Two bill sponsored by state Senator Raj Mukherji (D-32) to allow a $160 million allocation for Jersey City and Hoboken water projects cleared the full Senate yesterday.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Jersey City and Hoboken residents are tired of water main breaks and rising utility costs. As environmental protection initiatives continue to be slashed on the federal level, it is absolutely essential that our infrastructure is designed to protect New Jerseyans from escalating environmental threats,” Mukherji said in a statement.
“Now more than ever, communities need support to fund crucial infrastructure projects that ensure access to safe, clean water and safeguard our state from climate change. Financing infrastructure projects in two urban coastal cities like Hoboken and Jersey City, for example, are pivotal in protecting residents from the numerous impacts of intensifying storms, flooding, and the century-old water and sewer infrastructure beneath us.”
The financing would come from the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank, which in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, has provided low-interest loans through the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program.
Their goal is to help municipalities in the Garden State fund critical water, sewer, and other environmental infrastructure improvements.
Bill S-4220 would authorize the infrastructure bank to make low-interest long-term loans to local government units or privately-owned water companies to help finance numerous water infrastructure projects across New Jersey.
This support is provided to enhance and protect ground and surface water resources, ensure the safety of drinking water supplies, as well as promote responsible and sustainable economic development.
The other bill, S-4217, would authorize the infrastructure bank to expend up to $13 million in loans for Community Hazard Assistance Mitigation projects in four municipalities, including Jersey City.
The Community Hazard Assistance Mitigation Program (CHAMP) was established in 2023 to implement the federal Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act.
Through this program, the infrastructure bank, with support from FEMA, provides financing for projects that reduce the risk of damage from severe storms and flooding and help lower insurance costs as these events become more frequent and intense.
Both pieces of legislation were approved by the Senate 36-0, with four members not voting.