The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Blue Acres program, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has launched a $3.5 million project to buy out flood-prone residential properties in Cranford Township, Union County, marking the beginning of a partnership that is expected to expand the availability of additional USDA buyout funds in flood-prone communities across the state.
The Cranford project specifically targets homes that were flooded along Orchard Brook. The buyouts are funded entirely by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection program, established for emergency recovery work including the purchase of floodplain property buyouts.
This project, and similar DEP-USDA partnership projects expected to be launched in other communities, expands the reach of the state’s post-Ida disaster recovery projects, which to date have been primarily funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Community Development Block Grant programs.
“We are extremely pleased to partner with USDA and announce this additional source of funding that will provide more fuel for the state’s buyout program and support New Jersey residents seeking to move out of areas plagued by repeated flooding,” said Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “Cranford’s leadership sets a great example for other communities to follow by making sure its residents are informed about their options for escaping the threat of flooding and supporting decisions to relocate. There’s no doubt these buyouts will provide much needed relief to property owners in Cranford and in other communities going forward.”
“Through these voluntary buyouts, the NRCS is committed to working with NJ DEP’s Blue Acres program to acquire at-risk properties and restore the land to a natural state. This approach helps protect the surrounding community by increasing flood storage capacity and preventing future development in high-risk zones,” said Julie Hawkins, New Jersey-NRCS State Conservationist. “The program is especially valuable where structural solutions like levees or flood walls are ineffective or financially unsustainable. Once a property is purchased, it is restricted to open space use, ensuring that flood-prone areas are preserved for conservation and community safety.”
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