Staff Analysis of the Legislation
|
This legislation does the following:- Adds a new term "inundation zone”. Inundation zone = any area downstream of a dam that would be affected by flooding from releases from a dam's reservoir in the event of a failure, breach, or uncontrolled release of water, and is generally much larger than the area for a normal river or stream flood event.
- Prohibits the building of inhabitable structures in the inundation zone of a Category II dam without prior certification from an engineer of record.
- Allows for an engineer of record to perform and certify a breach analysis where inhabitable structures already exist in the inundation zone of a Category II dam.
- Requires a certified breach analysis to be filed with the Superior Court, the local government where the inundation zone is located, and the Safe Dams division of EPD.
- Authorizes the Department of Community Affairs to develop building standards for inhabitable structures in the inundation zone of a Category II dam.
|
