I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2330 

To establish a National Flood Research and Education Consortium to plan, 

coordinate, conduct, and share research on flooding, flood prevention, 

and other flood-related issues, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 23, 2011 

Mr. LOEBSACK 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 establish a National Flood Research and Education Consortium to plan, coordinate, conduct, and share research 

on flooding, flood prevention, and other flood-related 

issues, 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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Flood Re5 search and Education Act of 2011’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) According to the National Oceanic and At2 mospheric Administration (NOAA) three-fourths of 

3 all presidential disaster declarations are associated 

4 with flooding. 

5 (2) According to NOAA, in most years flooding 

6 causes more damage in the United States than any 

7 other severe weather related event, an average of 

8 $5.3 billion a year for the 30-year period, 1975– 

9 2004. 

10 (3) Flooding, flood prevention, and flood-related 

11 socio-economic, environmental, health and policy 

12 issues are highly complex with implications for loss 

13 of life and billions in damage to all sectors of our 

14 economy. 

15 (4) There is not currently a national-level com16 prehensive effort to research flooding, flood preven17 tion, and flood-related issues. 

18 (5) Flooding, flood prevention, and flood-related 

19 issues require a national-level comprehensive and 

20 collaborative research effort to help advance under21 standing of the variety of issues on causes of flood22 ing, and implementation of prediction methods as 

23 well as policies that would help prevent future dam24 age and natural disasters. 


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1 (6) A national-level effort should include part2 nerships between the Federal Government and insti3 tutions of higher education all with expertise in the 

4 areas of physical and environmental science, includ5 ing hydrology, hydraulics, hydrometeorology, climate, 

6 as well as in engineering, sociology and economics. 

7 (7) A national-level effort should include re8 search on climate and weather and any other area 

9 related to flooding, flood prevention, and other flood10 related issues, including— 

11 (A) analysis of the economic effects of 

12 flooding; 

13 (B) evaluation and development of strate14 gies, techniques, and technologies to reduce, 

15 manage, monitor, and prevent flooding; 

16 (C) analysis of Federal, State, regional, 

17 and local flood policy; 

18 (D) and development of risk-assessment 

19 tools, methods, and models. 

20 (8) A national-level effort should also include 

21 development of recommendations and identification 

22 of best practices for predicting, preventing, and 

23 minimizing flooding and its effects, including— 

24 (A) risk-assessment tools, methods, and 

25 models; 


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1 (B) strategies and techniques for moni2 toring and predicting flooding; 

3 (C) strategies and techniques for flood 

4 management and prevention; 

5 (D) the adoption and use of relevant tech6 nologies; 

7 (E) Federal, State, regional, and local 

8 flood policies; and 

9 (F) coordination and cooperation among 

10 local, State, and Federal flood-related efforts. 

11 (9) Research, recommendations, and best prac12 tices should be developed by taking into account re13 gional differences in hydrology, weather, geography, 

14 economy, and population density while ensuring in15 land and non-oceanic flooding situations, among oth16 ers, are represented. 

17 (10) Demonstration projects should be used to 

18 test the efficacy of new strategies, techniques and 

19 technologies for assessing flood risk, monitoring, and 

20 predicting and provide local governments the oppor21 tunity to participate in areas where new strategies 

22 are needed. 

23 (11) There are multiple areas of Federal, State, 

24 and local government responsibility for flooding and 

25 water-related issues. Thus, a national-level research 


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1 effort should involve the development of collaborative 

2 networks on regional flooding, flood prevention, and 

3 flood-related issues, including the following enti4 ties— 

5 (A) relevant Federal departments and 

6 agencies, including water-research efforts within 

7 NOAA and other Federal entities; 

8 (B) State, county, and local governments; 

9 (C) local Councils of Governments or re10 gional and Metropolitan Planning Organiza11 tions; 

12 (D) State agriculture, natural resource, en13 vironment, economic development, homeland se14 curity, and water agencies; 

15 (E) county disaster recovery coordinators, 

16 emergency management personnel, and first re17 sponders; 

18 (F) public or private colleges and univer19 sities; 

20 (G) floodplain managers; 

21 (H) watershed organizations and boards; 

22 (I) agriculture and commodity Organiza23 tions; 

24 (J) resource, conservation, preservation 

25 and environmental organizations; 


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1 (K) homeowners associations and organiza2 tions; and 

3 (L) business and development organiza4 tions. 

5 SEC. 3. OFFICE OF FLOOD RESEARCH AND POLICY. 

6 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is hereby established 

8 within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad9 ministration (NOAA) an Office of Flood Research 

10 and Policy. 

11 (2) DIRECTOR.— 

12 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Office shall be 

13 headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by 

14 the Administrator of NOAA. 

15 (B) SALARY.—The rate of pay for the Di16 rector shall not exceed the rate payable for level 

17 IV of the Executive Schedule under section 

18 5316 of title 5, United States Code. 

19 (3) STAFF.— 

20 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Director may ap21 point and fix the pay of personnel as the Direc22 tor considers appropriate. 

23 (B) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOY24 EES.—Upon request of the Director, the head 

25 of any Federal department or agency may deVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:39 Jun 30, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2330.IH H2330

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1 tail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the per2 sonnel of that department or agency to the Of3 fice to assist the Director in carrying out his 

4 duties under this Act. 

5 (C) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The 

6 Director may procure temporary and intermit7 tent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, 

8 United States Code. 

9 (b) DUTIES.—The Director shall— 

10 (1) establish and oversee the National Flood 

11 Research and Education Consortium described in 

12 section 4; 

13 (2) make recommendations and identify best 

14 practices for predicting, preventing, and minimizing 

15 flooding and its effects in accordance with sub16 section (c); 

17 (3) submit to Congress an annual report in ac18 cordance with subsection (d); 

19 (4) establish and maintain a page on the public 

20 NOAA Web site in accordance with subsection (e); 

21 and 

22 (5) review applications that have been approved 

23 by the Lead Partner Institution (LPI) and award 

24 grants for demonstration projects in accordance with 

25 section 6. 


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1 (c) RECOMMENDATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES.— 

2 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Director, in consulta3 tion with the Director of the United States Geologi4 cal Survey, the Commanding General of the United 

5 States Army Corps of Engineers, and the heads of 

6 other relevant Federal agencies, shall develop rec7 ommendations and identify best practices for pre8 dicting, preventing, and minimizing flooding and its 

9 effects, including— 

10 (A) risk-assessment tools, methods, and 

11 models; 

12 (B) strategies and techniques for moni13 toring and predicting flooding; 

14 (C) strategies and techniques for flood 

15 management and prevention; 

16 (D) the adoption and use of relevant tech17 nologies; 

18 (E) Federal, State, regional, and local 

19 flood policies; and 

20 (F) coordination and cooperation among 

21 local, State, and Federal flood-related efforts. 

22 (2) ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS.—In devel23 oping the recommendations and best practices de24 scribed in paragraph (1), the Director shall con25 sider— 


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1 (A) the annual report submitted by the 

2 LPI in accordance with section 4(f); and 

3 (B) regional differences in hydrology, 

4 weather, geography, economy, and population 

5 density. 

6 (d) REPORT.—The Director shall submit to Congress 

7 an annual report on the activities of the Office and the 

8 Consortium. 

9 (e) WEB SITE.—The Director shall establish and 

10 maintain a page on the public NOAA Web site on which 

11 the Director shall publish— 

12 (1) the recommendations and best practices de13 scribed in subsection (c); and 

14 (2) the annual report described in subsection 

15 (d). 

16 (f) OVERSIGHT.— 

17 (1) RESEARCH.—The Director shall establish 

18 procedures to ensure that there is full and effective 

19 review of the research conducted by the Consortium. 

20 (2) PERIODIC REVIEW.—Periodically (and not 

21 less than every year), the Director shall review the 

22 activities of the Consortium to ensure that— 

23 (A) Consortium members are fulfilling 

24 their duties under section 3; and 


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1 (B) funds received under this Act are used 

2 solely for such purposes. 

3 (3) INFORMATION.—Consortium members shall 

4 provide the Director with any information that the 

5 Director considers necessary to carry out his respon6 sibilities under this section. 

7 SEC. 4. NATIONAL FLOOD RESEARCH AND EDUCATION 

8 CONSORTIUM. 

9 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall establish 

11 a National Flood Research and Education Consor12 tium. 

13 (2) MEMBERS.— 

14 (A) COMPOSITION.—The Consortium shall 

15 consist of— 

16 (i) a LPI selected by the Director as 

17 described in section 5(a); and 

18 (ii) additional partner institutions se19 lected by the Director and LPI as de20 scribed in section 5(b). 

21 (B) LIMITATION TO INSTITUTIONS OF

22 HIGHER EDUCATION.—Members of the Consor23 tium shall be institutions of higher education. 

24 (b) DUTIES OF CONSORTIUM MEMBERS.—Each Con25 sortium member shall— 


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1 (1) conduct research on flooding, flood preven2 tion, and other flood-related issues, including— 

3 (A) analysis of the economic effects of 

4 flooding; 

5 (B) evaluation and development of strate6 gies, techniques, and technology to reduce, 

7 manage, monitor, and prevent flooding; 

8 (C) analysis of Federal, State, regional, 

9 and local flood policy; and 

10 (D) development of risk-assessment tools, 

11 methods, and models; and 

12 (2) develop undergraduate and graduate 

13 courses on flooding, flooding prevention, and other 

14 flood-related issues. 

15 (c) ADDITIONAL DUTIES OF LEAD PARTNER INSTI16 TUTION.—In addition to fulfilling the duties described in 

17 subsection (b), the LPI shall— 

18 (1) establish a center to plan, coordinate, and 

19 facilitate research and information sharing among 

20 the Consortium members; 

21 (2) review and approve applications for grants 

22 under section 6; 

23 (3) oversee demonstration projects funded by 

24 grands awarded under section 6; 


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1 (4) submit to the Director an annual report in 

2 accordance with subsection (f); and 

3 (5) establish and maintain an Internet Web site 

4 in accordance with subsection (g). 

5 (d) IMPROVEMENT OF LEAD PARTNER INSTITUTION

6 FACILITIES.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the requirements 

8 of paragraph (2), the LPI may use funds authorized 

9 pursuant to section 7(a)(2) to improve facilities used 

10 by the LPI in carrying out its duties under this sec11 tion. 

12 (2) REQUIREMENTS.—In order for the LPI to 

13 be eligible to receive funds under this subsection— 

14 (A) the LPI shall submit to the Director a 

15 plan detailing the proposed improvements, in16 cluding— 

17 (i) the projected cost of such improve18 ments; 

19 (ii) a description of engineering, de20 sign, staffing, and equipment needs; and 

21 (iii) such additional information as 

22 the Director shall require; and 

23 (B) the Director shall approve such plan. 

24 (e) ANNUAL REPORT.— 


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1 (1) CONTENTS.—For each fiscal year in which 

2 the Consortium is funded under this Act, the LPI 

3 shall prepare a report that includes— 

4 (A) a summary of the research and activi5 ties— 

6 (i) conducted by each Consortium 

7 member during the fiscal year in accord8 ance with this Act; and 

9 (ii) planned by each Consortium mem10 ber for the next fiscal year in accordance 

11 with this Act; 

12 (B) a detailed accounting of the 

13 amounts— 

14 (i) expended by each Consortium 

15 member during the fiscal year in carrying 

16 out this Act; and 

17 (ii) planned to be expended by each 

18 Consortium member for the next fiscal 

19 year in carrying out this Act; 

20 (C) the number of applications for grants 

21 under section 5 received during the fiscal year, 

22 a list of such grants awarded during the fiscal 

23 year, and the status of demonstration projects 

24 funded by such grants; and 


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1 (D) such additional information as the Di2 rector shall require. 

3 (2) FINAL REPORT.—In the case of the final 

4 annual report, the LPI may exclude the information 

5 described in paragraph (1)(A)(ii) and paragraph 

6 (1)(B)(ii). 

7 (3) TIMING.—The LPI shall submit the report 

8 described in paragraph (1) to the Director no later 

9 than 30 days after the end of the fiscal year. 

10 (f) WEB SITE.—The LPI shall establish and main11 tain an Internet Web site for the Consortium on which 

12 the LPI shall publish— 

13 (1) information about the purpose of the Con14 sortium; 

15 (2) the location and contact information of Con16 sortium members; 

17 (3) a link to the page of the Office on the pub18 lic NOAA Web site; 

19 (4) a detailed description of all research con20 ducted by Consortium members in accordance with 

21 this Act; 

22 (5) articles on flooding, flood prevention, and 

23 flood-related issues published in peer-reviewed aca24 demic journals by professors of Consortium mem25 bers; 


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1 (6) information about the grant program de2 scribed in section 6, including the application and 

3 criteria for selection; 

4 (7) the status of demonstration projects funded 

5 by the grant program described in section 6; and 

6 (8) such additional information as the Director 

7 shall require. 

8 (g) INFORMATION.—Consortium members shall pro9 vide the LPI with any information the LPI considers rel10 evant to carry out its responsibilities under this section. 

11 SEC. 5. SELECTION OF CONSORTIUM MEMBERS. 

12 (a) LEAD PARTNER INSTITUTION.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 

14 the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall 

15 select an institution of higher education to serve as 

16 the lead partner institution to head the Consortium. 

17 (2) APPLICATION.—An institution of higher 

18 education desiring to be selected as the LPI of the 

19 Consortium shall submit an application to the Direc20 tor at such time, in such form, and containing such 

21 information and assurances as the Director shall 

22 reasonably require. Such application shall include— 

23 (A) a comprehensive prospectus for the op24 eration of the Consortium; 

25 (B) a research proposal; 


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1 (C) a description of relevant current and 

2 past research conducted by the institution; 

3 (D) a plan to develop undergraduate and 

4 graduate courses on flooding, flooding preven5 tion, and other flood-related issues; 

6 (E) a plan to incorporate undergraduate 

7 and graduate students in the work of the Con8 sortium; 

9 (F) a proposed budget; and 

10 (G) a certification that the applicant will 

11 provide non-Federal matching funds in an 

12 amount that is at least equal to 20 percent of 

13 any funds received under this Act. 

14 (3) PRIORITY.—In selecting the LPI, the Direc15 tor shall give priority to an applicant that— 

16 (A) has significant research expertise in 

17 the areas of physical and environmental science, 

18 flooding, hydraulics, hydroscience, engineering, 

19 and meteorology; 

20 (B) is located in a State that frequently 

21 experiences non-oceanic and inland flooding; 

22 (C) has previously partnered with or re23 ceived funds from the Federal Government to 

24 research flooding, hydrology, and watershed 

25 issues; 


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1 (D) has experience operating a flood re2 search center serving the State or region in 

3 which the institution is located; 

4 (E) has the capability to take a leading 

5 role in coordinating and fulfilling the purposes 

6 of the Consortium; and 

7 (F) has the capacity to administer the 

8 demonstration project grant program described 

9 in section 6. 

10 (b) ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 

12 the selection of the LPI, the Director, in coordina13 tion with the LPI, shall select additional institutions 

14 of higher education to participate in the Consortium. 

15 (2) APPLICATION.—An institution of higher 

16 education desiring to be selected as a member of the 

17 Consortium shall submit an application to the Direc18 tor at such time, in such form, and containing such 

19 information and assurances as the Director shall 

20 reasonably require. Such application shall include— 

21 (A) a research proposal; 

22 (B) a description of relevant current and 

23 past research conducted by the institution; 


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1 (C) a plan to develop undergraduate and 

2 graduate courses on flooding, flooding preven3 tion, and other flood-related issues; 

4 (D) a plan to incorporate undergraduate 

5 and graduate students in the work of the Con6 sortium; 

7 (E) a proposed budget; and 

8 (F) a certification that the applicant will 

9 provide non-Federal matching funds in an 

10 amount that is at least equal to 20 percent of 

11 any funds received under this Act. 

12 (3) PRIORITY.—In selecting additional members 

13 of the Consortium, the Director shall give priority to 

14 an applicant that— 

15 (A) has demonstrated research expertise in 

16 an area or areas related to flooding; and 

17 (B) has the ability to plan, coordinate, and 

18 conduct research related to flooding, flood pre19 vention, and flood-related issues. 

20 SEC. 6. GRANT PROGRAM FOR DEMONSTRATION 

21 PROJECTS. 

22 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—From funds made available 

23 under section 7(a), the Director shall award grants to 

24 States and units of local government for the purpose of 

25 funding eligible demonstration projects. 


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1 (b) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

2 under this section, a State or unit of local government 

3 shall submit an application to the LPI at such time and 

4 in such manner as the LPI, in consultation with the Direc5 tor, shall reasonably require. 

6 (c) APPROVAL OF GRANT.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The award of a grant under 

8 subsection (a) shall require the approval of both the 

9 LPI and the Director. 

10 (2) TIMING.— 

11 (A) LPI.—The LPI shall approve or reject 

12 an application for a grant under subsection (a) 

13 not later than 60 days after receiving the com14 pleted application. 

15 (B) DIRECTOR.—If the LPI approves an 

16 application for a grant under subsection (a), 

17 the Director shall approve or reject such appli18 cation not later than 30 days after approval by 

19 the LPI. 

20 (d) ELIGIBLE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.—A State 

21 or unit of local government that receives a grant under 

22 subsection (a) shall use such grant to fund demonstration 

23 projects that— 

24 (1) implement the recommendations and best 

25 practices described in section 3(c); or 


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1 (2) test new or improved techniques, strategies, 

2 technologies, methods, tools, and models for pre3 dicting, preventing, and minimizing flooding and its 

4 effects. 

5 (e) GRANT AMOUNT.— 

6 (1) LIMIT.—Except as provided in paragraph 

7 (2), a grant under this section shall not exceed 

8 $250,000. 

9 (2) EXCEPTION.—A grant under this section 

10 may exceed $250,000 if— 

11 (A) all Consortium members waive the lim12 itation of paragraph (1); 

13 (B) the Director waives the limitation of 

14 paragraph (1); and 

15 (C) the demonstration project involves 

16 multiple watersheds or jurisdictions and bene17 fits multiple communities. 

18 (3) MATCHING FUNDS.—States and units of 

19 local government that receive funds under this sec20 tion shall contribute non-Federal funds in an 

21 amount equal to or greater than 20 percent of the 

22 amount received. 

23 SEC. 7. FUNDING. 

24 (a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the funds au2 thorized to be appropriated under paragraph (2), for 

3 each of the fiscal years 2012 through 2017, there is 

4 authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator 

5 of NOAA $11,000,000 to carry out this Act. 

6 (2) IMPROVEMENT OF LPI FACILITIES.—There 

7 is authorized to be appropriated to the Adminis8 trator of NOAA such sums as may be necessary for 

9 payments to the LPI for the purposes described in 

10 section 4(e). 

11 (b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.— 

12 (1) OFFICE OF FLOOD RESEARCH AND POL13 ICY.—Of the amounts made available under sub14 section (a)(1) for a fiscal year, not more than 

15 $2,000,000 may be used to fund the activities of the 

16 Office. 

17 (2) LEAD PARTNER INSTITUTION.—Of the 

18 amounts made available under subsection (a)(1) for 

19 a fiscal year, not more than $3,000,000 may be used 

20 to fund the activities of the LPI. 

21 (3) ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE CONSOR22 TIUM.— 

23 (A) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts made 

24 available under subsection (a)(1) for a fiscal 

25 year, not more than $3,000,000 may be used to 


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1 fund the activities of the members of the Con2 sortium other than the LPI. 

3 (B) LIMIT PER MEMBER.—Of the amounts 

4 made available under subparagraph (A), not 

5 more than $500,000 may be used to fund the 

6 activities of a member of the Consortium other 

7 than the LPI. 

8 (4) GRANT PROGRAM.—Of the amounts made 

9 available under subsection (a)(1) for a fiscal year, 

10 not more than $3,000,000 may be used to fund the 

11 grant program described in section 6. 

12 SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS. 

13 In this Act: 

14 (1) CONSORTIUM.—The term ‘‘Consortium’’ 

15 means the National Flood Research and Education 

16 Consortium established in section 3. 

17 (2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

18 the Director of the Office of Flood Research and 

19 Policy established within NOAA in section 2. 

20 (3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 

21 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 

22 meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the 

23 Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 

24 (4) LPI.—The term ‘‘LPI’’ means the Lead 

25 Partner Institution described in section 4(a). 


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1 (5) OFFICE.—The term ‘‘Office’’ means the Of2 fice of Flood Research and Policy established in sec3 tion 2. 

Æ 


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