117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3875 

AN ACT 

To require the President to develop and maintain products 

that show the risk of natural hazards across the United 

States, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
2 

†S 3875 ES

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community Disaster 

3 Resilience Zones Act of 2022’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Section 101(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re6 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121(b)) 

7 is amended— 

8 (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

9 end; 

10 (2) in paragraph (6), by adding ‘‘; and’’ at the 

11 end; and 

12 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘(7) identifying and improving the climate and 

14 natural hazard resilience of vulnerable commu15 nities.’’. 

16 SEC. 3. NATURAL HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title II of the Robert T. Stafford 

18 Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

19 5131 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol20 lowing: 

21 ‘‘SEC. 206. NATURAL HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT. 

22 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

23 ‘‘(1) COMMUNITY DISASTER RESILIENCE

24 ZONE.—The term ‘community disaster resilience 

25 zone’ means a census tract designated by the Presi26 dent under subsection (d)(1). 
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1 ‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en2 tity’ means— 

3 ‘‘(A) a State; 

4 ‘‘(B) an Indian tribal government; or 

5 ‘‘(C) a local government. 

6 ‘‘(b) PRODUCTS.—The President shall continue to 

7 maintain a natural hazard assessment program that devel8 ops and maintains products that— 

9 ‘‘(1) are available to the public; and 

10 ‘‘(2) define natural hazard risk across the 

11 United States. 

12 ‘‘(c) FEATURES.—The products maintained under 

13 subsection (b) shall, for lands within States and areas 

14 under the jurisdiction of Indian tribal governments— 

15 ‘‘(1) show the risk of natural hazards; and 

16 ‘‘(2) include ratings and data for— 

17 ‘‘(A) loss exposure, including population 

18 equivalence, buildings, and agriculture; 

19 ‘‘(B) social vulnerability; 

20 ‘‘(C) community resilience; and 

21 ‘‘(D) any other element determined by the 

22 President. 

23 ‘‘(d) COMMUNITY DISASTER RESILIENCE ZONES

24 DESIGNATION.— 
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1 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days 

2 after the date on which the President makes the up3 date and enhancement required under subsection 

4 (e)(4), and not less frequently than every 5 years 

5 thereafter, the President shall identify and designate 

6 community disaster resilience zones, which shall 

7 be— 

8 ‘‘(A) the 50 census tracts assigned the 

9 highest individual hazard risk ratings; and 

10 ‘‘(B) subject to paragraph (3), in each 

11 State, not less than 1 percent of census tracts 

12 that are assigned high individual risk ratings. 

13 ‘‘(2) RISK RATINGS.—In carrying out para14 graph (1), the President shall use census tract risk 

15 ratings derived from a product maintained under 

16 subsection (b) that— 

17 ‘‘(A) reflect— 

18 ‘‘(i) high levels of individual hazard 

19 risk ratings based on an assessment of the 

20 intersection of— 

21 ‘‘(I) loss to population equiva22 lence; 

23 ‘‘(II) building value; and 

24 ‘‘(III) agriculture value; 
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1 ‘‘(ii) high social vulnerability ratings 

2 and low community resilience ratings; and 

3 ‘‘(iii) any other elements determined 

4 by the President; and 

5 ‘‘(B) reflect the principal natural hazard 

6 risks identified for the respective census tracts. 

7 ‘‘(3) GEOGRAPHIC BALANCE.—In identifying 

8 and designating the community disaster resilience 

9 zones described in paragraph (1)(B)— 

10 ‘‘(A) for the purpose of achieving geo11 graphic balance, when applicable, the President 

12 shall consider making designations in coastal, 

13 inland, urban, suburban, and rural areas; and 

14 ‘‘(B) the President shall include census 

15 tracts on Tribal lands located within a State. 

16 ‘‘(4) DURATION.—The designation of a commu17 nity disaster resilience zone under paragraph (1) 

18 shall be effective for a period of not less than 5 

19 years. 

20 ‘‘(e) REVIEW AND UPDATE.—Not later than 180 

21 days after the date of enactment of the Community Dis22 aster Resilience Zones Act of 2022, and not less frequently 

23 than every 5 years thereafter, the President shall— 

24 ‘‘(1) with respect to any product that is a nat25 ural hazard risk assessment— 
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1 ‘‘(A) review the underlying methodology of 

2 the product; and 

3 ‘‘(B) receive public input on the method4 ology and data used for the product; 

5 ‘‘(2) consider including additional data in any 

6 product that is a natural hazard risk assessment, 

7 such as— 

8 ‘‘(A) the most recent census tract data; 

9 ‘‘(B) data from the American Community 

10 Survey of the Bureau of the Census, a suc11 cessor survey, a similar survey, or another data 

12 source, including data by census tract on hous13 ing characteristics and income; 

14 ‘‘(C) information relating to development, 

15 improvements, and hazard mitigation measures; 

16 ‘‘(D) data that assesses past and future 

17 loss exposure, including analysis on the effects 

18 of a changing climate on future loss exposure; 

19 ‘‘(E) data from the Resilience Analysis and 

20 Planning Tool of the Federal Emergency Man21 agement Agency; and 

22 ‘‘(F) other information relevant to 

23 prioritizing areas that have— 

24 ‘‘(i) high risk levels of— 
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1 ‘‘(I) natural hazard loss expo2 sure, including population equivalence, 

3 buildings, infrastructure, and agri4 culture; and 

5 ‘‘(II) social vulnerability; and 

6 ‘‘(ii) low levels of community resil7 ience; 

8 ‘‘(3) make publicly available any changes in 

9 methodology or data used to inform an update to a 

10 product maintained under subsection (b); and 

11 ‘‘(4) update and enhance the products main12 tained under subsection (b), as necessary. 

13 ‘‘(f) NATURAL HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT IN14 SIGHTS.—In determining additional data to include in 

15 products that are natural hazard risk assessments under 

16 subsection (e)(2), the President shall consult with, at a 

17 minimum— 

18 ‘‘(1) the Administrator of the Federal Emer19 gency Management Agency; 

20 ‘‘(2) the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief 

21 of the Forest Service; 

22 ‘‘(3) the Secretary of Commerce, the Adminis23 trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad24 ministration, the Director of the Bureau of the Cen-
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1 sus, and the Director of the National Institute of 

2 Standards and Technology; 

3 ‘‘(4) the Secretary of Defense and the Com4 manding Officer of the United States Army Corps of 

5 Engineers; 

6 ‘‘(5) the Administrator of the Environmental 

7 Protection Agency; 

8 ‘‘(6) the Secretary of the Interior and the Di9 rector of the United States Geological Survey; 

10 ‘‘(7) the Secretary of Housing and Urban De11 velopment; and 

12 ‘‘(8) the Director of the Federal Housing Fi13 nance Agency. 

14 ‘‘(g) COMMUNITY DISASTER RESILIENCE ZONE.— 

15 With respect to financial assistance provided under section 

16 203(i) to perform a resilience or mitigation project within, 

17 or that primarily benefits, a community disaster resilience 

18 zone, the President may increase the amount of the Fed19 eral share described under section 203(h) to not more 

20 than 90 percent of the total cost of the resilience or miti21 gation project. 

22 ‘‘(h) RESILIENCE OR MITIGATION PROJECT PLAN23 NING ASSISTANCE.— 

24 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The President may provide 

25 financial, technical, or other assistance under this 
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1 title to an eligible entity that plans to perform a re2 silience or mitigation project within, or that pri3 marily benefits, a community disaster resilience 

4 zone. 

5 ‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of assistance pro6 vided under paragraph (1) shall be to carry out ac7 tivities in preparation for a resilience or mitigation 

8 project or seek an evaluation and certification under 

9 subsection (i)(2) for a resilience or mitigation 

10 project before the date on which permanent work of 

11 the resilience or mitigation project begins. 

12 ‘‘(3) APPLICATION.—If required by the Presi13 dent, an eligible entity seeking assistance under 

14 paragraph (1) shall submit an application in accord15 ance with subsection (i)(1). 

16 ‘‘(4) FUNDING.—In providing assistance under 

17 paragraph (1), the President may use amounts set 

18 aside under section 203(i). 

19 ‘‘(i) COMMUNITY DISASTER RESILIENCE ZONE

20 PROJECT APPLICATIONS.— 

21 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If required by the Presi22 dent or other Federal law, an eligible entity shall 

23 submit to the President an application at such time, 

24 in such manner, and containing or accompanied by 
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1 such information as the President may reasonably 

2 require. 

3 ‘‘(2) EVALUATION AND CERTIFICATION.— 

4 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 

5 days after the date on which an eligible entity 

6 submits an application under paragraph (1), 

7 the President shall evaluate the application to 

8 determine whether the resilience or mitigation 

9 project that the entity plans to perform within, 

10 or that primarily benefits, a community disaster 

11 resilience zone— 

12 ‘‘(i) is designed to reduce injuries, loss 

13 of life, and damage and destruction of 

14 property, such as damage to critical serv15 ices and facilities; and 

16 ‘‘(ii) substantially reduces the risk of, 

17 or increases resilience to, future damage, 

18 hardship, loss, or suffering. 

19 ‘‘(B) CERTIFICATION.—If the President 

20 determines that an application submitted under 

21 paragraph (1) meets the criteria described in 

22 subparagraph (A), the President shall certify 

23 the proposed resilience or mitigation project. 

24 ‘‘(C) EFFECT OF CERTIFICATION.—The 

25 certification of a proposed resilience or mitiga-
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1 tion project under subparagraph (B) shall not 

2 be construed to exempt the resilience or mitiga3 tion project from the requirements of any other 

4 law. 

5 ‘‘(3) PROJECTS CAUSING DISPLACEMENT.— 

6 With respect to a resilience or mitigation project cer7 tified under paragraph (2)(B) that involves the dis8 placement of a resident from any occupied housing 

9 unit, the entity performing the resilience or mitiga10 tion project shall— 

11 ‘‘(A) provide, at the option of the resident, 

12 a suitable and habitable housing unit that is, 

13 with respect to the housing unit from which the 

14 resident is displaced— 

15 ‘‘(i) of a comparable size; 

16 ‘‘(ii) located in the same local commu17 nity or a community with reduced hazard 

18 risk; and 

19 ‘‘(iii) offered under similar costs, con20 ditions, and terms; 

21 ‘‘(B) ensure that property acquisitions re22 sulting from the displacement and made in con23 nection with the resilience or mitigation 

24 project— 
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1 ‘‘(i) are deed restricted in perpetuity 

2 to preclude future property uses not relat3 ing to mitigation or resilience; and 

4 ‘‘(ii) are the result of a voluntary de5 cision by the resident; and 

6 ‘‘(C) plan for robust public participation in 

7 the resilience or mitigation project.’’. 

8 (b) NATIONAL RISK INDEX FUNDING.—Nothing in 

9 section 206 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

10 Emergency Assistance Act, as added by subsection (a) of 

11 this section, shall be construed to prohibit the Adminis12 trator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 

13 from using amounts available to maintain and update the 

14 National Risk Index until the earlier of— 

15 (1) the date on which those amounts are trans16 ferred to another source; and 

17 (2) 3 years after the date of enactment of this 

18 Act. 
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1 (c) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this 

2 Act shall only apply with respect to amounts appropriated 

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

Passed the Senate September 28, 2022. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 
117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3875 

AN ACT 

To require the President to develop and maintain 

across the United States, and for other purposes. products that show the risk of natural hazards