Assenblyman Bodine: Partisanship & Political Ideology Won't Fix State's Flood Problems

BODINE: PARTISANSHIP & POLITICAL IDEOLOGY WON'T FIX STATE'S FLOOD PROBLEMS

Legislative Panel Looks for Better Ways to Help Communities Address Flooding

(EVESHAM) - Assemblyman Francis Bodine today proclaimed the first meeting of the Assembly Statewide Flooding Legislative Panel a success and reiterated his commitment to work on a bipartisan basis to find ways to mitigate future flooding in the state.

Bodine (D-Moorestown) expressed disappointment that some Burlington County mayors sought to "politicize" the flood panel's efforts this week, but the Assemblyman said he understands there is frustration by local officials everywhere who want to see the state do more to help municipalities handle flood issues.

"I'm not going to shy away from this issue because there is an election going on," said Bodine.  "The fact of the matter is that elected officials need to be rolling up their sleeves and joining hands instead of pointing fingers."

The Assemblyman added:  "Flooding problems are not going to be solved by partisanship and political ideology.  The solution is cooperation, not conflict."

Bodine said frustrated local officials do have one very valid point: the state needs to take a more assertive role in helping communities prevent floods and in dealing with the aftermath of flooding when it occurs.

"That is the entire point of this unprecedented legislative task force on flooding," said Bodine.  "We need to cultivate the aspects of this issue to find ways that we can all do a better job on flooding."

The panel was created in the aftermath of the severe flooding caused by last spring's record-setting nor'easter rain storm that dumped upwards of 7 inches of rain across the state.

Bodine said he was pleased with the results of the inaugural four-member bipartisan Assembly Statewide Flooding Legislative Panel in Evesham on Monday, Sept. 24.  The panel took testimony from representatives of environmental, geological, meteorological and flood-control agencies at the state and federal levels.

The panel took expert testimony from representatives of the following agencies and organizations:  the state Division of Watershed Management in the Department of Environmental Protection, the Office of Emergency Management, the New Jersey Water Science Center, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Weather Service, the Coastal Resource Center at Richard Stockton College, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Bodine was accompanied by the panel's vice-chairman Assemblyman Bob Gordon (D-Bergen) and Assemblyman Larry Chatzidakis (R-Burlington), who filled-in for panel member Assemblyman Russo (R-Bergen).

Bodine said he sought Burlington County as the location for the first hearing because so many communities there had been affected by serious flooding in April of this year and in the summer of 2004.  But Bodine said the problems that have been encountered in Burlington are indicative of the flooding that has occurred in other communities across the state.

"Burlington County withstood some of the most serious damage of any New Jersey community, but it is not alone in terms of encountering flood damage," said Bodine.

Bodine said he hopes the panel can hold future hearings in Central Jersey and North Jersey.

"It is crucial that we gather as much information as possible on the contributing factors of periodic flooding in the state and possible solutions and strategies for saving property and human lives," he said.
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