I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4640 

To designate public colleges and universities that provide research, data, 

and recommendations on physical science, social science, economic analysis, policy analysis, risk analysis, monitoring, predicting, and planning 

for coastal flooding as National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Flood 

Research and Education. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 13, 2017 

Mr. TAYLOR (for himself, Mr. WITTMAN, and Mr. SCOTT of Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, 

Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by 

the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To designate public colleges and universities that provide 

research, data, and recommendations on physical science, 

social science, economic analysis, policy analysis, risk 

analysis, monitoring, predicting, and planning for coastal 

flooding as National Centers of Excellence in Coastal 

Flood Research and Education. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Centers of 

3 Excellence in Coastal Flood Research and Education Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN COASTAL 

5 FLOOD RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Na7 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall des8 ignate public colleges and universities as National Centers 

9 of Excellence in Coastal Flood Research and Education 

10 (in this section referred to as ‘‘National Centers of Excel11 lence’’). The Administrator shall make the first such des12 ignations by not later than 180 days after the date of the 

13 enactment of this Act. 

14 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of such designation 

15 are the following: 

16 (1) To recognize those institutions of higher 

17 education that have exhibited national leadership in 

18 research and education in coastal flooding. 

19 (2) To identify such National Centers of Excel20 lence as sources for expert advice and guidance for 

21 Federal agencies engaged in coastal flooding re22 search and education issues and projects. 

23 (c) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.—The Adminis24 trator shall designate as National Centers of Excellence 

25 only those public universities and colleges that— 


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1 (1) have demonstrated proven expertise in phys2 ical and environmental science, flooding, and socio3 economic impacts of flooding research; 

4 (2) are located in a State that frequently expe5 riences coastal flooding; 

6 (3) have previously partnered with, or received 

7 funds from, Federal agencies for coastal flooding 

8 and watershed issues, including the Corps of Engi9 neers, the United States Geological Survey, the Na10 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 

11 Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Na12 tional Science Foundation, the Department of Hous13 ing and Urban Development, and the National Aero14 nautics and Space Administration; 

15 (4) have been designated by State legislation as 

16 technical and scientific advisory entities with respect 

17 to coastal flooding for State agencies and localities; 

18 (5) can demonstrate formal institutional col19 laborations in coastal flooding research and edu20 cation with other public universities or colleges with21 in the same State; and 

22 (6) can demonstrate a history of convening 

23 local, State, and Federal entities, including Depart24 ment of Defense commands, to develop plans for 

25 coastal flooding. 


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1 SEC. 3. PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION WITH FED2 ERAL, REGIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOV3 ERNMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS. 

4 As a condition of designation as a National Center 

5 of Excellence under this Act, the Administrator shall re6 quire a public college or university to enter into an agree7 ment with the Administrator under which it agrees to— 

8 (1) collaborate on Federal flood-related issues 

9 with Federal agencies such as the Federal Emer10 gency Management Agency, the Environmental Pro11 tection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space 

12 Administration, the National Science Foundation, 

13 and the Department of Agriculture; 

14 (2) collaborate and share best practices on re15 gional, State, and locally specific flooding and flood16 related issues with— 

17 (A) State, county, and local governments; 

18 (B) local councils of governments or re19 gional planning organizations; 

20 (C) State agriculture, natural resource, en21 vironment, economic development, and water 

22 agencies; 

23 (D) floodplain managers; 

24 (E) State homeland security personnel, 

25 county disaster recovery coordinators, emerVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:11 Dec 15, 2017 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4640.IH H4640

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1 gency management personnel, and first re2 sponders; 

3 (F) resource conservation and development 

4 councils; 

5 (G) watershed organizations and boards; 

6 (H) agriculture and commodity organiza7 tions and farmers; 

8 (I) environmental organizations; and 

9 (J) business and development organiza10 tions; and 

11 (3) explore opportunities to collaborate, when 

12 appropriate, on Federal flood-related issues with 

13 other Federal agencies such as the Bureau of Rec14 lamation, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Bu15 reau of Land Management, the National Park Serv16 ice, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Public Health 

17 Service, the National Science Foundation, the De18 partment of Defense, the Department of the Inte19 rior, the Department of Housing and Urban Devel20 opment, and various national laboratories. 

21 SEC. 4. INFORMATION COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION; 

22 REVIEWS AND ADDITIONAL DESIGNATIONS. 

23 (a) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Administrator shall an24 nually submit to Congress and the President a report de25 scribing the activities, partnerships and collaborations, 


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1 Federal policy recommendations, previous and continuing 

2 budgets, and findings of, and any other applicable infor3 mation from, the National Centers of Excellence, and 

4 make such report available to the public in an easily acces5 sible electronic format on website of the National Oceanic 

6 and Atmospheric Administration. 

7 (b) REVIEW OF REPORTS FROM NATIONAL CENTERS

8 OF EXCELLENCE.—The Administrator shall review re9 ports from National Centers of Excellence to ensure that 

10 recommendations and guidance of such Centers in regard 

11 to flooding and flood-related issues are communicated to 

12 relevant Federal agencies. 

13 (c) REVIEW OF NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCEL14 LENCE AND POTENTIAL DESIGNEES.—The Administrator 

15 shall periodically review the National Centers of Excel16 lence and potential new designees as such Centers, to— 

17 (1) ensure that the National Centers of Excel18 lence continue to meet the criteria for designation 

19 under this Act; and 

20 (2) designate additional National Centers of 

21 Excellence in accordance with this Act. 

Æ 


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