I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8968 
To authorize the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engi-
neers, to recommend certain projects in remote, coastal, and small water-
sheds, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 15, 2020 
Ms. GABBARD (for herself and Mr. YOUNG) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of the Army, acting through 
the Chief of Engineers, to recommend certain projects 
in remote, coastal, and small watersheds, 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 ‘‘Remote, Coastal, and 
Small Watersheds Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. REMOTE, COASTAL, OR SMALL WATERSHEDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In conducting a study of hurri-
cane and storm damage reduction, the Secretary of the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:46 Dec 31, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8968.IH
H8968
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, may rec-
ommend a project without the need to demonstrate that 
the project is justified solely by national economic develop-
ment benefits if the Secretary determines that— 
(1) the community to be served by the project 
has limited options for relocation or retreating from 
the flood plain or coastal flood zone; 
(2) the project would be located in the State of 
Hawaii or Alaska, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, 
or American Samoa; 
(3) the area cost factor is greater than 2.2, as 
determined by the Secretary; or 
(4) the long-term viability of the community in 
which the project is located, or of a community that 
is located in the region to be served by the project 
and that will rely on the project, would be threat-
ened without the hurricane and storm damage re-
duction project. 
(b) JUSTIFICATION.—In considering whether to rec-
ommend a project under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall consider the benefits of the project to— 
(1) public health and safety of the local commu-
nity and communities that are located in the region 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:46 Dec 31, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8968.IH
H8968
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
to be served by the project and that will rely on the 
project, including access to facilities designed to pro-
tect public health and safety; 
(2) hurricane and storm damage effects on local 
and regional economic opportunities; 
(3) welfare of the regional population to be 
served by the project; or 
(4) social and cultural value to the local com-
munity and communities that are located in the re-
gion to be served by the project and that will rely 
on the project. 
(c) PRIORITIZATION.—Projects recommended by the 
Secretary under subsection (a) shall be given equivalent 
budget consideration and priority as projects rec-
ommended solely by national economic development bene-
fits. 
(d) DISPOSITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may carry out 
any project identified in the study carried out pursu-
ant to subsection (a) in accordance with the criteria 
for projects carried out under the authority of the 
Secretary under section 205 of the River and Har-
bor Act of 1948 (33 U.S.C. 701s). 
(2) NON-FEDERAL INTERESTS.—In evaluating 
and implementing a project under this section, the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:46 Dec 31, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8968.IH
H8968
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
Secretary shall allow a non-Federal interest to par-
ticipate in the financing of a project in accordance 
with the criteria established for flood control 
projects under section 903(c) of the Water Re-
sources Development Act of 1986 (Public Law 99– 
662; 100 Stat. 4184). 
(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—For a project that cannot be 
carried out under the authority specified in subsection (d), 
on a determination by the Secretary of the feasibility of 
the project under subsection (a), the Secretary may in-
clude a recommendation concerning the project in the an-
nual report submitted to Congress under section 7001 of 
the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 
2014 (33 U.S.C. 2282d). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:46 Dec 31, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H8968.IH
H8968
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS