Webinars Offer Insight on NJPACT’s REAL Rules and How Public Can Comment on Them

Coastal flooding in Ocean City, NJ.

Coastal flooding is a growing problem in New Jersey as climate change impacts the state through sea level rise, more frequent storms, and vulnerable sprawling development. 

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) recently proposed rules for Protecting Against Climate Threats through Resilient Environments and Landscapes (NJPACT REAL). These rules, which are designed to protect people and places along the coast, lay out a plan to use nature-based solutions that will help protect communities.  

Unfortunately, they are facing pushback from developers and builders who are prioritizing short-term profits over long-term sustainability.  

Recently, the American Littoral Society and Watershed Institute held advocacy webinars focused on what NJ's REAL Rules actually say. The Littoral Society’s video also offered guidance on the basics of advocacy and best practices for engaging with government officials, so citizens can effectively participate in upcoming opportunities to comment on the rules. 

You can watch the webinars at the following links: 

• NJ PACT REAL Rules, with The Watershed Institute 
• Help Us Speak Out for Responsible Development in New Jersey, with the American Littoral Society 

These webinars aimed to prepare participants to take part in the ongoing public comment opportunities related to adoption of the rules. Upcoming opportunities include: 

• Virtual meetings on Thursday September 12 at 2 PM and Thursday, September 19 at 10 AM 

• Via written comments on or before November 3, 2024. NJDEP encourages submission of comments electronically at: https://dep.nj.gov/rules/rule-comment-form/.  Find more information on submitting comments on the NJDEP website. 

 
In 2020, Gov. Phil Murphy issued Executive Order No. 100, which required NJDEP to begin a regulatory reform effort to help reduce greenhouse gases and other climate pollutant emissions while making our natural and built environments more resilient to the inevitable impacts of climate change.  
These reforms were said to represent a PACT with the current residents of the state to help stave off the worst consequences of climate change and adapt to those already occurring, while also creating a more sustainable and resilient world for our children and grandchildren. 
 
The two overarching PACT initiatives include: 

• Modernizing environmental land use rules to respond to climate change by considering risks such as sea level rise and chronic flooding, and to facilitate climate resilience by supporting green infrastructure and renewable energy. 

• Strengthening air pollution rules to help reduce future greenhouse gas and other climate emissions by improving the State's GHG reporting and inventory system and reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and short-lived climate pollutants. 

  
NJPACT rules would prevent the approval of new projects in areas that we know are unsafe. We must prevent the tragedies seen with Hurricane Ida, where New Jerseyans in affordable housing lost their lives due to flooding. The Governor and NJDEP have the authority to prevent future losses with the immediate release of the NJPACT rules. 
 
During the Littoral Society’s webinar, many participants expressed concern for growing problems facing our coast and the growing severity of storms like hurricanes Fionna, Ida, and Sandy.  
 
While there is some resistance to these new development rules, particularly from developers, the Littoral Society’s webinar was intended to help participants better understand the advocacy process and gain skills that could be used to speak out to policy makers and government leaders on almost any topic.   
 
These best practices for advocacy are outlined in five steps: knowing your power, being kind, telling your story, keeping the focus, and following up with your legislature.  ​