The Cape May County Chamber of Commerce has adopted a formal resolution supporting Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) No. 106, which calls for a legislative determination that the recently adopted NJPACT REAL rules are inconsistent with legislative intent. The Bill SCR 106 was sponsored by Scutari (D-22), Burzichelli (D-3), Testa (R-1).
The resolution was approved by the Chamber’s Executive Board of Directors on March 12, 2026.
The NJPACT REAL rules, adopted by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in January, significantly expand the State’s Flood Hazard Area through the creation of a Climate Adjusted Flood Elevation (CAFE) standard and introduce broad changes to stormwater management, wetlands, and coastal protection regulations.
The Chamber, representing more than 920 businesses throughout Cape May County and Southern New Jersey, has expressed concern that the rules were adopted without a comprehensive economic analysis evaluating their potential impact on businesses, housing affordability, infrastructure projects, and local government tax bases.
“As a coastal county whose economy is driven by tourism and small business development, these regulations could have significant consequences for new development, redevelopment, and the long-term economic vitality of our region,” said Barbara Stafford Jones, president & CEO of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber supports SCR 106 as an opportunity for the Legislature to review the rules and ensure that environmental protections are balanced with the economic needs of coastal communities.
