[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26053]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 2796, WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 3, 2000

  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to thank Congressman Bob 
Franks and Congressman Bob Menendez for including critical flood 
control research funding in the 2000 Water Resources Development Act 
for the State of New Jersey.
  This issue is a matter of great importance to each of our districts 
and all of our constituents. Our home state is confronted with an array 
of complex challenges related to the environment and economic 
development. However, one issue in particular, the over development of 
land, is of special concern because of its impact on our watersheds and 
floodplains, and economic activity throughout the state.
  As many of my colleagues already know, this past August vast parts of 
northern New Jersey were devastated by flooding caused by severe 
rainfall. The resulting natural disaster threatened countless homes, 
bridges and roads, not to mention the health, safety and welfare of 
area residents. The total figure for damages in Sussex and Morris 
Counties has been estimated at over $50 million, and area residents are 
still fighting to restore some degree of normalcy to their lives.
  While the threat of future floods continues to plague the region, one 
New Jersey institution is taking concrete steps to prevent another 
catastrophe. The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) has been 
studying the challenges posed by flooding and stormwater flows for some 
time, and is interested in forming a multi-agency federal partnership 
to continue this important research.
  NJIT is one of our state's premier research institutions and is 
uniquely equipped to carry out this critical stormwater research. The 
university has a long and distinguished tradition of responding to 
difficult public-policy challenges such as environmental emissions 
standards, aircraft noise, traffic congestion and alternative energy.
  More broadly, NJIT has demonstrated an institutional ability to 
direct its intellectual resources to the examination of problems beyond 
academia, and its commitment to research allows it to serve as a 
resource for unbiased technological information and analysis.
  An excellent opportunity for NJIT to partner with the federal 
government and solve the difficult problem of flood control has 
presented itself in the 2000 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).
  At the request of Congressman Bob Franks and Congressman Bob 
Menendez, the final version of this important legislation includes a 
provision directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop and 
implement a stormwater flood control project in New Jersey and report 
back to Congress within three years on its progress.
  While the Corps of Engineers is familiar with this problem at the 
national level, it does not have the firsthand knowledge and experience 
in New Jersey that NJIT has accrued in its 119 years of service. I know 
that Congressman Franks and Menendez have already submitted statements 
requesting NJIT participate in this important research, and I urge the 
Army Corps to agree to their proposal. Including NJIT's expertise and 
experience in this research effort is a logical step and would greatly 
benefit the Army Corps, as well as significantly improve the project's 
chances of success.
  I urge the New York District of Corps of Engineers to work closely 
with my colleagues and me to ensure NJIT's full participation in this 
study. By working together, we can create a nexus between the 
considerable flood control expertise of the Army Corps and NJIT, and 
finally solve this difficult problem for the people of New Jersey. I 
hope my colleagues will support efforts towards this end.

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