H.R. 8810 

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty 

An Act 

To establish a national program to identify and reduce losses from landslide hazards, 

to establish a national 3D Elevation Program, 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 ‘‘National Landslide Preparedness 

Act’’. 

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) 3D.—The term ‘‘3D’’ means 3-dimensional. 

(2) 3D ELEVATION DATA.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘3D elevation data’’ means 

3D, high-resolution data obtained using LiDAR, IfSAR, 

or other methods over the United States (including territories). 

(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘3D elevation data’’ 

includes terrestrial and bathymetric elevation data. 

(3) 3D ELEVATION PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘3D Elevation Program’’ means the 3D Elevation Program established under section 5(a). 

(4) IFSAR.—The term ‘‘IfSAR’’ means interferometric synthetic aperture radar. 

(5) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ has the meaning 

given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination 

and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 

(6) LAHAR.—The term ‘‘lahar’’ means a large debris flow 

of mostly volcanic material that is— 

(A) often fast-moving; and 

(B) a hazard in watersheds downstream of volcanic 

peaks. 

(7) LIDAR.—The term ‘‘LiDAR’’ means light detection and 

ranging. 

(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 

of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States 

Geological Survey. 

(9) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means— 

(A) a State; and 

(B) the District of Columbia. 

(10) STATE OFFICE.—The term ‘‘State office’’ means any 

unit of State government that handles the identification, mapping, assessment, and research of landslide hazards or 

responding to landslide events, including— 
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(A) a State geological survey office; 

(B) a State department of emergency response; and 

(C) a State department of transportation. 

(11) TERRITORY.—The term ‘‘territory’’ means— 

(A) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; 

(B) Guam; 

(C) American Samoa; 

(D) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands; 

(E) the Federated States of Micronesia; 

(F) the Republic of the Marshall Islands; 

(G) the Republic of Palau; and 

(H) the United States Virgin Islands. 

SEC. 3. NATIONAL LANDSLIDE HAZARDS REDUCTION PROGRAM. 

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a program, 

to be known as the ‘‘National Landslide Hazards Reduction Program’’ (referred to in this section as the ‘‘program’’)— 

(1) to identify and understand landslide hazards and risks; 

(2) to reduce losses from landslides; 

(3) to protect communities at risk of landslide hazards; 

and 

(4) to help improve communication and emergency 

preparedness, including by coordinating with communities and 

entities responsible for infrastructure that are at risk of landslide hazards. 

(b) DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM.— 

(1) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary, in coordination 

with the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Landslide 

Hazards established by subsection (c)(1) (referred to in this 

section as the ‘‘Committee’’) and in coordination with existing 

activities of the United States Geological Survey and other 

Federal agencies, shall— 

(A) identify, map, assess, and research landslide hazards; 

(B) respond to landslide events; and 

(C) in coordination with State offices, units of local 

government, territories, and Indian tribes— 

(i) establish working groups with State offices, 

units of local government, territories, and Indian tribes 

to identify regional and local priorities for researching, 

identifying, mapping, and assessing landslide hazards; 

and 

(ii) develop and implement landslide hazard guidelines for— 

(I) geologists; 

(II) geological and geotechnical engineers; 

(III) emergency management personnel; and 

(IV) land use and other decisionmakers. 

(2) NATIONAL STRATEGY.—Not later than 1 year after the 

date of enactment of this Act, and every 5 years thereafter, 

the Secretary, in coordination with the Committee, shall 

develop and publish a national strategy for landslide hazards, 

risk reduction, and response in the United States (including 

territories), which shall include— 

(A) goals and priorities for the program; 
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(B) priorities for data acquisition, research, communications, and risk management on landslides and landslide 

hazards across relevant Federal agencies; and 

(C) a detailed interagency plan, which shall take into 

consideration national disaster preparedness, response, and 

recovery frameworks, to carry out the national strategy, 

including details about the programs, projects, and budgets 

that will be used to implement the national strategy. 

(3) NATIONAL LANDSLIDE HAZARDS DATABASE.—In carrying 

out the program, the Secretary, in coordination with State 

offices, units of local government, territories, and Indian tribes, 

shall develop and maintain a publicly accessible national landslide hazard and risk inventory database to compile, maintain, 

standardize, and evaluate data regarding— 

(A) landslide hazards and risks; 

(B) the impact of landslides on— 

(i) health and safety; 

(ii) the economy and infrastructure; and 

(iii) the environment; 

(C) landslide hazard stabilization; and 

(D) reduction of losses from landslides. 

(4) LANDSLIDE HAZARD AND RISK PREPAREDNESS FOR

COMMUNITIES.—In carrying out the program, the Secretary, 

in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary 

of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Transportation, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, and in consultation with State offices, units of 

local government, territories, and Indian tribes, shall develop 

and disseminate— 

(A) landslide planning and risk reduction guidance, 

guidelines, maps, tools, and training materials to help 

inform State, territorial, local, and Tribal governments and 

decisionmakers with respect to— 

(i) the use and implementation of landslide hazard 

assessments; 

(ii) the applied use of the database developed under 

paragraph (3); 

(iii) reducing losses from landslides; and 

(iv) resources available for communities working 

to improve landslide hazard preparedness; and 

(B) landslide preparedness curricula and training modules for— 

(i) State, territorial, local, and Tribal officials; 

(ii) Federal, State, territorial, local, and Tribal 

emergency managers; and 

(iii) the National Guard. 

(5) DEBRIS FLOW EARLY WARNING SYSTEM.—In carrying out 

the program, the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary 

of Commerce and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall 

expand the early warning system for debris flow by— 

(A) expanding the early warning system for post-wildfire debris flow to include recently burned areas across 

the western United States; 

(B) developing procedures with State, territorial, local, 

and Tribal governments to monitor stormwater drainage 

in areas with high debris flow risk; and 
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(C) identifying high-risk debris flow areas, such as 

recently burned land and potential lahar hazard areas. 

(6) EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out the 

program, the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of 

Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the heads of 

other relevant Federal agencies, States offices, units of local 

government, territories, and Indian tribes, shall establish and 

support emergency response procedures for the rapid deployment of Federal scientists, equipment, and services to areas 

impacted by a significant landslide event— 

(A) to support emergency response efforts and improve 

the safety of emergency responders; 

(B) to improve data collection; and 

(C) to conduct research to advance the understanding 

of the causes, impacts, and reduction of landslide hazards 

and risks. 

(c) INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON LANDSLIDE

HAZARDS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established a committee, to be 

known as the ‘‘Interagency Coordinating Committee on Landslide Hazards’’. 

(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Committee shall be composed of 

the following members (or their designees): 

(A) The Secretary, who shall serve as Chairperson 

of the Committee. 

(B) The Secretary of Agriculture. 

(C) The Secretary of the Army. 

(D) The Secretary of Commerce. 

(E) The Secretary of Homeland Security. 

(F) The Secretary of Transportation. 

(G) The Director of the National Science Foundation. 

(H) The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. 

(I) The Director of the Office of Management and 

Budget. 

(3) MEETINGS.—The Committee shall meet at the call of 

the Chairperson. 

(4) PURPOSE AND DUTIES.—The Committee shall— 

(A) advise and oversee the program; 

(B) facilitate communication and coordination across 

Federal agencies in the planning, management, budgeting, 

and execution of landslide activities; and 

(C) support the development and execution of the 

national strategy under subsection (b)(2), including by— 

(i) supporting the development of national goals 

and priorities for the national strategy; 

(ii) articulating Federal agency roles, responsibilities, and resources for carrying out the national 

strategy; and 

(iii) overseeing the implementation of the national 

strategy. 

(d) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish an advisory 

committee, to be known as the ‘‘Advisory Committee on Landslides’’ (referred to in this subsection as the ‘‘Advisory Committee’’). 
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(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Advisory Committee shall be composed of not fewer than 11 members— 

(A) of whom none may be an individual described in 

any of subparagraphs (A) through (F) of section 7342(a)(1) 

of title 5, United States Code; and 

(B) who shall be representatives of— 

(i) States, including State geological organizations; 

(ii) territories, including territorial geological 

organizations; 

(iii) Indian tribes, including Tribal geological 

organizations; 

(iv) research institutions and institutions of higher 

education that are qualified— 

(I) to provide advice regarding landslide 

hazard and risk reduction; and 

(II) to represent related scientific, architectural, engineering, and planning disciplines; 

(v) industry standards development organizations; 

and 

(vi) State, territorial, local, and Tribal emergency 

management agencies. 

(3) RECOMMENDATIONS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The Advisory Committee shall 

submit to the Committee recommendations for the 

implementation of the program, including recommendations 

regarding— 

(i) landslide hazard and risk reduction and planning; 

(ii) tools for communities; 

(iii) research; and 

(iv) such other topics as the Advisory Committee 

determines appropriate. 

(B) CONSIDERATION.—The Secretary and the agency 

heads described in subparagraphs (B) through (I) of subsection (c)(2) shall take into consideration any recommendation of the Advisory Committee submitted under subparagraph (A). 

(e) GRANT PROGRAMS.— (1) COOPERATIVE LANDSLIDE HAZARD MAPPING AND ASSESS- MENT PROGRAM.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to appropriations, the Secretary may— 

(i) provide grants, on a competitive basis, to State, 

territorial, local, and Tribal governments to research, 

map, assess, and collect data on landslide hazards 

within the jurisdictions of those governments; and 

(ii) accept and use funds received from other Federal and non-Federal partners to advance the purposes 

of the program. 

(B) PRIORITY.— 

(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall consult 

annually with the Committee, States, units of local 

government, territories, and Indian tribes to establish 

priorities for the grant program under this paragraph. 

(ii) FUNDING PRIORITIZATION.—In providing grants 

under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority 

to projects— 
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(I) that will achieve the greatest landslide 

hazard and risk reduction; 

(II) that reflect the goals and priorities of the 

national strategy established under subsection 

(b)(2)(A); 

(III) not less than 50 percent of the total cost 

of which is matched by non-Federal sources; and 

(IV) that include acquisition of enhanced elevation data consistent with the 3D Elevation Program. 

(C) REQUIREMENT.—If the Secretary elects to provide 

grants under subparagraph (A)(i), the Secretary shall publish on a publicly available website a description of— 

(i) the grants; and 

(ii) the findings made from those grants. 

(2) NATIONAL LANDSLIDE RESEARCH GRANTS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—To advance the goals and priorities 

of the national strategy established under subsection 

(b)(2)(A), subject to appropriations, the Director of the 

National Science Foundation (referred to in this paragraph 

as the ‘‘Director’’) may provide grants to eligible entities 

for landslide research, including research on— 

(i) the causes, mechanisms, triggers, hydrology, 

and geology of landslides; 

(ii) ways to reduce landslide hazards and risks 

to minimize loss of life and property, including landslide hazard and risk communication, perception, 

decisionmaking, tools, and technologies; and 

(iii) other goals and priorities of the national 

strategy established under subsection (b)(2)(A). 

(B) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The Director shall determine 

whether an entity is eligible to receive a grant under this 

paragraph. 

(C) REQUIREMENTS.—In providing grants under this 

paragraph, the Director shall— 

(i) ensure that the grants are provided on a 

competitive basis; 

(ii) consider grant applications submitted by 

eligible entities that have developed the application 

in partnership with 1 or more State geological surveys; 

and 

(iii) publish on a publicly available website a 

description of— 

(I) the grants; and 

(II) the findings made from those grants. 

(f) BIENNIAL REPORT.—Through calendar year 2030, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a biennial report, including a 

description of, with respect to the 2-calendar-year period preceding 

the date of the report— 

(1) the goals and accomplishments of the Committee in 

carrying out the national strategy developed under subsection 

(b)(2); 

(2) the results of the activities of the Committee under 

this section; and 

(3) the extent to which any recommendations of the 

Advisory Committee under subsection (d)(3)(A) have been 

implemented. 
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(g) SIGNIFICANT EVENTS.—Not later than 1 year after a significant landslide event in the United States (including territories) 

occurs, the Secretary shall publish on a publicly available website— 

(1) a description of the landslide event and the implications 

of the event on communities, including life and property; 

(2) recommendations on how the identification of the landslide risk could have been improved prior to the event; 

(3) a description of the effectiveness of any warning and 

risk communication, including the dissemination of warnings 

by State, territorial, local, and Tribal partners in the affected 

area; 

(4) recommendations to improve risk identification, reduction, and communication to landowners and units of local 

government; 

(5) recommendations to improve landslide hazard preparedness and emergency response activities under this section; and 

(6) such other findings as the Secretary determines appropriate. 

(h) FUNDING.—For each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024— 

(1) there is authorized to be appropriated to the United 

States Geological Survey, $25,000,000 to carry out this section; 

(2) there is authorized to be appropriated to the National 

Science Foundation, $11,000,000 to carry out this section; and 

(3) there is authorized to be appropriated to the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, $1,000,000 to carry 

out this section. 

(i) DERIVATION OF FUNDS.—Funds to carry out the activities 

under this section shall be derived from amounts authorized to 

be appropriated that are enacted after the date of the enactment 

of this section. 

SEC. 4. GROUND SUBSIDENCE. 

As the Secretary determines to be appropriate and subject 

to appropriations, the Secretary, through existing programs, shall 

advance the identification, mapping, research, and monitoring of 

subsidence and groundwater resource accounting, particularly in 

areas affected by drought. 

SEC. 5. 3D ELEVATION PROGRAM. 

(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF 3D ELEVATION PROGRAM.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a program, 

to be known as the ‘‘3D Elevation Program’’— 

(A) to provide 3D elevation data coverage for the 

United States; 

(B) to coordinate and facilitate the collection, dissemination, and use of 3D elevation data among Federal departments and agencies and non-Federal entities; 

(C) to produce standard, publicly accessible 3D elevation data products for the United States; and 

(D) to promote the collection, dissemination, and use 

of 3D elevation data among Federal, State, local, and Tribal 

governments, communities, institutions of higher education, and the private sector through— 

(i) cooperative agreements; 

(ii) the development and maintenance of spatial 

data infrastructure to provide quality control and 

deliver to the public 3D elevation data products; 
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(iii) in coordination with the 3D Elevation Federal 

Interagency Coordinating Committee established under 

subsection (b), States, and industry and standards 

bodies, the development of standards and guidelines 

for 3D elevation data acquisition to increase accessibility to 3D elevation data in a standard, easy-to-use 

format; and 

(iv) the identification, assessment, and adoption 

of emerging technologies to improve the accuracy and 

efficiency of the 3D Elevation Program. 

(2) MANAGEMENT.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall manage the 3D 

Elevation Program— 

(i) to ensure efficiency with respect to related 

activities of the Department of the Interior and other 

participating Federal departments and agencies; and 

(ii) to meet the needs of Department of the Interior 

programs, stakeholders, and the public. 

(B) OTHER FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.— 

The head of each Federal department and agency involved 

in the acquisition, production, distribution, or application 

of 3D elevation data shall— 

(i) coordinate with the 3D Elevation Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee established under subsection (b) to acquire additional, enhanced 3D elevation 

data; 

(ii) submit to the Secretary a description of priority 

areas of interest for 3D elevation data collection for 

use in providing grants and cooperative agreements 

under subsection (d); 

(iii) implement policies and procedures for data 

acquisition and sharing that are consistent with standards and guidelines developed under the 3D Elevation 

Program; 

(iv) participate in, and share the results and benefits of, the 3D Elevation Program, in accordance with 

standards and guidelines developed under the 3D Elevation Program; and 

(v) ensure that any 3D elevation data acquired 

with Federal grant funding— 

(I) meets 3D Elevation Program standards; 

and 

(II) is included in the national holdings of 

those data. 

(b) 3D ELEVATION FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COM- MITTEE.— 

(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary, in coordination with 

the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Homeland 

Security, shall establish an interagency coordinating committee, 

to be known as the ‘‘3D Elevation Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee’’ (referred to in this subsection as the ‘‘Committee’’), to better coordinate 3D elevation data management 

across the Federal Government. 

(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Committee shall be composed of 

the following members (or their designees): 

(A) The Secretary, who shall serve as Chairperson 

of the Committee. 
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(B) The Secretary of Agriculture. 

(C) The Secretary of Commerce. 

(D) The Secretary of Homeland Security. 

(E) The Director of the National Science Foundation. 

(F) The Director of the Office of Science and Technology 

Policy. 

(G) The Director of the Office of Management and 

Budget. 

(H) The head of any other Federal department or 

agency, at the request of the Secretary. 

(3) COORDINATION.—The Committee shall coordinate, as 

appropriate, with the existing activities of— 

(A) the 3D Elevation Program Executive Forum; 

(B) the Alaska Mapping Executive Committee; 

(C) the 3D Elevation Working Group; 

(D) the 3D National Elevation Subcommittee; and 

(E) State offices. 

(4) MEETINGS.—The Committee shall meet at the call of 

the Chairperson. 

(5) DUTIES.—The Committee shall— 

(A) oversee the planning, management, and coordination of the 3D Elevation Program; and 

(B) develop, by not later than 1 year after the date 

of enactment of this Act, and update periodically thereafter— 

(i) a strategic plan that establishes goals and priorities for activities carried out under the 3D Elevation 

Program; and 

(ii) a detailed management plan to implement the 

strategic plan. 

(c) SUBCOMMITTEE OF NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 

(1) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish, within 

the National Geospatial Advisory Committee, a subcommittee (referred to in this subsection as the ‘‘Subcommittee’’). 

(B) MEMBERSHIP.—The Subcommittee shall— 

(i) consist of not fewer than 11 members, of whom 

none may be a Federal officer or employee; and 

(ii) include representatives of— 

(I) research and academic institutions; 

(II) industry standards development organizations; 

(III) units of State and local government; and 

(IV) the private sector. 

(2) DUTIES.— (A) ASSESSMENT.—The Subcommittee shall conduct an 

assessment of— 

(i) trends and developments in— 

(I) the collection, dissemination, and use of 

3D elevation data; and 

(II) science and technology relating to 3D elevation data; 

(ii) the effectiveness of the 3D Elevation Program 

in carrying out the activities described in subsection 

(a)(1); 
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(iii) the need to revise or reorganize the 3D Elevation Program; and 

(iv) the management, coordination, implementation, and activities of the 3D Elevation Program. 

(B) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, 

the Subcommittee shall submit to the Secretary and the 

3D Elevation Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee 

established under subsection (b) a report that includes— 

(i) the findings of the assessment under subparagraph (A); and 

(ii) recommendations of the Subcommittee based 

on those findings, if any. 

(d) GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make grants and enter 

into cooperative agreements with other Federal departments 

and agencies, units of State, local, or Tribal government, institutions of higher education, nonprofit research institutions, or 

other organizations to facilitate the improvement of nationwide 

coverage of 3D elevation data. 

(2) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant or 

enter into a cooperative agreement under this subsection, an 

entity described in paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary 

an application at such time, in such manner, and containing 

such information as the Secretary may require. 

(3) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—A grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection shall be subject to such terms 

and conditions as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, 

including making data publically available and interoperable 

with other Federal datasets. 

(e) FUNDING.—For each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024, 

there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $40,000,000 

to carry out this section. 

(f) DERIVATION OF FUNDS.—Funds to carry out the activities 

under this section shall be derived from amounts authorized to 

be appropriated to the Secretary that are enacted after the date 

of the enactment of this section. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.