I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8637 
To make protection against damage and loss resulting from the erosion 
and undermining of shorelines available under the National Flood Insur-
ance Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2024 
Mr. MURPHY (for himself, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. ROUZER, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. 
D’ESPOSITO, Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina, and Mrs. KIGGANS of Vir-
ginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To make protection against damage and loss resulting from 
the erosion and undermining of shorelines available 
under the National Flood Insurance Program, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Preventing Environ-
mental Hazards Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. FLOOD INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR STRUCTURES 
ON LAND SUBJECT TO IMMINENT COLLAPSE 
OR SUBSIDENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1306 of the National 
Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4013) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) EROSION COVERAGE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If any structure covered by 
a contract for flood insurance under this title and lo-
cated on land that is along the shore of a lake or 
other body of water is condemned or deemed unsafe 
for habitation by a State or local authority due to 
imminent collapse or subsidence as a result of shore-
line erosion or determined by a State or local au-
thority to be situated partially or wholly over water, 
a shoreline bluff, or escarpment, or below Mean 
Higher High Water on tidal waterbodies (regardless 
of whether as a result of long-term, chronic erosion 
or as a result of waves or currents of water exceed-
ing anticipated cyclical levels), the Administrator 
shall (following final determination by the Adminis-
trator that the claim is in compliance with regula-
tions developed pursuant to paragraph (7)(A)) pay 
amounts under such flood insurance contract for 
proper demolition or relocation as follows: 
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‘‘(A) DEMOLITION.—For proper demoli-
tion— 
‘‘(i) following final determination by 
the Administrator, 40 percent of the value 
of the structure; and 
‘‘(ii) following demolition of the struc-
ture (including any septic containment sys-
tem) within 6 months of payment under 
clause (i) and prior to collapse, the remain-
ing 60 percent of the value of the structure 
or the actual cost of demolition, whichever 
amount is less. 
‘‘(B) RELOCATION.—For proper relocation 
(including removal of any septic containment 
system) if the owner chooses to relocate the 
structure, following final determination by the 
Administrator, prior to collapse, up to 40 per-
cent of the value of the structure; except that 
the total payment under this subparagraph 
shall not exceed the actual cost of relocation. 
‘‘(2) COLLAPSE OR SUBSIDENCE.—If any struc-
ture subject to a final determination under para-
graph (1) collapses or subsides, or a period of six or 
more months elapses, before the owner demolishes or 
relocates the structure and the Administrator deter-
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mines that the owner has failed to take reasonable 
and prudent action to demolish or relocate the struc-
ture, the Administrator shall not pay more than the 
amount provided in paragraph (1)(A)(i) with respect 
to the structure. 
‘‘(3) VALUE OF STRUCTURE.—For purposes of 
paying flood insurance pursuant to this subsection, 
the value of a structure shall be whichever of the fol-
lowing is lowest: 
‘‘(A) The fair market value of a com-
parable structure that is not subject to immi-
nent collapse or subsidence. 
‘‘(B) The price paid for the structure and 
any improvement to the structure, as adjusted 
for inflation in accordance with an index deter-
mined by the Administrator to be appropriate. 
‘‘(C) The value of the structure under the 
flood insurance contract issued pursuant to this 
title. 
‘‘(4) COVERAGE TERMS.— 
‘‘(A) MAXIMUM
CLAIM.—Notwithstanding 
any provision of this subsection, the amount 
paid under a flood insurance contract in con-
nection with any claim under this subsection 
may not exceed the lesser of— 
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‘‘(i) the amount of coverage under the 
flood insurance contract for the structure; 
or 
‘‘(ii) $250,000. 
‘‘(B) EXCLUSION
OF
LOSS
OF
CON-
TENTS.—Flood insurance coverage under this 
subsection shall not cover any loss of or damage 
to any contents of a structure. 
‘‘(5) APPLICABILITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The provisions of this 
subsection shall apply to contracts for flood in-
surance under this title that are in effect on, or 
entered into after, the date of the enactment of 
this subsection. 
‘‘(B) 
COVERAGE
ON
CERTIFICATION 
DATE.— The provisions of this subsection shall 
not apply to any structure not subject to a con-
tract for flood insurance under this title on the 
date of a certification under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(C) PERIOD OF COVERAGE.—The provi-
sions of this subsection shall not apply to any 
structure unless the structure is covered by a 
contract for flood insurance under this title— 
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‘‘(i) for a period of 12 months on or 
before the date of the enactment of this 
Act; or 
‘‘(ii) for a continuous period of 4 
years prior to certification under para-
graph (1). 
‘‘(6) TERMINATION
OF
COVERAGE.—For any 
structure that is subject to a final determination 
under paragraph (1), no subsequent flood insurance 
coverage under this title or assistance under the Dis-
aster Relief Act of 1974 (except emergency assist-
ance essential to save lives and protect property, 
public health and safety) shall be available for the 
same structure, or a different structure on any re-
maining portions of the parcel of land originally af-
forded assistance under this subsection. 
‘‘(7) REGULATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall promulgate regulations and guidelines to 
implement this subsection. 
‘‘(B) APPLICABILITY.—Prior to issuance of 
regulations regarding the State and local cer-
tifications pursuant to paragraph (1), all provi-
sions of this subsection shall apply to any struc-
ture that— 
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‘‘(i) otherwise meets the requirements 
of this subsection; and 
‘‘(ii) is imminently threatened by 
shoreline erosion, regardless of whether as 
a result of long-term, chronic erosion or as 
a result of waves or currents of water ex-
ceeding anticipated cyclical levels.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section shall become effective on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
Æ 
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