Governor Christie Outlines Regulations to Allow Residents and Businesses to Rebuild Faster, Stronger and Safer from Hurricane Sandy

Standards Will Ensure Lower Premiums In The Long Term, Protecting Residents From Out Of Control Costs.


TRENTON -- Taking action to give New Jersey families, businesses and local governments the best available guidance to quickly and more durably rebuild from Hurricane Sandy, Governor Chris Christie today signed emergency regulations to adopt the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) updated Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFEs) maps as the rebuilding standard for the entire state. These regulations establish requirements and more efficient procedures for residents and businesses to construct, reconstruct, relocate and elevate buildings and other structures in flood hazard areas.

Using the best available science and data as reflected in these advisory maps will give families, businesses, and communities the best assessment of their risk – allowing them to better mitigate damage from future flood events, avoid higher flood insurance costs, and begin the rebuilding process immediately. Because of federal reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program to move towards increased flood insurance rates that reflect actual risk, families who rebuild their properties in a manner that does not conform to updated base flood elevations will see significant premium increases.


By acting today to use the latest available information and data from FEMA to set rebuilding standards for New Jersey, Governor Christie is helping homeowners and small businesses rebuild properties that are less at-risk, while also helping them avoid potentially massive, out-of-control flood insurance costs over the long-run.

While each property and rebuilding situation is unique, an example provided by FEMA illustrates the dramatic impact new standards can have on flood insurance rates, in addition to the issues of increasing the risk to the safety of the property and its inhabitants. If a property owner is currently in an “A zone” at 4 feet below the BFE elevation and are reclassified as a higher threat “V zone” and take no action, that property will be rated at a higher risk and be subject to an approximate annual premium (phased in) of up to $31,000. In addition to the threat posed by being 4 feet below the BFE in elevation, the property owner will be non-compliant with V zone construction standards.

In contrast, if the owner were to rebuild to the suggested BFE and appropriate construction standards, the annual premium (phased in) would be approximately $7,000. If the resident rebuilds 2 feet above the BFE with the construction standards for their new zone, the annual premium would be approximately $3,500. A savings of up to $27,500 annually.

The United States established diplomatic relations with the Dominican Republic in 1884 following its independence from Spain. Post-independence, the country saw a mix of coups, U.S. military intervention and occupations, military government, and democratic government. The Dominican Republic's first peaceful transfer of power from one freely elected president to another was in 1978.

U.S. relations with the Dominican Republic are excellent. The country is an important partner in hemispheric affairs due to its standing in the Caribbean as the largest economy and second-largest country in terms of population and land mass, its large bilateral trade with the United States, and its proximity to the United States and other smaller Caribbean nations. The Dominican Government has been supportive of many U.S. initiatives in the United Nations and related agencies. The two governments cooperate in the fight against trafficking in illegal substances. The Dominican Republic has worked closely with U.S. law enforcement officials on issues such as the extradition of fugitives and measures to hinder illegal migration.

The United States has a strong interest in a democratic, stable, and economically healthy Dominican Republic and supports its democratic and economic development. Obstacles to sustainable development include the poor quality of the country's education system, the inability of the health system to adequately respond to the population's needs, weak economic competitiveness, and severe inefficiencies in the energy sector. Violence has increased in the Dominican Republic in recent years. While there have been coordinated efforts to address corruption, improving transparency is a priority in order to consolidate the country's democratic gains. The U.S. Government collaborates with Dominican authorities to address these issues while working with local and international partners to strengthen institutional and technical capacity.

U.S. Assistance to the Dominican Republic

U.S. assistance helps build accountable and transparent institutions that can better serve the needs of the Dominican people and strengthen democratic governance. In addition, U.S. assistance stimulates income generation opportunities for small businesses and rural communities, improves the protection of the environment, enables local organizations to promote ecological and cultural tourism, and furthers the equitable provision of quality health and education services. The Caribbean Basin Security Initiative complements bilateral programs in the Dominican Republic and provides additional assistance for law enforcement, citizen safety, and rule of law programs.

Bilateral Economic Relations

The Dominican Republic's most important trading partner is the United States. The two countries are parties to the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), along with five Central American countries. This agreement creates new economic opportunities by eliminating tariffs, opening markets, reducing barriers to services, and promoting transparency. It facilitates trade and investment among the seven countries and furthers regional integration.

U.S. exports to the Dominican Republic include oil, agricultural products, machinery, vehicles, and cotton, yarn, and fabric. U.S. imports from the Dominican Republic include optical and medical instruments, jewelry and gold, agricultural products, machinery, tobacco, and knit apparel. U.S. firms, mostly manufacturers of apparel, footwear, and light electronics, as well as U.S. energy companies, account for much of the foreign private investment in the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic's Membership in International Organizations

The Dominican Republic and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, Organization of American States, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.

Bilateral Representation

The U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic is Raul H. Yzaguirre; other principal embassy officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List.

The Dominican Republic maintains an embassy in the United States at 1715 22nd Street

Strengthening New Jersey’s economy is the most important task that the State Government has bestowed upon itself. The State, in cooperation with the US Department of Commerce, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Small Business Administration (SBA), various Chamber of Commerce in NJ, and colleges and Universities in New Jersey has embarked a series of Conferences, Seminars and Workshops to small and medium size companies based in New Jersey.

The State Government, the US Department of Commerce, and the College of New Jersey hosted a 2nd International Business Symposium, on Trade and Investments, including Doing Business in China. The host brought in to the conference, last October 23, 2012, 21 Delegates from different organizations in China. Below are list of delegations from China:

The Symposium covered several topics such as federal and state government export financing and assistance programs and below:

Trade and investment opportunities with China; Availability of federal and state government resources for export assistance; Rising business potential in tier-two cities in China; and Cultural nuances, legal and business ethics.