I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6034 
To provide for the establishment of a task force to conduct a study to 
analyze the challenges faced by agricultural areas and rural communities 
designated as an area having special flood hazards for purposes of 
the National Flood Insurance Program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 27, 2012 
Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself, Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Ms. 
RICHARDSON, Mr. LOEBSACK, Mr. STARK, and Mr. THOMPSON of Cali-
fornia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To provide for the establishment of a task force to conduct 
a study to analyze the challenges faced by agricultural 
areas and rural communities designated as an area hav-
ing special flood hazards for purposes of the National 
Flood Insurance Program. 
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 ‘‘Advancing Agricultural 
Floodplain Management Act of 2012’’. 
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SEC. 2. TASK FORCE TO ADVANCE AGRICULTURAL FLOOD-
PLAIN 
MANAGEMENT 
IN 
THE 
NATIONAL 
FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) AGRICULTURAL AREAS AND RURAL COMMU-
NITIES.—The term ‘‘agricultural areas and rural 
communities’’ refers to areas where substantially all 
of the land-use is agricultural along with commu-
nities that are located in an area where a substantial 
portion of the economy, currently is and historically 
was, based on agricultural production. 
(2) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT; STUDY.—The Administrator 
and the Secretary shall jointly establish a task force that 
shall conduct a study to analyze the challenges faced by 
agricultural areas and rural communities designated as an 
area having special flood hazards for purposes of the Na-
tional Flood Insurance Program under the National Flood 
Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.). 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.—The task force shall consist of 13 
members, including the Administrator and Secretary, or 
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their designees. All other members shall be appointed 
jointly by the Administrator and the Secretary as follows: 
(1) One individual who is a representative of a 
national farm organization or a national agricultural 
commodities organization. 
(2) One individual who is a representative of 
the insurance industry or the financial and banking 
industry. 
(3) One individual who is a representative of a 
national floodplain management organization or a 
national organization of flood and stormwater man-
agement agencies. 
(4) One individual who is a representative of 
agricultural floodplain interests. 
(5) Three local landowners or farmers (or both) 
or representatives from local flood control associa-
tions in impacted areas, including the Central Valley 
of California, the Mississippi Valley, and the Mis-
souri Valley. 
(6) Two individuals who are elected officials of 
units of general local governments who represent ag-
ricultural areas and rural communities. 
(7) Two individuals who have an interest or ex-
pertise in the issues specified in subsection (b). 
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(d) CO-CHAIRS.—The Administrator and the Sec-
retary, or their designees, shall serve as co-chairs of the 
task force. 
(e) STAFF.—The Administrator and the Secretary 
may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel 
of such agencies to the task force to assist the task force 
in carrying out its duties under this section. 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the ap-
pointment of the members of task force, the task force 
shall submit to the Committee on Financial Services and 
the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
Affairs and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate a report regarding the study con-
ducted pursuant to subsection (b) that shall include any 
findings and conclusions of the study and recommended 
changes to the National Flood Insurance Program to 
strengthen the economic viability and vitality of agricul-
tural areas and rural communities. The report shall in-
clude an analysis and recommendations regarding the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Impacts of the building restrictions of the 
National Flood Insurance Program on the repair, re-
habilitation, replacement, construction, or alteration 
of agricultural production structures and repair, re-
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habilitation, construction, or replacement of associ-
ated rural community properties supporting the agri-
cultural economy of the agricultural areas and rural 
communities. 
(2) Changes to the National Flood Insurance 
Act of 1968, regulations, or policy that might miti-
gate the impacts identified under paragraph (1). 
(3) The feasibility, advantages, and disadvan-
tages of the establishment of a new National Flood 
Insurance Program flood zone for agricultural areas 
and rural communities. 
(4) Options for the National Flood Insurance 
Program to offer lower cost insurance in agricultural 
areas and rural communities due to lower losses as-
sociated with low-density population and structures 
of the rural area. 
(5) Financial implications to the National Flood 
Insurance Program if lower cost flood insurance was 
offered by the National Flood Insurance Program to 
agricultural areas and rural communities. 
(6) Premiums paid to and claims paid by the 
National Flood Insurance Program in agricultural 
areas and rural communities since the creation of 
the National Flood Insurance Program and a com-
parison of these figures to those in urban areas. 
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(7) The potential impacts to economy and life 
safety from the allowance of in-fill construction or 
building expansion in agricultural areas and rural 
communities. 
(g) TERMINATION.—The task force shall terminate 
120 days after the date of the submission of the report 
under subsection (f). 
Æ 
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