New Jersey environmental advocates are objecting to the Sherrill administration's proposed delay of the state's tougher flood rules, warning it would leave communities under weaker protections against rising water and storm damage for longer.
For homeowners, the issue extends well beyond a policy dispute. The rules help determine what can be built in flood-prone areas and how high new or substantially rebuilt homes must be elevated, shaping both future repair risks and flood insurance costs.
Here's what to know
A fight has emerged over New Jersey's REAL rules, short for Resilient Environment and Landscapes, adopted under former Gov. Phil Murphy. The regulations revised standards for shoreline development, wetlands, stormwater management, and flood hazards, and Gov. Mikie Sherrill's administration is seeking a longer transition period.
According to the New Jersey Globe, the focus is the rules' legacy period, which the state's Department of Environmental Protection wants to keep open while it considers revisions. That provision lets certain permit applications that were filed sufficiently before the REAL rules took effect to continue to be reviewed under the earlier standards.
That original 180-day window closed on July 20. The department has proposed extending it through July 20, 2027, saying it needs more time to consult with municipalities, counties, developers, environmental groups, businesses, and other stakeholders.
The proposal drew a sharp response from Jennifer Coffey, executive director of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions.
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"Rolling back flood protection regulations puts the people of New Jersey directly in harm's way," she said, per the Globe.
More background
The agency has described the REAL rules as a response to climate-related conditions already affecting the state, saying the standards are intended to account for sea-level rise, more intense weather, and chronic flooding across many New Jersey communities.
The department said more than 500,000 acres statewide are highly vulnerable to coastal hazards, while about two-thirds of New Jersey's coastline already faces high or very high coastal-erosion risk. It also projected that 98% of the coastline will face medium to very high risk from sea-level rise.
Building standards tied to flood elevations can affect how costly it is to rebuild after a storm, what kinds of projects are allowed to move forward in vulnerable areas, and how much financial strain homeowners may face over time.
From the perspective of environmental groups, slowing or weakening the rules would work against efforts to make communities more resilient at a time when flood threats are continuing to grow.
What's being done?
The department's review is meant to find narrower amendments that could make permitting more efficient while still protecting life and property. The department also said the extra time would allow more input before any final decision is made on whether the REAL rules should be changed.
Environmental advocates, however, want the administration to maintain and strengthen the regulations rather than allow more development to proceed under older standards. They have argued that tougher flood protections are ultimately about public safety, not just permitting mechanics.
"This regulatory backsliding is at the request of big developers who have sowed disinformation about the REAL rules to the benefit of their own profit margins," Coffey said. "We urge Governor Sherrill to re-adopt strong flood protection regulations immediately to protect the lives and homes of New Jersey residents."
Where can I learn more?
New Jersey's fight over flood rules is part of a growing reckoning over rising water, rebuilding risks, and insurance costs.
• In New Jersey, officials weighed extraordinary new flood rules that could affect millions of residents.
• In California, insurers have retreated as long-term effects for homeowners ripple through the market.
• Louisiana officials faced backlash as an insurance crisis deepened for weather-ravaged homeowners.
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