Urban Flooding Awareness Act of 2015

Summary: Urban Flooding Awareness Act of 2015 Directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct a study on urban flooding. Defines "urban flooding" as the inundation of property in a built environment, particularly in more densely populated areas, caused by rain falling on increased amounts of impervious surface and overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems. Requires the primary focus of the study to be on urban areas outside of special flood hazard areas. Directs the NAS to evaluate the latest research, laws, regulations, policies, best practices, procedures, and institutional knowledge regarding urban flooding. Requires the study to include an examination of:  the prevalence of and costs associated with urban flooding events across the United States, with a focus on the largest metropolitan areas and trends in frequency and severity over the past two decades;  the adequacy of federally provided flood risk information and the most cost-effective methods and products to characterize the risk of property damage from urban flooding on a property-by-property basis;  the potential for training and certifying local experts in flood risk characterization as a service to property purchasers and owners;  the causes of urban flooding and its apparent increase;  the most cost-effective strategies, practices, technologies, policies, standards, or rules used to reduce the impacts of urban flooding;  the role of the federal and state governments in spurring market innovations based on public-private-nonprofit partnerships;  the most sustainable and effective methods for funding flood risk and flood damage reduction at all levels of government;  the relevance of the National Flood Insurance Program and Community Rating System to urban flooding areas outside traditional flood plains and strategies for improving compliance, broadening coverage, and increasing participation under the Program;  strategies for protecting communities in the lower elevations of a watershed or drainage area from the flooding impacts of development in upstream communities;  cost-effective strategies for reducing infiltration/inflow into combined and separate sewer systems; and  opportunities to increase coordination between stormwater management programming under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and flood risk management and mitigation programming under various laws. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Urban Flooding Awareness Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. URBAN FLOODING DEFINED.

    (a) In General.--In this Act, the term ``urban flooding'' means the 
inundation of property in a built environment, particularly in more 
densely populated areas, caused by rain falling on increased amounts of 
impervious surface and overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems, 
such as storm sewers.
    (b) Inclusions.--In this Act, the term ``urban flooding'' 
includes--
            (1) situations in which stormwater enters buildings through 
        windows, doors, or other openings;
            (2) water backup through sewer pipes, showers, toilets, 
        sinks, and floor drains;
            (3) seepage through walls and floors;
            (4) the accumulation of water on property or public rights-
        of-way; and
            (5) the overflow from water bodies, such as rivers and 
        lakes.
    (c) Exclusion.--In this Act, the term ``urban flooding'' does not 
include flooding in undeveloped or agricultural areas.
    (d) Primary Focus of Study.--Although the definition of the term 
``urban flooding'' in this section acknowledges that flooding may be 
caused in part by the overflow of rivers or other bodies of water, the 
primary focus of the study under section 3 shall be on urban areas 
outside of special flood hazard areas, as that term is defined by the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency.

SEC. 3. URBAN FLOODING STUDY.

    (a) Agreement With National Academy of Sciences.--The Administrator 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall enter into an 
agreement with the National Academy of Sciences under which the 
National Academy of Sciences will conduct a study on urban flooding in 
accordance with the requirements of this section.
    (b) Contents.--
            (1) General review and evaluation.--In conducting the 
        study, the National Academy of Sciences shall review and 
        evaluate the latest available research, laws, regulations, 
        policies, best practices, procedures, and institutional 
        knowledge regarding urban flooding.
            (2) Specific issue areas.--The study shall include, at a 
        minimum, an examination of the following:
                    (A) The prevalence and costs associated with urban 
                flooding events across the United States, with a focus 
                on the largest metropolitan areas and any clear trends 
                in frequency and severity over the past 2 decades.
                    (B) The adequacy of existing federally provided 
                flood risk information and the most cost effective 
                methods and products to identify, map, or otherwise 
                characterize the risk of property damage from urban 
                flooding on a property-by-property basis, whether or 
                not a property is in or adjacent to a 1-percent (100-
                year) flood plain, and the potential for training and 
                certifying local experts in flood risk characterization 
                as a service to property purchasers and owners and 
                their communities.
                    (C) The causes of urban flooding and its apparent 
                increase over the past 20 years, including the impacts 
                of--
                            (i) global climate change;
                            (ii) increasing urbanization and the 
                        associated increase in impervious surfaces; and
                            (iii) undersized, deteriorating, and 
                        otherwise ineffective stormwater 
                        infrastructure.
                    (D) The most cost-effective strategies, practices, 
                technologies, policies, standards, or rules used to 
                reduce the impacts of urban flooding, with a focus on 
                decentralized, easy-to-install, and low-cost 
                approaches, such as nonstructural and natural 
                infrastructure on public and private property. The 
                examination under this subparagraph shall include an 
                assessment of opportunities for implementing innovative 
                strategies and practices on government-controlled land, 
                such as Federal, State, and local roads, parking lots, 
                alleys, sidewalks, buildings, recreational areas, and 
                open space.
                    (E) The role of the Federal Government and State 
                governments, as conveners, funders, and advocates, in 
                spurring market innovations based on public-private-
                nonprofit partnerships. Such innovations may include 
                smart home technologies for improved flood warning 
                systems connected to high-resolution weather forecast 
                data and Internet- and cellular-based communications 
                systems.
                    (F) The most sustainable and effective methods for 
                funding flood risk and flood damage reduction at all 
                levels of government, including--
                            (i) the potential for establishing a State 
                        revolving fund program for flood prevention 
                        projects similar to the revolving fund programs 
                        under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
                        and the Safe Drinking Water Act;
                            (ii) stormwater fee programs using 
                        impervious surface as the basis for fee rates 
                        and providing credits for the installation of 
                        flood prevention or other stormwater management 
                        features;
                            (iii) grant programs; and
                            (iv) public-private partnerships.
                    (G) Information and education strategies and 
                practices, including nontraditional approaches such as 
                the use of community colleges and social media, for 
                community leaders, government staff, and property 
                owners on--
                            (i) flood risks;
                            (ii) flood risk reduction strategies and 
                        practices; and
                            (iii) the availability and effectiveness of 
                        different types of flood insurance policies.
                    (H) The relevance of the National Flood Insurance 
                Program and Community Rating System to urban flooding 
                areas outside traditional flood plains, and strategies 
                for improving compliance, broadening coverage, and 
                increasing participation under the programs.
                    (I) Strategies for protecting communities in the 
                lower elevations of a watershed or drainage area from 
                the flooding impacts of development in upstream 
                communities, including a review of--
                            (i) potential standards for watershed-wide 
                        flood protection planning; and
                            (ii) cost-effective and equitable legal 
                        options for a downstream community when 
                        upstream communities act in a way that 
                        increases flooding downstream.
                    (J) Cost-effective strategies for reducing 
                infiltration/inflow into combined and separate sewer 
                systems.
                    (K) Opportunities to increase coordination between 
                stormwater management programming under the Federal 
                Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) 
                and flood risk management and mitigation programming 
                under various laws, including the Robert T. Stafford 
                Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
                5121 et seq.) and the National Flood Insurance Act of 
                1968 (42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.).
    (c) Consultation.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
        Management Agency shall carry out this section in consultation 
        with the Secretary of the Army (acting through the Chief of 
        Engineers), the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the 
        Director of the United States Geological Survey, the Chief of 
        the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Administrator 
        of the Small Business Administration, State, regional, and 
        local stormwater management agencies, State insurance 
        commissioners, and such other interested parties as the 
        Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
        considers appropriate.
            (2) Cooperation.--The head of each Federal agency referred 
        to in paragraph (1) shall cooperate with the Administrator of 
        the Federal Emergency Management Agency in carrying out this 
        section as requested by the Administrator.
    (d) Report to Congress.--Not later than December 31, 2016, the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall submit 
to the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations 
of the Senate a report containing the findings of the National Academy 
of Sciences based on the results of the study, including 
recommendations for implementation of strategies, practices, and 
technologies relating to urban flooding by Congress and the executive 
branch.