How is HPO involved in climate and disaster activities?

The Historic Preservation Office (HPO) takes part in many climate resiliency and disaster planning and recovery initiatives. While these activities started well before Hurricane Sandy in 2012, this storm demonstrated how vulnerable our state’s cultural resources are to disasters and ongoing climate change. Sandy damaged large swathes of the state, including historic properties and districts. Disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding from rising sea levels will only increase the need for good guidance and planning.

Our disaster- and climate-related activities often involve working with:

• Other programs within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
• Local governments
• Other state agencies and/or the federal government

Examples of this work include:

• Advocating for historic preservation and cultural resources in DEP’s Strategic Climate Action Plan for tackling the effects of climate change.
• Commenting on the NJ Office of Emergency Management’s (NJOEM) statewide Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• Funding local master plan historic preservation elements that include disaster planning for cultural resources.
• Developing programmatic agreements with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other agencies to guide project review during disaster recovery operations.
• Promoting flood mitigation planning and adaptation strategies that minimize impacts to historic resources.
• Advising agencies and constituents about the status of historic properties relative to the National Flood Insurance Program.

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