I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3091 
To establish a National Flood Research and Education Center to provide 
research, data, and recommendations on physical science, social science, 
economic analysis, policy analysis, risk analysis, monitoring, predicting, 
and planning as they relate to flooding and flood-related issues. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 4, 2019 
Mr. LOEBSACK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subse-
quently 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 Cen-
ter to provide research, data, and recommendations on 
physical science, social science, economic analysis, policy 
analysis, risk analysis, monitoring, predicting, and plan-
ning as they relate to flooding and flood-related issues. 
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 ‘‘National Flood Re-
search and Education Center Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. NATIONAL FLOOD RESEARCH AND EDUCATION 
CENTER ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a 
National Flood Research and Education Center (in this 
Act referred to as ‘‘NFREC’’) which shall consist of— 
(1) an office within the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration; 
(2) one public university or college selected by 
the Administrator of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration (in this Act referred to as 
the ‘‘Administrator’’), which shall serve as the lead 
partner institution with the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration; and 
(3) a consortium of other public universities or 
colleges selected by the Administrator and the lead 
partner institution based on their ability to fulfill 
specific purposes of NFREC. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of NFREC are as fol-
lows: 
(1) To plan, conduct, and arrange for com-
petent public research, data, education, and rec-
ommendations within the following categories as 
they relate to flooding issues nationwide, regionally, 
and locally: 
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(A) Physical sciences, including engineer-
ing, hydrology, environmental, and atmospheric 
sciences, of flooding and flood-related events. 
(B) Social science of flooding and flood-re-
lated events focused on increasing community 
resilience. 
(C) Economic analysis of flooding and 
flood-related events in addition to analysis of a 
variety of existing and new strategies and tech-
niques to reduce, manage, and prevent flooding 
and flood-related events. 
(D) Policy analysis and recommendations 
on flooding-related policy on a Federal, State, 
and local governmental basis. 
(E) Risk analysis and risk management of 
flooding and flood-related events. 
(F) Improvement of existing, and testing 
of new, risk assessment tools, methods, and 
models for flooding and flood risks used by 
Federal, State, and local governments and other 
interested organizations. 
(G) Improvement of existing, and testing 
of new, monitoring and predicting strategies 
and techniques of flooding and flood-related 
events. 
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(H) Improvement of existing, and testing 
of new, flood management and prevention strat-
egies and techniques. 
(2) To carry out this Act within a variety of re-
gions in the United States which are identified and 
categorized by NFREC based on their specific flood-
ing and flood-related issues, hydrology, weather, and 
related issues so that diverse flood situations are 
represented and examined through NFREC’s work. 
(3) To identify opportunities for increased effi-
ciency in allocation of resources, coordination, co-
operation, and consolidation of efforts as they relate 
to local, statewide, regional, and Federal flood-re-
lated efforts with respect to NFREC’s purposes. 
(4) To develop or improve undergraduate and 
graduate degree programs and other programs at 
the consortium-member public universities and col-
leges to advance the entry of new talent into flood-
ing-related fields. 
(5) To collaborate with other colleges and uni-
versities in the region that have demonstrated capa-
bility for research, information dissemination, and 
graduate training in order to develop regional net-
works that are knowledgeable on regional flooding 
issues. 
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SEC. 3. CONSORTIUM SELECTION AND COLLABORATION. 
(a) SELECTION OF THE LEAD PARTNER INSTITU-
TION.—The Administrator, within 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, shall select the lead partner insti-
tution described in section 2(a)(2). The Administrator 
shall select a public university or college which— 
(1) has demonstrated and proven expertise in 
physical and environmental science, flooding, hy-
draulic research, hydroscience, engineering, and me-
teorological issues; 
(2) is located in a State which frequently expe-
riences inland flooding; 
(3) has previously partnered with, or received 
funds from, Federal and international agencies for 
flooding, hydrology, and watershed issues, including 
the Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Ge-
ological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration, the Department of Agri-
culture, the Federal Emergency Management Agen-
cy, the National Science Foundation, the Depart-
ment of Housing and Urban Development, and the 
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural 
Organization; 
(4) has the capacity to develop and submit a 
plan on how it will operate as the lead partner insti-
tution, the type of research, activities, and collabora-
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tion it would undertake, and how it would incor-
porate its previous work on issues related to the pur-
poses of NFREC into its new mission as the lead 
partner institution; 
(5) can demonstrate an ability to take the lead-
ing role of coordinating and fulfilling the purposes of 
NFREC; 
(6) can demonstrate an ability to provide tech-
nical assistance and demonstration project manage-
ment and oversight both of grantees demonstration 
projects and of demonstration projects initiated 
through consortium members; 
(7) can demonstrate an ability to incorporate 
NFREC work into undergraduate and graduate edu-
cational programs within the public university or col-
lege; and 
(8) can demonstrate an ability to contribute the 
required non-Federal matching funding to maintain 
a lead partner institution center. 
(b) SELECTION OF CONSORTIUM MEMBERS.—The 
Administrator, in partnership with the lead partner insti-
tution, shall select, within 90 days after the selection of 
the lead partner institution, additional universities and 
colleges to participate in a consortium through criteria as 
determined by the Administrator and the lead partner in-
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stitution which shall, among other criteria determined by 
the Administrator and lead partner institution, prioritize 
institutions that— 
(1) have a focus or expertise in at least one of 
the categories described in section 2(b)(1); 
(2) have the ability to plan, conduct, and ar-
range for competent public research, data, edu-
cation, and recommendations as they relate to flood-
ing in diverse regions of the United States identified 
and in the categories described in section 2(b)(1) 
and meet the purposes of NFREC; 
(3) can demonstrate an ability to provide tech-
nical assistance and demonstration project manage-
ment and oversight; 
(4) can demonstrate an ability to incorporate 
NFREC work into undergraduate and graduate edu-
cational programs within the university or college; 
and 
(5) can demonstrate an ability to contribute the 
required non-Federal matching funding to maintain 
a consortium member center. 
(c) CONSORTIUM PARTNERSHIPS.—The member in-
stitutions of NFREC shall partner for the purposes of this 
Act in the following ways: 
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(1) NOAA PARTNERSHIP.—The National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration shall partner 
directly with the lead partner institution for the pur-
poses of NFREC. 
(2) LEAD
PARTNER
INSTITUTION
PARTNER-
SHIP.—The lead partner institution shall partner di-
rectly with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration and the consortium members for the 
purposes of NFREC. 
(3) CONSORTIUM MEMBER PARTNERSHIP.—The 
consortium members shall partner with the lead 
partner institution for the purposes of NFREC. 
SEC. 4. PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION WITH FED-
ERAL, REGIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOV-
ERNMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS. 
(a) PARTNERSHIPS.—NFREC shall partner with the 
United States Geological Survey and the Army Corps of 
Engineers for the purposes of this Act. 
(b) COLLABORATION.—NFREC shall— 
(1) collaborate on Federal flood-related issues 
with Federal agencies such as the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency, the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, the National Science Foundation, 
and the Department of Agriculture; 
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(2) collaborate and share best practices on re-
gional, State, and locally specific flooding and flood- 
related issues with— 
(A) State, county, and local governments; 
(B) local councils of governments or re-
gional planning organizations; 
(C) State agriculture, natural resource, en-
vironment, economic development, and water 
agencies; 
(D) floodplain managers; 
(E) State Homeland Security personnel, 
county disaster recovery coordinators, emer-
gency management personnel, and first re-
sponders; 
(F) resource conservation and development 
councils; 
(G) watershed organizations and boards; 
(H) agriculture and commodity organiza-
tions and farmers; 
(I) environmental organizations; and 
(J) business and development organiza-
tions; and 
(3) explore opportunities to collaborate, when 
appropriate, on Federal flood-related issues with 
other Federal agencies such as the Bureau of Rec-
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lamation, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Bu-
reau of Land Management, the National Park Serv-
ice, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Public Health 
Administration, the National Science Foundation, 
the Department of Defense, the Department of the 
Interior, the Department of Housing and Urban De-
velopment, and various national laboratories. 
SEC. 5. INFORMATION COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION. 
(a) NOAA.— 
(1) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Administrator shall 
publish annually a report containing the activities, 
partnerships and collaborations, Federal policy rec-
ommendations, previous and continuing budgets, 
findings, and any other applicable information from 
the consortium members, and shall provide each re-
port to Congress and the President and make it 
available to the public in an easily accessible elec-
tronic format on the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration’s website. 
(2) REVIEW OF REPORTS FROM CONSORTIUM 
MEMBERS.—The Administrator shall review the re-
ports from the consortium members to ensure that 
funds are being spent properly according to the pur-
poses of this Act and that the consortium members 
are producing competent public research, data, edu-
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cation, and recommendations in regard to flooding 
and flood-related issues. 
(3) REVIEW
OF
CONSORTIUM
OPERATIONS.— 
The Administrator shall periodically review the oper-
ation of consortium members to ensure that funds 
are being spent properly according to the purposes 
of this Act and that the consortium members are 
producing competent public research, data, edu-
cation, and recommendations in regard to flooding 
and flood-related issues. 
(b) LEAD PARTNER INSTITUTION.— 
(1) COMPILATION
OF
ANNUAL
CONSORTIUM 
MEMBER
REPORTS.—The lead partner institution 
shall compile annually reports from consortium 
members, along with its own report, containing the 
activities, partnerships and collaborations, Federal 
policy recommendations, previous and continuing 
budgets, findings, and any other applicable informa-
tion from consortium members, and shall provide 
this information to the Administrator annually by a 
date determined by the Administrator. 
(2) ANNUAL LEAD PARTNER INSTITUTION RE-
PORT.—In addition, the lead partner institution 
shall publish annually a report specific to its activi-
ties, partnerships and collaborations, State and local 
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policy recommendations, previous and continuing 
budgets, findings, and other applicable information 
by a date determined by the Administrator which 
shall also be made available to the public in an easily 
accessible electronic format on the lead partner insti-
tution’s website. 
(c) CONSORTIUM MEMBERS.—The consortium mem-
bers shall each publish annually a report containing the 
activities, partnerships and collaborations, State and local 
policy recommendations, previous and continuing budgets, 
findings, and other applicable information by a date deter-
mined by the lead partner institution which shall also be 
made available to the public in an easily accessible elec-
tronic format on the consortium members’ websites. 
(d) NATIONAL FLOOD RESEARCH AND EDUCATION 
CENTER WEBSITE.—NFREC shall establish a website 
which shall contain at least the following information: 
(1) Key findings and best practices. 
(2) Collaborations and partnerships. 
(3) Annual reports and other pertinent informa-
tion on its purposes. 
(4) The location and contact information for 
the consortium members. 
(5) Federal, State, local, and regionally specific 
public research, data, education, and policy rec-
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ommendations which shall be updated in a timely 
manner with new information. 
(6) The variety of regions in the United States 
which are identified and categorized by NFREC, 
based on their specific flooding and flood-related 
issues, hydrology, weather, and related issues. 
(7) Approved demonstration projects and their 
progress in addition to information on applying for 
demonstration project assistance. 
(8) Tools for monitoring, predicting, and mod-
eling flooding as they become available. 
SEC. 6. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND DEMONSTRATION 
PROJECTS. 
(a) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND DEMONSTRATION 
PROJECTS.—NFREC may provide technical assistance 
and demonstration project grant assistance to eligible enti-
ties on a competitive basis to assist with implementing rec-
ommendations of NFREC or testing new or improved 
strategies or technologies for the categories described in 
section 2(b)(1). 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—The following are eligible 
entities for purposes of this section: 
(1) State governments. 
(2) County governments. 
(3) Local governments. 
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(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Consortium members 
may provide technical assistance at their discretion to eli-
gible entities that have limited capacity for developing an 
application for demonstration project grants. Consortium 
members may also provide technical assistance at their 
discretion in implementing demonstration projects ap-
proved by the Administrator. 
(d) COMPETITIVE CRITERIA.—The Administrator, in 
partnership with the lead partner institution, shall develop 
criteria required for submitting a competitive demonstra-
tion project grant application and for the approval of such 
an application. 
(e) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Grantees may use funds 
only for flooding-related projects which implement rec-
ommendations of NFREC or for testing of— 
(1) improved existing and or new risk analysis 
and risk management of flooding and flood-related 
events; 
(2) improved existing and or new risk assess-
ment tools, methods, and models for flooding and 
flood risks used by Federal, State, and local govern-
ments and other interested organizations; 
(3) improved existing and or new monitoring 
and predicting strategies and techniques of flooding 
and flood-related events; or 
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(4) improved existing and or new flood manage-
ment and prevention strategies and techniques. 
(f) SUBCONTRACTING.—Eligible entities may sub-
contract a portion of grant funds received for necessary 
construction-related costs to pursue an eligible activity. 
(g) APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) CONSORTIUM
REVIEW
AND
APPROVAL.— 
Within 60 days of receiving a completed application, 
the consortium member in whose region the project 
will take place and the lead partner institution shall 
review and approve or disapprove the application. 
(2) ADMINISTRATOR
APPROVAL.—Within 30 
days of receiving an application that has been ap-
proved by the applicable consortium members, the 
Administrator shall determine whether to provide 
the project final approval. 
(h) GRANT SIZE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Demonstration project grant 
awards under this section shall not exceed $250,000 
per project. 
(2) WAIVER OF GRANT SIZE LIMITATION.—The 
Administrator may waive such grant size limitation 
if— 
(A) all consortium members approve of 
such a waiver; 
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(B) the eligible entity has the expertise, or 
will work with partners that have the expertise, 
to manage the proposed project; and 
(C) the eligible entity can show that a 
project involves multiple watersheds or jurisdic-
tions, benefits multiple communities, has broad 
community support, and incorporates multiple 
aspects of NFREC’s work in the project. 
(i) MATCHING FUNDS.—Entities receiving a dem-
onstration project grant under this section shall be re-
quired to provide a 30-percent non-Federal cost share. 
(j) 
TOTAL
DEMONSTRATION
PROJECT
GRANT 
AMOUNT AVAILABLE.—There shall be not more than 
$2,000,000 available annually for demonstration project 
grants under this section nationwide. 
(k) MONITORING
AND REPORTING.—For a dem-
onstration project that receives a grant under this section, 
the applicable regional consortium member shall monitor 
the effectiveness, efficiency, and progress of the project 
and report on these factors and their involvement periodi-
cally to the lead partner institution. The applicable re-
gional consortium member shall make this information 
available through its website and additionally provide this 
information in its annual reports. 
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SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—For each of the fiscal years 2020 
through 2025, there are authorized for NFREC, 
$10,000,000, of which— 
(1) not more than $2,000,000 each fiscal year 
shall be for the operation of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration’s center; and 
(2) not more than $3,000,000 each fiscal year 
shall be for the operation of the lead partner institu-
tion’s center, matched by a 20-percent non-Federal 
cost share. 
(b) ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION.— 
(1) LEAD PARTNER INSTITUTION.—There are 
authorized such sums as may be necessary for the 
lead partner institution to improve its facilities to a 
level that meets the requirements of the role of lead 
partner institution. 
(2) PLAN.—Before the lead partner institution 
receives any funding under this subsection, a plan 
detailing what type of facility construction or im-
provements will take place must first be approved by 
the Administrator. Such plan shall include any land 
acquisition, engineering, design, and staffing and 
equipment needs, in addition to other information as 
required by the Administrator. 
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