ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE OPPOSES RESERVATION DAM PROJECT

From Essex County Executive Joe Di Vincenzo:

ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO OPPOSES CONSTRUCTION OF DAM AND DETENTION BASIN IN ESSEX COUNTY SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION TO ADDRESS RAHWAY RIVER FLOODING

    

Change would have negative impact on the environment, recreation and roads

Essex County, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that he does not support a proposal to build an 880-foot long, 70-foot tall earthen dam in Essex County South Mountain Reservation and asked the Army Corps of Engineers to look into other strategies to address flooding downstream on the Rahway River. If constructed, the dam would transform a large part of South Mountain Reservation into a “retention basin” for flood waters after heavy storms, close Brookside Drive and create a structure that would tower over any nearby buildings.

“The potential for flooding in Millburn, Cranford and other communities downstream the Rahway River is a serious issue and should be addressed. However, it can’t come at the expense of destroying an natural resource such as South Mountain Reservation and reducing the quality of life for Essex County residents,” DiVincenzo said. “We have always maintained that protecting the reservation was our priority and informed the Mayor’s Council on the Rahway River in the summer of 2013 of this important and unchangeable condition. We also told them to find alternatives that were less detrimental to South Mountain and kept Brookside Drive open,” he added.

Read more HERE.

And background on the local opposition HERE and HERE.