As we reported to you yesterday, the Murphy administration announced new rules for development in coastal flood zones as the state prepares for future sea level rise called the real rules, which stands for resilient environments and landscapes reforms.

They create zones that are expected to be underwater by the end of the century.

But as senior correspondent Brenda Flanigan explains, it's brought backlash from business leaders and environmentalists who have opposing views of the new rules.

At the end of the day, we've got to ensure we're being responsive to all.

D officials explained their 11thhour decision to ease controversial rules aimed at protecting towns from destructive floods and sea level rise is based on both hard science and sensitivity to opposition from mayors and business groups.

The irony like last night's flash flood waters hit hard.

Now nobody's happy with the proposal.

New Jersey business leaders call it a non-starter.

You know, this just makes life in New Jersey more expensive and ultimately going to drive businesses and people to more affordable states.

Disappointed environmental advocates call it reprehensible.

I absolutely think it's motivated by politics.

I think that Governor Murphy has bent to the will of developers calling for a weakening of the regulations.

We've got to be guided by the best available science and acknowledge that science is not static.

It does in fact change.

Amongst major changes to the proposed real rules, the DP lowered controversial building elevation requirements, noting climate models now forecast sea levels will rise 4.4 ft by the year 2100.

That's almost a foot lower than its initial estimate.

A Ruter scientist whose research guided these rules explains the DP's rationale.

global carbon emissions don't seem to be as on as high a trajectory as they seemed a decade ago um while keeping the same policy preferences with respect to how far in the future to look and how risk averse to be.

When I say communities are are more comfortable uh with a a higher level of risk, it does come out of me, you know, direct conversations with with mayors, many of whom have who have um written into us or who have passed uh resolutions in their communities uh uh that uh indicate, you know, their belief that that 5T is too much.

But higher risk levels could come with a higher post flood price tag.

What a lot of people may not be paying attention to is that with FEMA, the federal government is taking a big step back from bailing out these kind of disasters, which means more and more of it is going to fall on the New Jersey taxpayers.

Meanwhile, for the business community, even the new 4-foot standard is too high.

Really, it's should be a twoft sea level rise level.

That's what all the science is showing.

So, they are still an outlier nationally.

They're an outlier internationally and that's still going to cause significant problems not only in complying with the rule but in bringing so many more people into flood zones who don't belong in flood zones.

Proposed revisions would redraw the D's so-called inundation risk zone and permit possible exemptions for affordable housing located there as long as builders provide proper health and safety protections.

But advocates were appalled with one noting after tragically losing lives due to the flash flooding last night, allowing affordable housing to be built in floodprone areas without stronger safeguards is unconscionable.

The changes seem to say it's okay to put poor people in hazardous areas.

You would hope that we would be wise enough to be trying to protect people from being located in those places where their lives might be in danger.

Revisions also grant a six-month grace period for projects already in development when the new rules were adopted.

But the Builder Association president told NJ Spotlight News this proposal's monumental impact on the long-term future of New Jersey deserves more robust public engagement, better coordination among state agencies and priorities, and at this point should be left to the next administration.

Nobody seems to be happy and I would say that you know what we're least happy about is that it's delayed.

The D will introduce the revised rules on Monday, July 21st with a virtual public hearing on September 3rd and final adoption rescheduled for early January.

I'm Brenda Flanigan, NJ Spotlight News.

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