Five towns along the Passaic River stand to receive $3 million in federal funding for flood mitigation work after Rep. Tom Kean Jr. included the project in a House spending bill.
Kean, a Republican representing New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, visited Passaic River Park in Berkeley Heights on Monday, Oct. 26, to tour the area where the money would be spent, according to a press release from his office.
The Passaic River Regional Flood Mitigation Project would clear debris and obstructions from clogged tributaries feeding into the Passaic River and reinforce eroding stream banks in Berkeley Heights, Long Hill, New Providence, Summit and Chatham Borough.
The funding has not been finalized. The $3 million was included in a House appropriations bill through the Community Project Funding process, but the legislation still requires Senate approval and a presidential signature before money is released.
Kean's office initially requested $4 million for the project when it submitted 20 Community Project Funding proposals to the House Appropriations Committee in April. The amount included in the House bill came in at $3 million.
Berkeley Heights Mayor Angie Devanney called the funding an important step toward protecting homes, businesses and families in the five communities. She credited the regional partnership among the towns for moving the project forward.
“Flooding doesn’t stop at municipal borders, and neither can our efforts to address it,” said Berkeley Heights Township Mayor Angie Devanney. “This $3 million federal investment in the Passaic River Regional Flood Mitigation Project is an important step toward protecting homes, businesses and families in Berkeley Heights and our neighboring communities. I’m grateful to Congressman Kean for championing this funding and proud of the regional partnership we’ve built to turn shared concerns into meaningful action.”
New Providence Mayor Al Morgan said the towns joined together to work with Kean on the issue. Morgan said in the press release that residents know firsthand how devastating the flooding can be and expressed gratitude for the federal support.
Summit Mayor Elizabeth Fagan said severe storms have become more frequent and that residents continue to lose land and suffer property damage. She called the funding a critical investment in building more resilient communities.
The project targets what Kean's office described as the most-clogged stretches of Passaic River tributaries. Crews would perform debris removal and de-snagging to improve the tributaries' capacity to carry water during storms. The work is also expected to reduce soil erosion and protect water quality, according to the press release.
“Residents in the area know the detrimental impacts of the Passaic River Basin flooding,” said Congressman Kean. “Local municipalities have experienced repeated and severe flooding events in recent years, resulting in significant public safety hazards, damage to public infrastructure, damage to property, roadway closures, emergency response impacts, and disruption to residents and businesses. I am pleased to secure this federal funding to ensure that families in these communities are safe and can continue to live in their homes.”
Separately, the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, which passed the House in September, authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide emergency streambank erosion and shoreline protection assistance along Salt Brook in Summit and advanced flood mitigation studies in the Passaic River Basin, WRNJ Radio reported. That legislation's authorization does not itself mean construction funding has been approved.
Kean's office said the congressman has secured more than $14.5 million for water infrastructure projects across the 7th District since taking office through the Community Project Funding process. In July, his office announced that 18 such requests totaling $17,765,906 were included in House funding bills for fiscal year 2027.
The Township of Berkeley Heights is listed as the grant recipient. No timeline for construction has been announced.
