H. R. 1917 

One Hundred Seventeenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-two 

An Act 

To modify eligibility requirements for certain hazard mitigation assistance programs, 

and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hazard Eligibility and Local 

Projects Act’’. 

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF ACQUISITION AND 

DEMOLITION ASSISTANCE PROJECTS. 

(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the 

Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

(2) COVERED PROJECT.—The term ‘‘covered project’’ means 

a project that— 

(A) is an acquisition and demolition project for which 

an entity began implementation, including planning or 

construction, before or after requesting assistance for the 

project under a hazard mitigation assistance program; and 

(B) qualifies for a categorical exclusion under the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.). 

(3) HAZARD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—The term 

‘‘hazard mitigation assistance program’’ means— 

(A) any grant program authorized under section 203 

of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133); 

(B) the hazard mitigation grant program authorized 

under section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 

and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c); and 

(C) the flood mitigation assistance program authorized 

under section 1366 of the National Flood Insurance Act 

of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4104c). 

(b) ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE FOR COVERED PROJECTS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—An entity seeking assistance under a 

hazard mitigation assistance program may be eligible to receive 

that assistance for a covered project if— 

(A) the entity— 

(i) complies with all other eligibility requirements 

of the hazard mitigation assistance program for 

acquisition or demolition projects, including extinguishing all incompatible encumbrances; and 
H. R. 1917—2 

(ii) complies with all Federal requirements for the 

covered project; and 

(B) the Administrator determines that the covered 

project— 

(i) qualifies for a categorical exclusion under the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.); 

(ii) is compliant with applicable floodplain management and protection of wetland regulations and criteria; and 

(iii) does not require consultation under any other 

environmental or historic preservation law or regulation or involve any extraordinary circumstances. 

(2) COSTS INCURRED.—An entity seeking assistance under 

a hazard mitigation assistance program shall be responsible 

for any project costs incurred by the entity for a covered project 

if the covered project is not awarded, or is determined to 

be ineligible for, assistance. 

(c) APPLICABILITY.—This Act shall apply to covered projects 

started on or after the date of enactment of this Act. 

(d) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 3 years, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on use of the authority 

under this Act, including— 

(1) how many applicants used the authority; 

(2) how many applicants using the authority successfully 

obtained a grant; 

(3) how many applicants were not able to successfully 

obtain a grant; 

(4) the reasons applicants were not able to obtain a grant; 

and 

(5) the extent to which applicants using the authority were 

able to comply with all necessary Federal environmental, historic preservation, and other related laws and regulations. 

(e) TERMINATION.—The authority provided under this Act shall 

cease to be effective on the date that is 3 years after the date 

of enactment of this Act. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.