New Jersey
New Jersey shore towns becoming more concerned with the impacts of climate change, flooding
STONE HARBOR, N.J. (CBS) — Street flooding happens often in Stone Harbor, New Jersey.
Just this past summer, Stone Harbor Administrator Manny Parada said a hell of a lot of rain came down.
“We had Second Avenue, which I’ve never seen flooded,” Parade said. “The way it was flooded, we had almost 6, 8 inches of rain, which is one of our higher points on the island.”
All that water had nowhere to go. Rising sea levels due to climate change are being felt more and more at the Jersey shore. Some days, streets flood without a cloud in the sky.
“It’s very unsettling,” Parada said. “No rain, sunny day, and if a high enough tide, we would be underwater.”
Towns up and down the Jersey Shore are using experience from previous storms and high water events to prepare for the worst. A newer piece of infrastructure has helped Parada and his team with the back bay flooding.
“Basically, close the valve when we know there will be a high tide,” Parada said. “Lunar events, persistent northeast wind, very high tides for us.”
NASA is projecting sea levels along the United States coastlines could increase by as much as a foot by 2050 – that’s only 26 years from now. A majority of people in New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes Atlantic and Cape May counties, have concerns.
“What we’ve seen is that Americans have become more convinced that climate change is happening,” said Anthony Leiserowitz, who has a Ph.D. and is the director of the Yale University program on climate change.
“They’re more convinced that it’s human-caused,” he added. “They’re more worried about climate change and the impacts.”
Polling from Yale finds:
- 67% in New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District are worried about climate change
- 73% think it will harm future generations
- 67% think Congress should do more to address global warming
- 56% say a candidate’s views on global warming are important to their vote
Republican Congressman Jeff Van Drew represents the people of New Jersey’s 2nd district.
“There are a lot of needs,” Van Drew said when asked about pressing needs at the Jersey shore. “And certainly we worry about rising waters — that is a big deal and we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to help.”
Van Drew received high marks from mayors, engineers and some other officials for his assistance with flood mitigation efforts.
But his record in Washington shows a disconnect when it comes to pro-environmental votes.
Van Drew was first elected a Democrat in 2018. By the end of 2019, he announced he was switching parties to Republican. In 2019, he scored 93% for “pro-environment” votes while he was a Democrat. The number has since tumbled.
In 2022, he scored 5%. And in 2023, the number was at 3%.
“In your email, you mention my scorecard and that it’s not particularly high on some of the environmental issues related to climate change and the coast,” Van Drew said.
CBS News Philadelphia asked if that sat well with him.
“It doesn’t sit well with me because I don’t think the baseline they use is necessarily accurate,” he said.
For instance, Van Drew voted against the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. He told CBS Philadelphia it indirectly boosts China’s economy for its production of Lithium-ion batteries for EVs. But in the “IRA” bill, a CBS News analysis shows there’s more than $70 billion to develop the U.S. battery supply chain, making it more competitive with China, and driving down the cost of batteries globally.
For New Jerseyans, the bill included money for energy savings, new jobs and protection from future storms. Van Drew said the low scorecard number and his “no” vote are the result of his disapproval of “forcing” the use of EVs, any suggestion of “banning” gas stoves and the installation of offshore wind farms. Our research of his voting shows he’s also voted down a 2023 bill amendment allowing the government to mitigate, prepare for, and respond to the threats posed by climate change.
Back by the bay, work is underway to correct problems with a Wildwood Crest bulkhead, where the bay is trickling through.
“Yes, a lot of it is from an aging infrastructure,” Mayor Don Cabrera said.
“Now as the years go by, you’re seeing it’s not sufficient,” he added. “Some of it has to do with the infrastructure, some of it has to do with sea level rise.”
“We receive the majority of flooding complaints from this area,” said Marc DiBlasio, who is an engineer for a handful of shore towns, including Wildwood Crest and Stone Harbor.
“You feel like you’re in the twilight zone because there is water in the street, and where is it coming from? The tidewater is seeking its own level,” DiBlasio said.
DiBlasio said there’s been some patchwork installation over the years. However, it’s not working.
It is the same problem they’re having north in Stone Harbor. The pictures of flooded streets are hard to forget. The Crest is about to rip out and rebuild the bulkheads. The work on the $6 million “high priority” project will start this fall and raise the flood protection system to 8 feet.
“As we get these storms and sea level rise, we are trying to prevent, we can see it happening now, it’s only going to get worse as the years go on and take time now to address it,” Cabrera said.
Dunes on the beach will soon be raised to 16 feet in height. And the borough plans to install additional pumping stations along the bay.
They’ll need money and they’ll be approaching Van Drew for help. They say they’re getting the help they need.
“So we have two applications for FEMA for these projects, we’re getting good vibes, if you will, on potential money coming for this project,” Cabrera said.
FEMA disaster funding has topped $4.3 billion in Van Drew’s district since 2004 — areas that took a direct hit from Super Storm Sandy in 2012.
But experts say, big picture — Van Drew’s opposition to the majority of pro-environment legislation stands in contrast to long-term needs down the shore.
“And so we can see there are so many different ways that our political system is stuck in gridlock, in partisanship and unable to address these kinds of issues,” Leiserowitz said. “The fact is, is that there are millions of Americans, 28% of Americans are alarmed about climate change, but most of them are not actually expressing their views.”
Two people were killed and two others, including a toddler, were injured in a wrong-way crash in Totowa, New Jersey, earlier this week.
Officials confirm the wrong-way driver was off-duty Newark firefighter Albin Fermin, 30. According to Newark officials, Fermin had been with the Newark Fire Department since February 2024 and was assigned to Engine 10.
Wrong-way driver, mother of 2-year-old killed
The crash happened on I-80 just after 2 a.m. Monday.
New Jersey State Police said 60-year-old Joanne Furman was driving west on I-80 with her daughter Imani Furman, 24, and her 2-year-old grandson, when they were struck head-on by Fermin, who was driving the wrong way.
Fermin and Imani Furman were both killed in the crash.
Police said Joanne Furman was seriously injured and the 2-year-old suffered moderate injuries. Both were taken to a local hospital.
The crash remains under investigation.
“It wasn’t my daughter’s fault”
Janice Furman, Joanne Furman’s mother and Imani Furman’s grandmother, said her family is devastated.
“It wasn’t my daughter’s fault. It was not her fault,” she said. “They’re showing pictures of [Fermin], his family and the whole team of his fire department. ‘We’re going to miss you.’ Almost like a heroic thing. This isn’t heroic. He killed someone.”
Janice Furman said after undergoing several surgeries, Joanne Furman regained consciousness Wednesday. That’s when the family had to break the news about Imani Furman.
“That’s all she said to me, is, ‘Mommy, she’s gone,’” Janice Furman said.
She said the family is overwhelmed with grief.
“Imani was a very spirit-filled young lady. She loved life. She loved to sing. She loved to dance,” Janice Furman said.
She said Imani Furman’s only son, Messiah, was her world.
“She won’t see him graduate. She won’t see anything,” Janice Furman said.
Joanne Furman will have to undergo weeks of physical therapy before she can walk again, her mother said. The family is asking for prayers as they navigate her recovery and plan a funeral.
New Jersey
Sherrill Announces that Lisa Asare will Continue as President and CEO of the NJ Maternal & Infant Health Innovation Authority – Insider NJ
Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill today announced that Lisa Asare will continue as the President and CEO of the NJ Maternal & Infant Health Innovation Authority, and the position will remain in the Gov.-elect’s cabinet. Lisa Asare brings a depth of experience to the role, having held previous positions as Deputy Commissioner of Health Services within the New Jersey Department of Human Services and as Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Family Health Services at the New Jersey Department of Health.
“I have asked Lisa Asare to continue her strong leadership at NJ Maternal & Infant Health Innovation Authority as New Jersey continues to confront the Black Maternal Health crisis. She is known for her ability to bring state government together with practitioners, community partners, and local advocates to develop solutions that improve affordable access to care and health outcomes for women. Together, we’ll invest in programs that build the midwife and doula workforce, and leverage telehealth and remote monitoring services, both during and after pregnancy, to support postpartum moms and healthy infants,” said Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill.
“I am honored to continue to lead the NJ Maternal & Infant Health Innovation Authority. At MIHIA, we are focused not only on delivering physical care, but addressing the social determinants of health, expanding the perinatal workforce, supporting research and data collection, and acting as an incubator for innovation in maternal and infant health. I’m looking forward to continuing to advance this work as part of the Sherrill-Caldwell administration because I know the Governor-elect is committed to these same goals and has already demonstrated that community members have a seat at the table as we work to address healthcare disparities for communities of color across the state,” said Lisa Asare.
Governor-elect Sherrill highlighted the need to address maternal healthcare disparities throughout her campaign for governor and is committed to delivering on those promises. She sat down with moms, providers, community leaders, and advocates at roundtables across the state to pinpoint the key issues state government must address. Specifically, the Sherrill-Caldwell administration will work to build a culturally competent workforce, including doulas and nurse midwives, and ensure that students of color have access to these training programs. Additionally, the administration plans to invest in telehealth services, remote monitoring, and home visiting programs immediately after pregnancy to support postpartum outcomes and healthy infants.
Lisa Asare is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the NJ Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority, a position she was appointed to in March 2024. Prior to this appointment, Ms. Asare served as Deputy Commissioner of Health Services within the New Jersey Department of Human Services. In this role, she oversaw the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services that administers NJ FamilyCare and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. She also served as the Department lead on First Lady Murphy’s Nurture NJ maternal health initiative.
Ms. Asare previously worked as the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Family Health Services at the New Jersey Department of Health, for more than 20 years. She redesigned the Division’s approach to addressing black infant mortality and maternal mortality, contributed to the NurtureNJ strategic plan, addressed the social determinants of health by collaborating with other state agencies and non-traditional partners, and leveraged additional state, federal, and philanthropic funding to address emerging issues and the COVID-19 pandemic.
NewJerseyDevils.com is the official web site of the New Jersey Devils, a member team of the National Hockey League (“NHL”). NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2025 New Jersey Devils and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.
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