Burlington County Selected to Undertake New Climate Change Study
Burlington County is partnering with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), the Pinelands Alliance, and five municipalities to launch a new climate change resiliency study centered on the county’s southwest Pinelands region.
The Burlington County Southwest Pinelands Regional Resiliency Study will assess the climate change threats facing Evesham, Medford, Medford Lakes, Shamong, and Tabernacle, and how those towns might improve their resiliency against future wildfires, storms, heatwaves, and other climate challenges.
“Climate change is no longer abstract or theoretical; it’s now a physical reality impacting our communities and infrastructure,” said Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel, liaison to the County Department of Resource Conservation. “No part of Burlington County is immune, and Burlington County’s Pinelands towns are increasingly at risk from more frequent and intense wildfires, inland flooding, droughts, heatwaves, storms, and other impacts from climate change. These threats require multiple levels of government to work together, and we’re grateful to have the DEP’s support, and the help of the Pinelands Alliance, for this regional planning initiative. We believe it will help our county and municipalities become more resilient and ready for the climate challenges we face.”
“Floodwaters, extreme heat, and wildfires do not stop at municipal boundaries. These shared climate hazards require regional action, informed by the latest climate science, to protect public health and safety,” said NJDEP Commissioner Potosnak. “The addition of these new regional planning groups ensures that communities are taking proactive measures that don’t just plan for the next storm but drive solid investments in natural systems and infrastructure to further deliver on the Sherrill Administration’s priority of mitigating flooding.”
Improving resiliency in the Pinelands
The Burlington County study will be led by the NJDEP through its Resilient NJ program and the Burlington County Department of Public Works’ Regional Planning office, with input from the five municipalities and the Pinelands Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy group dedicated to protecting New Jersey’s Pinelands through collaborative action, research, and education.
The DEP will provide funding to support professional planners, engineers, ecologists, designers, and other experts who will participate to identify climate vulnerabilities and create resiliency action plans.
The group will analyze climate data, impacts from past events, demographics, and environmental data. Community input will also be solicited with online tools and in-person workshops.
Burlington County and the participating municipalities will also be eligible to receive funding from a DEP grant of up to $350,000 to support resiliency actions identified during the planning process.
“From severe storms and floods to wildfires and droughts, climate change threatens many Burlington County farms, forests, infrastructure, and water supplies,” said New Jersey Assemblywoman Andrea Katz. “This planning assistance will help Burlington County’s Pinelands towns become better prepared and resilient against these impacts.”
Route 130 Corridor Resiliency Study
The Burlington County Southwest Pinelands Study is the second climate change resiliency study undertaken in Burlington County. The first study – called the Burlington County Route 130 Corridor Climate Change Resiliency Hazard Vulnerability Assessment, involved 11 county municipalities within the Route 130 corridor and along the Delaware River and its tributaries.
The Route 130 Corridor Climate Change Resiliency Study was completed earlier this year. The study findings are posted online at https://www.burlingtoncountynj.gov/2119/Climate-Change-Assessment .
“The Route 130 Corridor Study generated substantial public input and engagement from our Delaware River communities and resulted in recommendations for each municipality to take to mitigate climate change threats,” said Commissioner Eckel. “We’re excited to partner with the NJDEP again on this new study focused on our Pinelands towns and the climate challenges unique to them. We’re hoping to get the same kind of public engagement, and that the end result is an action plan that helps these communities become better prepared.”
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