DESCRIPTION: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), is conducting a General Reevaluation Study to reevaluate the feasibility of implementing flood risk management measures within the Green Brook Upper Basin in the municipalities of Plainfield, North Plainfield, Scotch Plains, Watchung in Somerset and Union Counties, New Jersey. The Green Brook Upper Basin is part of the overall Green Brook Flood Risk Management Project, which also consists of the Lower Basin and the Stony Brook Basin. The Green Brook Flood Risk Management Project was authorized in 1986, and initiated construction within the Lower Basin in 1999. A Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement with NJDEP was executed on September 8, 2022 to initiate that General Reevaluation Study.

AUTHORIZATION: The project is authorized by Public Law (P.L.) 99-162 Section 401.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: The goal of the GRR is to reduce flood risk to vulnerable population and reduce economic and social impacts from riverine flooding in the Upper Basin. 

The following objectives were identified for the study:

• To reduce the flood vulnerability of communities in the study area, especially communities with environmental justice concerns, by reducing economic damages and life loss, and improving community resilience in the study area;
• To preserve, maintain and to, the extent possible, enhance the resources of the existing natural, cultural, and historic resources in the project area;
• To reduce flood risk to critical infrastructure (hospitals, municipal buildings, emergency response facilities and transportation corridors) in the study area by reducing disruption to the operation of public health and safety services;
• To preserve to the extent possible existing open space areas and associated recreational opportunities in the project area; and
• To provide a plan that is compatible with existing and planned USACE FRM projects within the basin.

STATUS: USACE will be initiating the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Scoping Period from December 4, 2023 until January 19, 2024  to obtain public and agency feedback on the preliminary alternatives listed below that were developed in coordination with NJDEP and study stakeholders. In addition, the USACE and NJDEP will be holding a series of NEPA Scoping Meetings.  Refer to enclosed notice in the Scoping Period and Meeting Notice section of this webpage. Click on text in blue to view related fact sheets and documents:

• Alternative 1: No Action Plan
• Alternative 2: Green Brook channel modification and New Providence Gorge dam with a detention basin  
• Alternative 4: Nonstructural 
• Alternative 5a: Combination Plan 1: Floodwalls & levees, channel modification, nonstructural measures and natural and nature based features (NNBF)              
• Alternative 5b: Combination Plan 2: Channel modification, nonstructural measures, and natural and NNBF 

Note that any additional meetings will be announced separately and posted to the study webpage: www.nan.usace.army.mil/GRR. Additionally, we will also post any announcements regarding cancellations or postponements of any scheduled meetings by Noon (12:00pm) the day of the meeting on the study webpage.

The study schedule is listed in the below table.

CONTACT:

Edward Wrocenski
Project Manager
P: (917) 790-8636
Email: edward.wrocenski@usace.army.mil OR greenbrookfrmproject@usace.army.mil
Programs and Project Management Division
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278

http://www.nan.usace.army.mil

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: NJ-6, NJ-7, NJ-12