Scotch Plains Meets State Stormwater Rules, Broader Flood Strategy Seems Seems Unclear
Background
Scotch Plains sits within the Green Brook watershed, a region that has been the focus of federal flood mitigation planning since 1986 through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The town has been hit by at least three major flood events in the last ten years:.
-August 2015
-September 2021- Hurricane Ida
-July 14, 2025
Scope of Review
The following is based on a review of the town’s stormwater filings which includes its 2023 MS4 Annual Report (submitted 05/24), supplemental questionnaires (starting 2017), related ordinances and capital budgets. These documents were obtained through OPRA and received before deadline. NJ21st also confirmed, with the township, that no additional records existed.
We requested these records after residents from several affected areas asked us to look into their town’s compliance with the County plan after the flood event earlier this month.
We also reviewed materials on the Townships website.
What the Township Is Doing
Scotch Plains is in full compliance with its NJDEP Tier A Municipal Stormwater Permit. Based on official submissions:
| Requirement | Status |
|---|---|
| Outfall Mapping & Inspection | Outfalls mapped & inspected. |
| Street Sweeping | 275 miles swept in 2022/520 tons of debris removed. |
| Catch Basin Maintenance | 2022- 725 inspected / 100 cleaned / 35 tons removed 2023-500 inspected / 118 cleaned / 87 tons removed |
| Illicit Discharge | No violations reported. |
| MS4 Outfall Pipe Map | Mapping confirmed in 2023 Report |
| Required Ordinances | Ordinances in place for pet waste, illicit discharge, yard waste, retrofits, tree removal (Ord. 2025-15), and salt storage (Ord. 2025-18). |
| Public Education | Township failed to meet outreach benchmarks in 2022. |
| Training | Annual employee training documented across years. |
What We Couldn’t Find
The Union County Hazard Mitigation Plan outlines preventative measures to reduce flood risk. Here are the results of our review:
| County Mitigation Goal | Township Documentation |
|---|---|
| Upgrade culverts and drainage in known flood zones | “Drainage remediation” is listed in capital budgets for 2023–2025, we couldn’t verify culvert replacements or project locations tied to flood zones . |
| Establish real-time alerts in high-risk areas like Green Brook or Cedar Brook | No alerts, sensors, or brook-specific references found in my review of the documents |
| Reduce repetitive flood losses via FEMA-funded mitigation | Could not find evidence of FEMA grant applications or funded projects |
| Engage schools and residents in targeted flood hazard education | Township did not meet education/outreach benchmarks in 2022. |
Next Steps
Scotch Plains is compliant with NJDEP permit requirements.
There is no clear evidence, based on our review of the available documents, that the Township is working toward long-term flood resiliency or county-level mitigation goals.
If the Township Engineer provides us with further context or information we will publish an update.
NJ21st has submitted similar OPRA requests to Fanwood, and Plainfield, – we’ll publish those results as they come in.
Link to Source Documents
Link to Union County Hazard Mitigation Plan
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