BLOOMFIELD, NJ – Governor Murphy announced an added $50 Million in funds towards the Blue Acres Program, which buys flood-damaged or flood prone homes at market-price for demolition and turns the land into open air spaces usable for recreational purposes or wetland conservation.
“We know that the uptick we’ve seen in high-damage storms and hurricanes isn’t slowing down. We will see more storms and we will see more flooding. What we want to see less of is the destruction of family homes and businesses and the upending of people’s lives. Now is the time for us to think proactively about how to minimize storm damage to our community,” said Mayor Michael Venezia. “I really want to encourage Bloomfield residents that live or work in flood prone homes and businesses to look into The Blue Acres Program and reach out to our Engineering Department for more information on how this might directly benefit you, especially in the future.”
The Blue Acres Program, which functions under the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), began in 2013 and has made offers on about 1,100 properties in 20 towns across the state. As of February, $200 million has been spent and about 700 houses have been demolished. The added $50 million in the Blue Acres program is the first phase of Gov. Murphy’s Ida recovery strategy which will use all available federal Ida disaster money to launch several programs over the coming months.
“No New Jerseyan should have to see their life’s work washed away by devastating rain and floodwaters," said Governor Phil Murphy. “As New Jersey continues to experience more extreme weather events, we must become proactive in our approach to protect the communities and businesses that continue to bear the brunt of flooding and damage from these storms.”
Bloomfield residents interested in applying should visit the NJDEP website to learn more information about the program: https://dep.nj.gov/blueacres/. If you have any questions or require assistance in submitting the application, please contact the Bloomfield Engineering Department at: (973) 680-4009.