Vincent Mazzei
Assistant Commissioner, Watershed & Land Management
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Biography
Vincent Mazzei serves as Assistant Commissioner for Watershed and Land Management, overseeing the Division of Land Resource Protection and the new Division of Watershed Protection & Restoration.
Selected to lead the WLM program in June 2020, Vince previously supervised the Bureau of Inland Regulation, in the Division of Land Use Regulation.
Vince began his DEP career in 1988, following his graduation from Stevens Institute of Technology. He is a licensed professional engineer and is regarded as an expert in flood risk analysis and mitigation. For more than 30 years, Vince has worked to support environmentally responsible planning, design and construction of thousands of development and infrastructure projects throughout New Jersey.
Vince authored New Jersey’s Flood Hazard Area Control Act rules, which are the most stringent statewide flood hazard area and stream corridor protection regulations in the nation. He has a leading role in the development of NJPACT, a targeted regulatory reform initiative aimed at modernizing many of the state’s environmental regulations to protect against climate threats. He also serves as chairman of the New Jersey Association for Floodplain Management.
Vince was named the 2018 Government Engineer of the Year by the American Society of Civil Engineers, North Jersey Branch, and the 2016 Civil Engineer of the Year by the American Society of Civil Engineers, Central Jersey Branch. He is a two-time recipient of the State of New Jersey Teamwork and Partnership Award.
Vince earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Stevens and a master’s degree in theology from Pennsylvania’s Cairn University. His interests include hiking, traveling, volunteering and composing music, as well as studying history, theology and mathematical theory.
Vince lives in Hunterdon County with his wife (and fellow DEP employee), Becky, and their three children, Zachary, Evelyn and Jonah.
Rutgers Climate Bridge Panel 4: Rain’s Impact on Stormwater Management
Abstract
Climate change is the single biggest environmental challenge facing the world today. Our State is ground zero for climate impacts, including rising sea levels, more intense and frequent storm events and flooding, and increasing temperature. The effects of climate change present real threats to New Jersey's economy, way of life, environment, and public health and safety. This session includes a discussion of NJDEP’s current regulatory reform effort to help our natural and built environments to be more resilient in riverine systems. The session will also include a discussion on the impacts of extreme precipitation, stormwater management, infrastructure stress, and best practices and approaches to address these issues in light of a changing climate.