Menendez, Lautenberg Praise Senate Passage of Water Resources Development Act

Washington - U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) hailed the Senate's passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which authorizes more than $450 million in federal funds for Army Corps of Engineers projects in New Jersey.

"Our state stands to gain on the environmental, economic, and public safety fronts because of this bill," said Menendez. "We will benefit from a number of projects to rebuild storm-damaged lands, restore critical ecosystems, improve infrastructure and help prevent future flooding. I am proud to have helped secure these funds for the Garden State and for New Jersey families."

"This bill will improve public safety, bolster our economy and protect New Jersey's beaches and waterways for years to come," said Lautenberg who, as a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, helped author the bill and ushered it through the Senate. "I am proud of our work to write this bill and secure these funds for projects critical to communities across our state."

WRDA authorizes civil works projects by the Army Corps of Engineers, including flood control, hurricane and storm damage reduction, navigation, environmental restoration and infrastructure, and beach replenishment.

New Jersey is particularly dependent upon the activities of the Army Corps, and the Senators applauded the important provisions provided for the state. All together, WRDA authorizes more than $450 million in federal funding worth of projects for the Garden State.

New Jersey WRDA projects include:

"South River project for hurricane and storm damage reduction and ecosystem restoration is authorized for a total of $122,300,000 (estimated federal cost: $79,500,000);

"Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay project in Union Beach for hurricane and storm damage reduction at a total cost of $115,000,000 (estimated federal cost of $74,800,000); beach replenishment at an estimated total cost of $6,500,000 over the 50-year life of the project (estimated federal cost of $3,250,000);

"Manasquan to Barnegat Inlets project for hurricane and storm damage reduction at a total cost of $71,900,000 (estimated federal cost of $46,735,000) and provide for beach replenishment at an estimated total cost of $119,680,000 over the 50-year life of the project (estimated federal cost of $59,840,000);

"Hudson-Raritan Estuary, Liberty State Park project for ecosystem restoration at a total cost of $34,100,000, with an estimated Federal cost of $22,200,000;

"Great Egg Harbor Inlet to Townsends Inlet project for hurricane and storm damage reduction at a total cost of $54,360,000 (estimated federal cost of $35,069,000) and $202,500,000 for periodic replenishment over the 50-year life of the project (estimated federal cost of $101,250,000);

"$1,100,000 environmental infrastructure project for storm sewer improvements in Middletown Township;

"$25,000,000 environmental infrastructure project for sanitary sewer and storm sewer improvements in Rahway Valley;

"$6,000,000 environmental infrastructure project for storm sewer improvements in Cranford Township.