Homes in flood-prone areas could be bought by N.J.

After April?s massive flooding in New Jersey, some residents are saying it?s time the state buy homes in flood-prone areas. Some lawmakers believe they have a partial long-term solution to the flooding.

News 12 Staff

May 2, 2007, 11:05 PM

Updated 6,347 days ago

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After April?s massive flooding in New Jersey, some residents are saying it?s time the state buy homes in flood-prone areas.
Some lawmakers believe they have a partial long-term solution to the flooding. They are trying to expand New Jersey?s Preservation Trust Fund to include millions to purchase homes in flood zones. A voluntary program would be created where the government would buy houses and return the land to open space.
Some residents in Fairfield along the Pompton River say they?ve had enough of the flooding and would be willing to sell.
Experts believe overdevelopment and bad engineering where the Passaic and Pompton rivers meet contribute to the flooding.
?This river was identified in 1935-36 as one of the most flood-prone rivers on the East Coast. The Corps of Engineers was given orders to fix it and it is still one of the most flood-prone rivers on the East Coast,? said Ella Filippone, of the Passaic River Coalition.
Supporters of the buyouts want the issue put on November?s ballot as a public question. The proposal has already cleared one Assembly committee.