US Army Corps of Engineers
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EPA Lower Passaic River
Community Advisory Group
Tom Shea, PMPProject Manager
12 March 2015
Passaic River Flood Risk Management Projects
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Passaic River Main Stem Project
• Studies began in 1900
• USACE became involved in 1936, 1976 study authority
required a “comprehensive” solution
• Feasibility Study completed in 1987, recommended
the “Tunnel Plan”
• Congress authorized the project in WRDA 1990
• USACE initiated Pre-Construction Engineering and
Design (PED) in 1987 and stopped in 1995 when it
completed a draft General Design Memo
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Passaic River Main Stem Project
• Effort was halted in 1995 at the request of the State
of New Jersey
• Project was further restricted by Section 327(i),
WRDA 2000, which forbids the obligation of funds for
the design or construction of the tunnel element
• The Main Stem portion of the project was never
constructed, other separable elements were (Minish,
Oakland, Molly Ann's Brook)
• The authorized plan includes tidal levees/floodwalls in
Newark, Kearny and Harrison
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Passaic River Flood Risk Management Projects
Tidal Passaic
RiverPassaic Main
Stem
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• Apr 2010 – Governor Christie created Passaic River
Basin Flood Advisory Commission through Executive
Order 23
• Jan 2011 – Commission recommended reevaluation
of the Passaic River Basin for long-term flood damage
reduction at a cost of $15 million
• Mar 2011 – Letter from Governor Christie to Chief of
Engineers that requested support of
• Preservation of Natural Flood Storage Areas
• Reevaluation of the Passaic River Main Stem Study
Restart of the Passaic Main Stem
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1. Levees and Floodwalls� Alternative 14A from 1987
2. Levees, Floodwalls and Channel Modification� Alternative 16A from 1987
3. Tunnel� Duel Inlet – Newark Bay Outlet Tunnel Diversion (authorized plan)
4. Beatties Dam / Two Bridges Improvements � Plan requested by NJDEP in 2011
5. Nonstructural � 10 Year Flood, 1987 plan
6. No Action
Passaic Main Stem
Alternatives in Phase 1
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Passaic Main Stem
Preliminary Alternative Analysis Report
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• Submitted to NJDEP and HQUSACE in Sep 13.
� Reaffirmed that the Tunnel Diversion plan remains the
National Economic Development Plan and the non-structural
and levee/floodwall plans were marginally economically
justified.
• In Feb 2014, NJDEP requested that the District pursue the
following three alternatives:
1) Nonstructural alternative,
2) Alternative 14A (levee and floodwall), and
3) Tunnel Diversion Plan
• Public Information Sessions were held late March/early April
2014 to discuss the status of the study and describe the three
alternatives above
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Passaic Main Stem Path Forward
Preliminary Benefit-to-Cost Ratios Feb 2016
Submit Pre-Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP) Summary Report to NAD Sep 2016
Conduct Pre-TSP Briefing to HQUSACE Sep 2016
Phase 1 Complete Nov 2016
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Passaic River Flood Risk Management Projects
Tidal Passaic
RiverPassaic Main Stem
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Passaic River Tidal Protection Area
• An original component of the overall Passaic River Main Stem
• Broken out as a separate study in USACE Second Interim Report
to Congress, in accordance with PL 113-2 (Sandy Recovery)
• GRR fully funded by Sandy Recovery, although cost-shared
(non-Fed is financed by Fed)
• 3 year and $3M evaluation phase to update costs and
alignment and complete consideration of impacts to the
environment.
• Estimated construction cost is $300M, to be funded by Sandy
Recovery to the extend that funds remain, then go to annual
appropriations
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Passaic River Tidal Protection Area
• Damages caused by the tidal surge flooding
• Severe flooding in all three communities – Harrison, Kearny
and Newark
• Storm surge affected highly developed industrial, commercial,
and residential areas.
• Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission Plant – overflow, flooded,
months to reopen
• PATH, AMTRAK, & NJ Transit – Flooded; FEMA dewatering
mission
• Numerous electrical substations flooded
• Damage to property was sustained; one death reported
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Light Shade Blue is FEMA 100 yr flood zone
Red lines are Authorized Project levees and
floodwalls
Passaic River Tidal Protection Area
Minish Waterfront Project
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Milestone Dates
Draft GRR 20-Apr-16
Chief’s Report 05-Jul-17
Report to Congress 26-Sep-17
Schedule for Passaic Tidal Protection Area
General Reevaluation Report
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Contacts
• USACE Project Manager:
Tom Shea, PMP
(917) 790-8304
or
Preliminary Alternatives Analysis Report can be found at:
www.nan.usace.army.mil/passaic
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