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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5521 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5521

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
   to enter into an agreement with the National Research Council to 
       conduct a study on urban flooding, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 17, 2014

   Mr. Quigley (for himself and Mr. King of New York) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
   and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial 
Services, 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 direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
   to enter into an agreement with the National Research Council to 
       conduct a study on urban flooding, 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 ``Urban Flooding Awareness Act of 
2014''.

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.

SEC. 3. URBAN FLOODING STUDY.

    (a) Agreement With National Research Council.--The Administrator of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall enter into an agreement 
with the National Research Council under which the National Research 
Council 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 Research Council 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, 
                and technologies 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 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 broadening coverage and increasing participation 
                under the programs.
                    (I) Strategies for protecting downstream 
                communities from the flooding impacts of development in 
                upstream communities, including a review of--
                            (i) potential standards for watershed-wide 
                        flood protection planning; and
                            (ii) the potential establishment of 
                        streamlined legal processes for victims of 
                        flood damage, to avoid the need for expensive 
                        litigation.
    (c) Consultation.--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, and State, regional, and local 
stormwater management agencies, and such other interested parties as 
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency considers 
appropriate.
    (d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, 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 Research Council 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.
                                 <all>
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