Van Drew asks Appropriations subcommittee for Vineland command vehicle and Great Egg Harbor restoration funding

Mister Van Drew of New Jersey told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science during the fiscal 2027 member-day hearing that he is seeking community project funds for two local priorities: a mobile command vehicle for the city of Vineland and a watershed-restoration project for the Great Egg Harbor River.

Van Drew said Vineland’s current emergency command vehicle is more than 35 years old and has “reached the end of its useful life.” He described the replacement vehicle as a shared regional capability that would be used for emergency response — including mass-casualty incidents — and for managing large public events. He told the committee similar projects received funding last year and said he included project reference numbers in his written testimony for staff review.

The second request would direct coastal-zone management funding to the Great Egg Harbor River watershed revitalization. Van Drew said he worked with the New Jersey Department of Transportation to develop shovel-ready plans for restoration work, including projects on Tuckahoe Island, and argued the river’s combined environmental, recreational and commercial uses make the effort a regional asset.

Van Drew asked the subcommittee to consider both projects as part of the fiscal 2027 appropriations process. The chair closed the member-day hearing after members declined to ask questions; written testimony will be entered into the official hearing record.