State of New Jersey
Executive Order #85

Governor James J. Florio
This executive order has been rescinded by Order No. 86 (Florio)

WHEREAS, severe weather conditions of March 13, 1993, including snow, heavy rains, winds and high tides have created flooding, hazardous road conditions, and threatened homes and other structures throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, these weather conditions pose a threat and constitute a disaster from a natural cause which threatens and presently does endanger the health, safety or resources of the residents of more than one municipality and county of this State; and which is in some parts of the State and may become in other parts of the State too large in scope to be handled in its entirety by the normal municipal operating services; and

WHEREAS, the Constitution and Statutes of the State of New Jersey, particularly the provisions of the Law of 1942, c.[251 (N.J.S.A. App: 9-30 et seq.) and the Laws of 1979, c.[240 (N.J.S.A. 38A:3-6.1) and the Laws of 1963, c.[109 (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, JAMES J. FLORIO, 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 limited State of Emergency has and presently exists throughout the State since 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 13, 1993.

1. In accordance with the Laws of 1963, c.[109 (N.J.S.A. 38A:2-4), I hereby authorize the Adjutant General of the New Jersey National Guard to order to active duty such members of the New Jersey National Guard that, in his judgment, are necessary to provide aid to those localities where there is a threat or danger to the public health, safety and welfare. He may authorize the employment of any supporting vehicles, equipment, communications or supplies as may be necessary to support the members so ordered.

2. In accordance with the Laws of 1942, c.[251 as supplemented and amended, I hereby empower the Superintendent of the Division of State Police, who is the State's Director of Emergency Management, through the police agencies under his control, to determine the control and direction of the flow of such vehicular traffic on any State highway, municipal or county road, including the right to detour, reroute or divert any or all traffic and to prevent ingress or egress from any area that he, in his discretion, deems necessary for the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the public.

3. The Superintendent of the Division of State Police is further authorized and empowered to restrict vehicles from using the State highways and to remove all abandoned or parked vehicles from State highways and take all other actions necessary to secure the health, welfare and safety of the people during this limited State of Emergency.

4. The Superintendent of the Division of State Police is further authorized and empowered to utilize all facilities owned, rented, operated and maintained by the State of New Jersey to house and shelter persons who may be stranded on the highways or evacuated from their residences during the course of this emergency.

5. The Superintendent of the Division of State Police is hereby authorized to order the evacuation of all persons, except for those emergency and governmental personnel whose presence he 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.

6. In accordance with the Laws of 1942, c.[251, 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 men, properties or instrumentalities, and to commandeer and utilize any personal services and any privately owned property necessary to protect against this emergency.

This Order shall take effect immediately and it 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
15th day of March in the Year of Our
Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred and
Ninety Three, and of the Independence
of the United States, the Two Hundred
and Seventeenth.

/s/ James J. Florio
Governor

Attest:

/s/ M. Robert DeCotiis
Chief Counsel to the Governor