Kean Spotlights $3 Million for Passaic River Regional Flooding Mitigation Project

(October 26, 2026) BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ– Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) recently visited Passaic River Park in Berkeley Heights to see firsthand where the $3 million he secured in a House funding bill will be utilized.

The funding will be used for the clearing of major obstructions from Passaic River tributaries and the shoring up of stream banks in the river towns of Berkeley Heights, Long Hill, New Providence, Summit, and Chatham Borough, which will decrease area flooding and soil erosion, while improving and protecting soils and water quality. This project will focus on strategic, environmentally responsible de-snagging and debris removal in the most-clogged stretches of the tributaries leading into the Passaic River, representing an important flood mitigation strategy to improve the hydraulic capacity of the river tributaries and reduce flood risk.

“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.”

“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.”

“Long Hill, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, and Summit have joined together to work with Congressman Kean to secure $3 million so we can address the flooding issues around the Passaic River Basin,” said New Providence Mayor Al Morgan. “The residents of our town know firsthand how devastating the flooding can be. We are grateful to the Congressman for his aid in getting our communities this critical funding.”

“We are very grateful to Congressman Kean for his work to secure these funds for Summit and our neighboring towns who are also battling this ongoing issue,” said Summit Mayor Elizabeth Fagan.“With severe storms becoming more frequent, residents all throughout this area continue to lose land and suffer significant damage to their properties. This funding represents a critical investment in protecting our residents, mitigating future flood damage, and building more resilient communities for the long term.”

Since taking office, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. has secured more than $14.5 million for water infrastructure in New Jersey’s Seventh Congressional District through the Community Project Funding process.

In July, Congressman Kean announced that 18 Community Project Funding requests made by his office totaling $17,765,906, are included in key House funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year. Learn more HERE.

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