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New Jersey Executive Order Declaring State of Emergency due to Winter Storm

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 172 

WHEREAS, beginning on January 26, 2015, the State of New Jersey is expected to experience a severe winter storm with heavy snow accumulations, mixed precipitation, strong winds, and freezing temperatures throughout the State; and 
 
WHEREAS, the National Weather Service has issued storm warnings for New Jersey, including a Blizzard Warning and a Winter Storm Warning; and 
 
WHEREAS, this severe winter storm is predicted to produce hazardous travel conditions, power outages, and potential coastal, stream, and river flooding throughout the State; and 
 
WHEREAS, the impending weather conditions may make it difficult or impossible for citizens to obtain the necessities of life, as well as essential services such as police, fire, and first aid; and 
 
WHEREAS, it is necessary to take action in advance of the storm to lessen the threat to lives and property in this State; and 
 
WHEREAS, the impending weather conditions constitute an imminent hazard, which threatens and presently endangers the health, safety, and resources of the residents of one or more municipalities and counties of this State; and 
 
WHEREAS, this situation may become too large in scope to be handled by the normal county and municipal operating services in some parts of this State; and 
 
WHEREAS, the Constitution and statutes of the State of New Jersey, particularly the provisions of N.J.S.A. App. A:9-33 et seq., N.J.S.A. 38A:3-6.1, and N.J.S.A. 38A:2-4, and all amendments and supplements thereto, confer upon the Governor of the State of New Jersey certain emergency powers;
 
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHRIS CHRISTIE, Governor of the State of New Jersey, in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the State of New Jersey, DO DECLARE and PROCLAIM that a State of Emergency exists in the State of New Jersey and I hereby ORDER and DIRECT the following:
 
1. I authorize and empower the State Director of Emergency Management to activate those elements of the State Emergency Operations Plan that he deems necessary to further safeguard the public security, health, and welfare, to direct the activation of county and municipal emergency operations plans as necessary, and to coordinate the response and recovery efforts from this emergency with all governmental agencies, volunteer organizations, and the private sector. 
 
2. I authorize and empower the State Director of Emergency Management, who is the Superintendent of State Police, in accordance with N.J.S.A. App. A:9-33 et seq., through the police agencies under his control, to determine the control and direction of the flow of vehicular traffic on any State or interstate highway, municipal or county road, and any access road, including the right to detour, reroute, or divert any or all traffic and to prevent ingress or egress from any area that, in the State Director’s discretion, is deemed necessary for the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the public, and to remove parked or abandoned vehicles from such roadways as conditions warrant. 
 
3. I authorize and empower the Attorney General, pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 39:4-213, acting through the Superintendent of State Police, to determine the control and direction of the flow of vehicular traffic on any State, municipal, county, or interstate highway, and its access roads, including the right to detour, reroute, or divert any or all traffic, and to prevent ingress or egress from any area to which the declaration of emergency applies, and further authorize all law enforcement officers to enforce any such order of the Superintendent of State Police within their respective municipalities. 
 
4. I authorize and empower the State Director of Emergency Management to order the evacuation of all persons, except for those emergency and governmental personnel whose presence the State Director deems necessary, from any area where their continued presence would present a danger to their health, safety, or welfare because of the conditions created by this emergency. 
 
5. I authorize and empower the State Director of Emergency Management to utilize all facilities owned, rented, operated, and maintained by the State of New Jersey to house and shelter persons who may need to be evacuated from a residence, dwelling, building, structure, or vehicle during the course of this emergency. 
 
6. I authorize and empower the executive head of any agency or instrumentality of the State government with authority to promulgate rules to waive, suspend, or modify any existing rule the enforcement of which would be detrimental to the public welfare during this emergency, notwithstanding the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act or any law to the contrary for the duration of this Executive Order, subject to my prior approval and in consultation with the State Director of Emergency Management. Any such waiver, modification, or suspension shall be promulgated in accordance with N.J.S.A. App. A:9-45.
 
7. I authorize and empower the Adjutant General, in accordance with N.J.S.A. 38A:2-4 and N.J.S.A. 38A:3-6.1, to order to active duty such members of the New Jersey National Guard who, in the Adjutant General's judgment, are necessary to provide aid to those localities where there is a threat or danger to the public health, safety, and welfare and to authorize the employment of any supporting vehicles, equipment, communications, or supplies as may be necessary to support the members so ordered. 
 
8. In accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. App. A:9-34 and N.J.S.A. App. A:9-51, I reserve the right to utilize and employ all available resources of the State government and of each and every political subdivision of the State, whether of persons, properties, or instrumentalities, and to commandeer and utilize any personal services and any privately owned property necessary to protect against this emergency.
 
9. In accordance with N.J.S.A. App. A:9-40, no municipality, county, or other agency or political subdivision of this State shall enact or enforce any order, rule, regulation, ordinance, or resolution that will or might in any way conflict with any provision of this Order, or which will in any way interfere with or impede the achievement of the purposes of this Order.
 
10. It shall be the duty of every person or entity in this State or doing business in this State and of the members of the governing body and every official, employee, or agent of every political subdivision in this State and of each member of all other governmental bodies, agencies, and authorities in this State of any nature whatsoever, to cooperate fully with the State Director of Emergency Management in all matters concerning this state of emergency.
 
11. In accordance with N.J.S.A. App. A:9-34, N.J.S.A. App. A:9-40.6, and N.J.S.A. 40A:14-156.4, no municipality or public or semipublic agency shall send public works, fire, police, emergency medical, or other personnel or equipment into any non-contiguous, disaster-stricken municipality within this State, nor to any disaster-stricken municipality outside this State, unless and until such aid has been directed by the county emergency management coordinator or his or her deputies in consultation with the State Director of Emergency Management.
 
12. This Order shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect until such time as it is determined by me that an emergency no longer exists. 
 
GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 26th day of January, Two Thousand and Fifteen, and of the Independence of the United States, the Two Hundred and Thirty-Ninth.
Signed,
 
 
Chris Christie
Governor 
 
 
Attest:
Christopher S. Porrino 
Chief Counsel to the Governor
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Last updated: Wednesday, January 28, 2015