WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-NJ-09) today participated in a House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment hearing focused on the Water Resources Development Act. During the hearing, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced developments on the Lower Saddle River and the East Riser Ditch projects.

During the hearing, Pou pushed the U.S. Army Corps to come up with interim projects to advance while planning for the greater NY-NJ HATS project continued. Congresswoman Pou noted, "Section 1343 of the 2024 WRDA directs the Corps to investigate and recommend projects that reduce flood risk in the HATS area," and asked "what is the Corps specifically doing to evaluate and recommend projects to address both individual and combined flood risks while maximizing benefits for the New York - New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Study?"

In response, Army Corps Lieutenant General William H. "Butch" Graham told Pou that the Corps was preparing a Chief's report to submit to the committee recommending a project to address flooding around Riser Ditch by June of this year. Lieutenant General Graham went on to state that "certainly East Riser is one [of the projects] that the Corps is going to recommend for approval in 2026."

The East Riser Channel, part of the larger NY-NJ HATS, is a critical flood risk reduction project that aims to widen and deepen the channel to address stormwater flooding and, in partnership with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, would install a pump station to redirect water into Berry's Creek. This much needed project will ease the strain around Teterboro Airport and Carlstadt.

Pou also asked the Corps about the Lower Saddle River project affecting several Bergen County towns, including Garfield, Wallington, South Hackensack, Lodi, Saddle Brook, and Rochelle Park, which has been stagnant for decades due to questions about liability for contamination around the waterway. Just this month, Pou introduced H.R. 7268, the CLEAN-UP Act, bipartisan legislation that allows the Army Corps to remediate contaminated sediments by using an EPA-approved cleanup plan developed with local partners for authorized water projects.

"WRDA gives us a unique opportunity to streamline backlogged Army Corps projects and mitigate indemnification challenges that have left communities like mine waiting for far too long," said Congresswoman Pou.

During today's hearing the Lieutenant General Graham acknowledged that resolving the indemnification issues that Pou's CLEAN-UP Act achieves would "be a great way to clean up the environment more readily and believe[s] it is much needed."

At the hearing, Pou also lamented the politicization of the Army Corps under this administration. Specifically, she strongly disapproved of a new policy whereby corps staff are not permitted to discuss projects with congressional offices.

"My district includes communities along the Passaic River Basin-one of the most flood-prone watersheds in the U.S. When these crises arise, we need to quickly communicate with the Army Corps. Sadly, recent politicized efforts by the Pentagon have made quick and necessary communication all but impossible. Now the Army Corps must get approval before even speaking with congressional offices. And here I thought this administration wanted to cut red tape instead of adding more," said Congresswoman Pou.

Pou also introduced H.R. 5972, the Water Crisis Prevention Act, legislation that will examine funding available to states, localities, Americans, and small businesses, both with and without a formal emergency declaration. It also examines how the federal government can better work with states to identify areas most at risk of crises from infrastructure failures, and how Congress can get funding to these communities faster. The legislation was passed by the full House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

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