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WHEREAS, various
natural hazards have caused physical and financial impact in New
Jersey and will continue to do so and these impacts have resulted
in unexpected costs to county and local governments as well as degradation
of the State's health, safety, environment, infrastructure and economy;
and
WHEREAS, the
opportunities to significantly mitigate the impacts of coastal storms,
hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, and other natural hazards
are identifiable and should be executed as funding is available;
and
WHEREAS, there
exist the skills, expertise, and talent within the Executive Branch
departments and independent authorities to examine and make recommendations
to reduce the vulnerability of New Jersey's citizens and property;
and
WHEREAS, Executive
Order No. 12 (1970-Cahill) and Executive Order No. 39 (1954-Meyner)
directs State agencies to fully participate in the emergency management
system; and
WHEREAS, the
Office of Emergency Management in the Department of Law and Public
Safety is charged with the responsibility to administer the State's
comprehensive emergency management programs; and
WHEREAS, the
Governor's Advisory Council on Emergency Services is empowered to
authorize expenditures from the Governor's Emergency Services Fund,
upon approval of the Governor, to provide relief from an emergency;
and
WHEREAS, a
need exists to provide formal recognition, authority and responsibility
to this organizational structure;
NOW, THEREFORE,
I, JAMES J. FLORIO, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue
of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes
of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:
1. An interagency
State Hazard Mitigation Team (SHMT) is established. A representative
of the Office of the Governor will chair the Team and the State
Hazard Mitigation Officer appointed by the Governor for the most
recent Presidential Disaster Declaration, pursuant to federal
law, shall serve as Deputy Chair.
2. In addition
to the Chair and Deputy Chair, the team shall consist of the following
members or their designees, with the ability to add other participants
as appropriate:
A. Department
of Community Affairs:
Assistant
Director Codes and Standards. Representative, Division of Fire
Safety.
B. Department
of Education:
Emergency
Coordinator.
C. Department
of Environmental Protection and Energy:
Supervisor
of Land-Use Regulations. State Floodplain Management Coordinator.
State Forest Fire Warden.
D. Department
of Insurance:
State
Ombudsman.
E. Department
of Transportation:
Director
of Roadway Design.
F. Department
of Treasury:
Representative,
Office of Statewide Planning. Representative, Office of Management
and Budget.
G. Department
of Law and Public Safety:
Representative,
Office of the Attorney General. Representative, Office of Emergency
Management.
All participants
shall be prepared to evaluate hazard mitigation initiatives based
on current agency policies and programs.
3. The activities
of the team shall be coordinated by a Steering Committee consisting
of the Chair and the Deputy Chair, Assistant Director of Codes
and Standards, Director of Roadway Design, State Floodplain Management
Coordinator, Supervisor of Land Use Regulation, the Representative
of the Office of the Attorney General, and the Representative
of the State Office of Emergency Management.
4. The SHMT
shall develop a systematic program to identify hazards, monitor
changes in hazard vulnerability and implement measures for reducing
potential damage by providing a mechanism for follow-up activities
crucial to the successful implementation of team recommendations.
5. The SHMT
shall develop and maintain a comprehensive plan for the reduction
of natural hazards. The team shall review and update this document
as deemed necessary.
6. The SHMT
shall work to increase the public's awareness of the risk associated
with known hazards and promote preparedness among residents of
the State.
7. The SHMT
shall meet at the call of the Chair, but not less frequently than
twice a year.
8. The SHMT
shall serve as an advisory group to the Governor's Advisory Council
on Emergency Services (GACES) and shall prepare post-disaster
hazard mitigation recommendations for all applications for assistance.
9. GACES
shall review and approve such recommendations based on their expected
effectiveness in reducing the threat to the health, safety and
property of the citizens of New Jersey.
10. The
SHMT shall investigate and recommend cost-effective hazard mitigation
opportunities to the Office of Emergency Management and to the
Governor's Advisory Council on Emergency Services as part of any
disaster recovery effort.
11. The
SHMT shall prepare and submit to the Office of Emergency Management
an annual work program which shall contain a budgetary needs statement.
The team shall provide to the State Director an annual status
report covering progress achieved through team activities.
12. This
Order shall take effect immediately.
GIVEN,
under my hand and seal this
14th day of January in the Year of Our
Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred and
Ninety Four, and of the Independence
of the United States, the Two Hundred
and Eighteenth.
/s/
Jim Florio
Governor
Attest:
/s/ Chief Counsel to the Governor
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