I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5521 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
to enter into an agreement with the National Research Council to con-
duct a study on urban flooding, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 
Mr. QUIGLEY (for himself and Mr. KING of New York) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, 
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 direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency to enter into an agreement with the 
National Research Council to conduct a study on urban 
flooding, 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 ‘‘Urban Flooding 
Awareness Act of 2014’’. 
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SEC. 2. URBAN FLOODING DEFINED. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In this Act, the term ‘‘urban 
flooding’’ means the inundation of property in a built envi-
ronment, particularly in more densely populated areas, 
caused by rain falling on increased amounts of impervious 
surface and overwhelming the capacity of drainage sys-
tems, such as storm sewers. 
(b) INCLUSIONS.—In this Act, the term ‘‘urban flood-
ing’’ includes— 
(1) situations in which stormwater enters build-
ings through windows, doors, or other openings; 
(2) water backup through sewer pipes, showers, 
toilets, sinks, and floor drains; 
(3) seepage through walls and floors; 
(4) the accumulation of water on property or 
public rights-of-way; and 
(5) the overflow from water bodies, such as riv-
ers and lakes. 
(c) EXCLUSION.—In this Act, the term ‘‘urban flood-
ing’’ does not include flooding in undeveloped or agricul-
tural areas. 
SEC. 3. URBAN FLOODING STUDY. 
(a) AGREEMENT WITH NATIONAL RESEARCH COUN-
CIL.—The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency shall enter into an agreement with the 
National Research Council under which the National Re-
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search Council will conduct a study on urban flooding in 
accordance with the requirements of this section. 
(b) CONTENTS.— 
(1) GENERAL REVIEW AND EVALUATION.—In 
conducting the study, the National Research Council 
shall review and evaluate the latest available re-
search, laws, regulations, policies, best practices, 
procedures, and institutional knowledge regarding 
urban flooding. 
(2) SPECIFIC ISSUE AREAS.—The study shall 
include, at a minimum, an examination of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The prevalence and costs associated 
with urban flooding events across the United 
States, with a focus on the largest metropolitan 
areas and any clear trends in frequency and se-
verity over the past 2 decades. 
(B) The adequacy of existing federally pro-
vided flood risk information and the most cost- 
effective methods and products to identify, map, 
or otherwise characterize the risk of property 
damage from urban flooding on a property-by- 
property basis, whether or not a property is in 
or adjacent to a 1-percent (100-year) flood 
plain, and the potential for training and certi-
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fying local experts in flood risk characterization 
as a service to property purchasers and owners 
and their communities. 
(C) The causes of urban flooding and its 
apparent increase over the past 20 years, in-
cluding the impacts of— 
(i) global climate change; 
(ii) increasing urbanization and the 
associated increase in impervious surfaces; 
and 
(iii) undersized, deteriorating and oth-
erwise ineffective stormwater infrastruc-
ture. 
(D) The most cost-effective strategies, 
practices, and technologies used to reduce the 
impacts of urban flooding, with a focus on de-
centralized, easy-to-install, and low-cost ap-
proaches, such as nonstructural and natural in-
frastructure on public and private property. 
The examination under this subparagraph shall 
include an assessment of opportunities for im-
plementing innovative strategies and practices 
on government-controlled land, such as Federal, 
State, and local roads, parking lots, alleys, side-
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walks, buildings, recreational areas, and open 
space. 
(E) The role of the Federal Government 
and State governments, as conveners, funders, 
and advocates, in spurring market innovations 
based on public-private-nonprofit partnerships. 
Such innovations may include smart home tech-
nologies for improved flood warning systems 
connected to high-resolution weather forecast 
data and Internet- and cellular-based commu-
nications systems. 
(F) The most sustainable and effective 
methods for funding flood risk and flood dam-
age reduction at all levels of government, in-
cluding— 
(i) the potential for establishing a 
State revolving fund program for flood pre-
vention projects similar to the revolving 
fund programs under the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act and the Safe Drink-
ing Water Act; 
(ii) stormwater fee programs using 
impervious surface as the basis for fee 
rates and providing credits for the installa-
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tion 
of 
flood 
prevention 
or 
other 
stormwater management features; 
(iii) grant programs; and 
(iv) public-private partnerships. 
(G) Information and education strategies 
and practices, including nontraditional ap-
proaches such as the use of social media, for 
community leaders, government staff, and prop-
erty owners on— 
(i) flood risks; 
(ii) flood risk reduction strategies and 
practices; and 
(iii) the availability and effectiveness 
of different types of flood insurance poli-
cies. 
(H) The relevance of the National Flood 
Insurance Program and Community Rating 
System to urban flooding areas outside tradi-
tional flood plains, and strategies for broad-
ening coverage and increasing participation 
under the programs. 
(I) Strategies for protecting downstream 
communities from the flooding impacts of devel-
opment in upstream communities, including a 
review of— 
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(i) potential standards for watershed- 
wide flood protection planning; and 
(ii) the potential establishment of 
streamlined legal processes for victims of 
flood damage, to avoid the need for expen-
sive litigation. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—The Administrator of the Fed-
eral Emergency Management Agency shall carry out this 
section in consultation with the Secretary of the Army 
(acting through the Chief of Engineers), the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development, the Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency, and State, regional, 
and local stormwater management agencies, and such 
other interested parties as the Administrator of the Fed-
eral Emergency Management Agency considers appro-
priate. 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Financial Services and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af-
fairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 
a report containing the findings of the National Research 
Council based on the results of the study, including rec-
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ommendations for implementation of strategies, practices, 
and technologies relating to urban flooding by Congress 
and the executive branch. 
Æ 
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