be implemented by the Davidson Laboratory at
Stevens Institute of Technology, and to be known as the �Flood Monitoring Pilot
Program.�� The purpose of the pilot program shall be to facilitate
comprehensive, continuous, economical, and responsive flood monitoring systems
across the State, particularly in flood-prone areas of the State, in
furtherance of the State and local flood prevention. Flood monitoring and
rainfall sensors installed by the lab provide an economical and efficient
source of water level and rainfall data to municipalities, which contribute to
a comprehensive strategy for State and local flood prevention. �Sensors
installed by the Davidson Laboratory are low-cost, are powered by solar panels
for continuous operation, and connect wirelessly to alarms within properties.
Sensors alert residents when water levels begin to rise, providing residents
with time to take protective action.
���� The bill appropriates $2
million from the General Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection, to
be credited to Stevens Institute for Technology, in order to effectuate the
pilot program.� Of the appropriated amounts, $1.5 million are allocated for
administration and support of the pilot program by the Davidson Laboratory.
���� Under the pilot program, the
Commissioner of Environmental Protection (commissioner) is to collaborate with
the Davidson Laboratory at the Stevens Institute for Technology to establish
three regions of analysis for flood monitoring and rainfall sensing, one in
each the northern, central, and southern regions of the State. �In each
municipality selected as a site for flood monitoring and analysis, the Davidson
Laboratory shall install as man rainfall sensors as necessary.� The Davidson
Laboratory shall select 10 municipalities in each designated region, and
coordinate with local authorities to obtain necessary permissions for the
deployment of the sensors by the team at the Stevens Institute of Technology. �The
program is also to involve flood risk assessments based on available radar
coverage and deployed flood sensors, regional reports on flood risk and
rainfall prediction assessment, identification of best practices in flood
monitoring, and observation of cost savings and flood risk reduction realized
by municipalities.
���� Preference for flood
monitoring system installation is to be given to properties located in
flood-prone areas, inundation risk zones, floodways, and flood fringe areas in
accordance with the �New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act,� P.L.1962, c.19
(C.58:16A-50 et seq.). �The commissioner is directed to collaborate with
municipalities to ensure that monitor and sensor installments comply with
municipal zoning ordinances, building codes, land use master plan storm
resiliency strategies, green buildings and environmental sustainability plan
elements, or climate change related hazard vulnerability assessments, in
accordance with the �New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law,� P.L.1975, c.291
(C.40:55D-1 et seq.). The commissioner is authorized to consider cooperative
efforts across municipalities, collaboration with other flood monitoring
research organizations, and the solicitation of federal, public, or private
funds that may be available to support the pilot project.
���� Within six months of the
conclusion of the pilot program, commissioner is to report on the outcomes of
the program to the Governor and the Legislature. �The report is to contain
information on best practices in flood monitoring, flood monitoring and
rainfall sensing data collected during the program, methods and outcomes of
data analysis, any cost savings or flood risk reduction realized by sites of
flood monitoring or rainfall sensing, an outline of program revenues and
expenditures, and the advisability of the establishment of similar programs on
a permanent basis.