IB 
Union Calendar No. 244 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3820 
[Report No. 111–424, Part I] 
To reauthorize Federal natural hazards reduction programs, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 15, 2009 
Mr. WU (for himself, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, Mr. GRAYSON, and Mr. MOORE 
of Kansas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on 
Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
FEBRUARY 26, 2010 
Additional sponsors: Mr. GORDON of Tennessee and Mr. SCHIFF 
FEBRUARY 26, 2010 
Reported from the Committee on Science and Technology with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
FEBRUARY 26, 2010 
Committees on Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure dis-
charged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State 
of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on October 15, 2009] 
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A BILL 
To reauthorize Federal natural hazards reduction programs, 
and for other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Natural Hazards Risk 
Reduction Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The United States faces significant risks 
from many types of natural hazards, including earth-
quakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and floods. 
Increasing numbers of Americans are living in areas 
prone to these hazards. 
(2) Earthquakes occur without warning and can 
have devastating effects. According to the U.S. Geo-
logical Survey, two recent earthquakes, the Northridge 
Earthquake in 1994, and the Loma Prieta Earth-
quake in 1989, killed nearly 100 people, injured 
12,757, and caused $33 billion in damages. Nearly all 
States face some level of seismic risk. Twenty-six 
urban areas in 14 States have a significant seismic 
risk. 
(3) Severe weather is the most costly natural 
hazard, measured on a per year basis. According to 
data from the National Weather Service over the last 
10 years, tornadoes, thunderstorms, and hurricanes 
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have caused an average of 226 fatalities and $16 bil-
lion of property damage per year. The 2005 hurricane 
season was one of the most destructive in United 
States history, killing 1,836 people, and causing $80 
billion in damage. 
(4) The United States Fire Administration re-
ports that 38 percent of new home construction in 
2002 was in areas adjacent to, or intermixed with, 
wildlands. Fires in the wildland-urban interface are 
costly. For example, the 2007 California Witch fire 
alone caused $1.3 billion in insured property losses, 
according to the Insurance Services Office (ISO). In 
addition, Government Accountability Office reported 
in 2007 that the Federal spending for wildfire sup-
pression between 2001 and 2005 was, on average, $2.9 
billion per year. 
(5) Developing better knowledge about natural 
hazard phenomena and their effects is crucial to as-
sessing the risks these hazards pose to communities. 
Instrumentation, monitoring, and data gathering to 
characterize earthquakes and wind events are impor-
tant activities to increase this knowledge. 
(6) Current building codes and standards can 
mitigate the damages caused by natural hazards. The 
Institute for Business and Home Safety estimated 
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that the $19 billion in damage caused by Hurricane 
Andrew in 1994 could have been reduced by half if 
such codes and standards were in effect. Research for 
the continuous improvement of building codes, stand-
ards, and design practices—and for developing meth-
ods to retrofit existing structures—is crucial to miti-
gating losses from natural hazards. 
(7) Since its creation in 1977, the National 
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) 
has supported research to develop seismic codes, 
standards, and building practices that have been 
widely adopted. The NEHRP Recommended Provi-
sions for Seismic Regulations for New Buildings and 
Other Structures and the Guidance for Seismic Per-
formance Assessment of Buildings are two examples. 
(8) Research to understand the institutional, so-
cial, behavioral, and economic factors that influence 
how households, businesses, and communities perceive 
risk and prepare for natural hazards, and how well 
they recover after a disaster, can increase the imple-
mentation of risk mitigation measures. 
(9) A major goal of the Federal natural hazards- 
related research and development effort should be to 
reduce the loss of life and damage to communities and 
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infrastructure through increasing the adoption of haz-
ard mitigation measures. 
(10) Research, development, and technology 
transfer to secure infrastructure is vitally important. 
Infrastructure that supports electricity, transpor-
tation, drinking water, and other services is vital im-
mediately after a disaster, and their quick return to 
function speeds the economic recovery of a disaster- 
impacted community. 
TITLE I—EARTHQUAKES 
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘National Earthquake 
Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 102. FINDINGS. 
Section 2 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act 
of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7701) is repealed. 
SEC. 103. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 4 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act 
of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7703) is amended by striking para-
graphs (8) and (9). 
SEC. 104. NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION 
PROGRAM. 
Section 5 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act 
of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7704) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
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(A) by amending paragraph (2) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(2) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.—The activities of the 
Program shall be designed to— 
‘‘(A) research and develop effective methods, 
tools, and technologies to reduce the risk posed by 
earthquakes to the built environment, especially 
to lessen the risk to existing structures and life-
lines; 
‘‘(B) improve the understanding of earth-
quakes and their effects on households, businesses, 
communities, buildings, structures, and lifelines, 
through interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary 
research that involves engineering, natural 
sciences, and social sciences; and 
‘‘(C) facilitate the adoption of earthquake 
risk reduction measures by households, busi-
nesses, communities, local, State, and Federal 
governments, national standards and model 
building code organizations, architects and engi-
neers, building owners, and others with a role in 
planning for disasters and planning, con-
structing, retrofitting, and insuring buildings, 
structures, and lifelines through— 
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‘‘(i) 
grants, 
contracts, 
cooperative 
agreements, and technical assistance; 
‘‘(ii) development of standards, guide-
lines, voluntary consensus standards, and 
other design guidance for earthquake haz-
ards risk reduction for buildings, structures, 
and lifelines; 
‘‘(iii) outreach and information dis-
semination to communities on location-spe-
cific earthquake hazards and methods to re-
duce the risks from those hazards; and 
‘‘(iv) development and maintenance of 
a repository of information, including tech-
nical data, on seismic risk and hazards re-
duction.’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraphs (3) through (5); 
(2) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROGRAM AGENCIES.— 
‘‘(1) LEAD AGENCY.—The National Institute of 
Standards and Technology (in this section referred to 
as the ‘Institute’) shall be responsible for planning 
and coordinating the Program. In carrying out this 
paragraph, the Director of the Institute shall— 
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‘‘(A) ensure that the Program includes the 
necessary components to promote the implemen-
tation of earthquake hazards risk reduction 
measures by households, businesses, communities, 
local, State, and Federal governments, national 
standards and model building code organiza-
tions, architects and engineers, building owners, 
and others with a role in preparing for disasters, 
or the planning, constructing, retrofitting, and 
insuring of buildings, structures, and lifelines; 
‘‘(B) support the development of perform-
ance-based seismic engineering tools, and work 
with the appropriate groups to promote the com-
mercial application of such tools, through earth-
quake-related building codes, standards, and con-
struction practices; 
‘‘(C) ensure the use of social science research 
and findings in informing research and tech-
nology development priorities, communicating 
earthquake risks to the public, developing earth-
quake risk mitigation strategies, and preparing 
for earthquake disasters; 
‘‘(D) coordinate all Federal post-earthquake 
investigations; and 
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‘‘(E) when warranted by research or inves-
tigative findings, issue recommendations for 
changes in model codes to the relevant code devel-
opment organizations, and report back to Con-
gress on whether such recommendations were 
adopted. 
‘‘(2) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND 
TECHNOLOGY.—In addition to the lead agency re-
sponsibilities described under paragraph (1), the In-
stitute shall be responsible for carrying out research 
and development to improve building codes and 
standards and practices for buildings, structures, and 
lifelines. In carrying out this paragraph, the Director 
of the Institute shall— 
‘‘(A) work, in conjunction with other appro-
priate Federal agencies, to support the develop-
ment of improved seismic standards and model 
codes; 
‘‘(B) in coordination with other appro-
priate Federal agencies, work closely with stand-
ards and model code development organizations, 
professional societies, and practicing engineers, 
architects, and others involved in the construc-
tion of buildings, structures, and lifelines, to pro-
mote better building practices, including by— 
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‘‘(i) developing technical resources for 
practitioners on new knowledge and stand-
ards of practice; and 
‘‘(ii) developing methods and tools to 
facilitate the incorporation of earthquake 
engineering principles into design and con-
struction practices; 
‘‘(C) develop tools, technologies, methods, 
and practitioner guidance to feasibly and cost-ef-
fectively retrofit existing buildings and structures 
to increase their earthquake resiliency; and 
‘‘(D) work closely with national standards 
organizations, and other interested parties, to de-
velop seismic safety standards and practices for 
new and existing lifelines. 
‘‘(3) FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGEN-
CY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (in this paragraph referred 
to as the ‘Agency’) shall be responsible for facili-
tating the development and adoption of stand-
ards, model building codes, and better seismic 
building practices, developing tools to assess 
earthquake hazards, promoting the adoption of 
hazard mitigation measures, and carrying out a 
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program of direct assistance to States and local-
ities to mitigate earthquake risks to buildings, 
structures, lifelines, and communities. 
‘‘(B) DIRECTOR’S DUTIES.—The Director of 
the Agency shall— 
‘‘(i) work closely with other relevant 
Federal agencies, standards and model 
building code development organizations, 
architects, engineers, and other profes-
sionals, to facilitate the development and 
adoption of standards, model codes, and de-
sign and construction practices to increase 
the earthquake resiliency of new and exist-
ing buildings, structures, and lifelines in 
the— 
‘‘(I) preparation, maintenance, 
and wide dissemination of design guid-
ance, model building codes and stand-
ards, and practices to increase the 
earthquake resiliency of new and exist-
ing buildings, structures, and lifelines; 
‘‘(II) development of performance- 
based design guidelines and methodolo-
gies supporting model codes for build-
ings, structures, and lifelines; and 
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‘‘(III) development of methods and 
tools to facilitate the incorporation of 
earthquake engineering principles into 
design and construction practices; 
‘‘(ii) develop tools, technologies, and 
methods to assist local planners, and others, 
to model and predict the potential impact of 
earthquake damage in seismically haz-
ardous areas; and 
‘‘(iii) support the implementation of a 
comprehensive earthquake education and 
public awareness program, including the 
development of materials and their wide 
dissemination to all appropriate audiences, 
and support public access to locality-spe-
cific information that may assist the public 
in preparing for, mitigating against, re-
sponding to, and recovering from earth-
quakes and related disasters. 
‘‘(C) 
STATE
ASSISTANCE
GRANT
PRO-
GRAM.—The Director of the Agency shall operate 
a program of grants and assistance to enable 
States to develop mitigation, preparedness, and 
response plans, compare inventories and conduct 
seismic safety inspections of critical structures 
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and lifelines, update building and zoning codes 
and ordinances to enhance seismic safety, in-
crease earthquake awareness and education, and 
encourage the development of multistate groups 
for such purposes. In order to qualify for assist-
ance under this subparagraph, a State must— 
‘‘(i) demonstrate that the assistance 
will result in enhanced seismic safety in the 
State; 
‘‘(ii) provide 50 percent of the costs of 
the activities for which assistance is being 
given, except that the Director may lower or 
waive the cost-share requirement for these 
activities in exceptional cases of economic 
hardship; and 
‘‘(iii) meet such other requirements as 
the Director of the Agency shall prescribe. 
‘‘(4) UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.—The 
United States Geological Survey (in this paragraph 
referred to as the ‘Survey’) shall conduct research and 
other activities necessary to characterize and identify 
earthquake hazards, assess earthquake risks, monitor 
seismic activity, and provide real-time earthquake in-
formation. In carrying out this paragraph, the Direc-
tor of the Survey shall— 
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‘‘(A) conduct a systematic assessment of the 
seismic risks in each region of the Nation prone 
to earthquakes, including, where appropriate, the 
establishment and operation of intensive moni-
toring projects on hazardous faults, detailed seis-
mic hazard and risk studies in urban and other 
developed areas where earthquake risk is deter-
mined to be significant, and engineering seis-
mology studies; 
‘‘(B) work with officials of State and local 
governments to ensure that they are knowledge-
able about the specific seismic risks in their 
areas; 
‘‘(C) develop standard procedures, in con-
sultation with the Director of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency, for issuing earth-
quake alerts, including aftershock advisories; 
‘‘(D) issue when justified, and notify the 
Director of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency of, an earthquake prediction or other 
earthquake advisory, which may be evaluated by 
the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation 
Council; 
‘‘(E) operate, as integral parts of the Ad-
vanced National Seismic Research and Moni-
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toring System, a National Earthquake Informa-
tion Center and a national seismic network, to-
gether providing timely and accurate informa-
tion on earthquakes world-wide; 
‘‘(F) support the operation of regional seis-
mic networks in areas of higher seismic risk; 
‘‘(G) develop and support seismic instru-
mentation of buildings and other structures to 
obtain data on their response to earthquakes for 
use in engineering studies and assessment of 
damage; 
‘‘(H) monitor and assess Earth surface de-
formation as it pertains to the evaluation of 
earthquake hazards and impacts; 
‘‘(I) work with other Program agencies to 
maintain awareness of, and where appropriate 
cooperate with, earthquake risk reduction efforts 
in other countries, to ensure that the Program 
benefits from relevant information and advances 
in those countries; 
‘‘(J) maintain suitable seismic hazard maps 
in support of building codes for structures and 
lifelines, including additional maps needed for 
performance-based design approaches; 
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‘‘(K) conduct a competitive, peer-reviewed 
process which awards grants and cooperative 
agreements to complement and extend related in-
ternal Survey research and monitoring activi-
ties; and 
‘‘(L) operate, in cooperation with the Na-
tional Science Foundation, a Global Seis-
mographic Network for detection of earthquakes 
around the world and research into fundamental 
earth processes. 
‘‘(5) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.—The Na-
tional Science Foundation shall be responsible for 
funding basic research that furthers the under-
standing of earthquakes, earthquake engineering, and 
community preparation and response to earthquakes. 
In carrying out this paragraph, the Director of the 
National Science Foundation shall— 
‘‘(A) support multidisciplinary and inter-
disciplinary research that will improve the resil-
iency of communities to earthquakes, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(i) research that improves the safety 
and performance of buildings, structures, 
and lifelines, including the use of the large- 
scale experimental and computational fa-
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cilities of the George E. Brown, Jr. Network 
for Engineering Earthquake Simulation; 
‘‘(ii) research to support more effective 
earthquake mitigation and response meas-
ures, such as developing better knowledge of 
the specific types of vulnerabilities faced by 
segments of the community vulnerable to 
earthquakes, addressing the barriers they 
face in adopting mitigation and prepara-
tion measures, and developing methods to 
better communicate the risks of earthquakes 
and to promote mitigation; and 
‘‘(iii) research on the response of com-
munities, households, businesses, and emer-
gency responders to earthquakes; 
‘‘(B) support research to understand earth-
quake processes, earthquake patterns, and earth-
quake frequencies; 
‘‘(C) encourage prompt dissemination of 
significant findings, sharing of data, samples, 
physical collections, and other supporting mate-
rials, and development of intellectual property so 
research results can be used by appropriate orga-
nizations to mitigate earthquake damage; 
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‘‘(D) work with other Program agencies to 
maintain awareness of, and where appropriate 
cooperate with, earthquake risk reduction re-
search efforts in other countries, to ensure that 
the Program benefits from relevant information 
and advances in those countries; and 
‘‘(E) include to the maximum extent prac-
ticable diverse institutions, including Histori-
cally Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic- 
serving institutions, Tribal Colleges and Univer-
sities, Alaska Native-serving institutions, and 
Native Hawaiian-serving institutions.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c)(1) by inserting ‘‘on Natural 
Hazards Risk Reduction established under section 301 
of the Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Act of 2009’’ 
after ‘‘Interagency Coordinating Committee’’. 
SEC. 105. POST-EARTHQUAKE INVESTIGATIONS PROGRAM. 
Section 11 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act 
of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7705e) is amended by striking ‘‘There 
is established’’ and all that follows through ‘‘conduct of such 
earthquake investigations.’’ and inserting ‘‘The Program 
shall include a post-earthquake investigations program, the 
purpose of which is to investigate major earthquakes so as 
to learn lessons which can be applied to reduce the loss of 
lives and property in future earthquakes. The lead Program 
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agency, in consultation with each Program agency, shall 
organize investigations to study the implications of the 
earthquakes in the areas of responsibility of each Program 
agency. The investigations shall begin as rapidly as possible 
and may be conducted by grantees and contractors. The 
Program agencies shall ensure that the results of the inves-
tigations are disseminated widely.’’. 
SEC. 106. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 12 of the Earthquake Haz-
ards Reduction Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7706) is amended— 
(1) by adding at the end of subsection (a) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(9) There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying out 
this Act— 
‘‘(A) $10,238,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(B) $10,545,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
‘‘(C) $10,861,000 for fiscal year 2012; 
‘‘(D) $11,187,000 for fiscal year 2013; and 
‘‘(E) $11,523,000 for fiscal year 2014.’’; 
(2) by adding at the end of subsection (b) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
United States Geological Survey for carrying out this Act, 
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including the Advanced National Seismic Research and 
Monitoring System— 
‘‘(A) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(B) $72,100,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
‘‘(C) $74,263,000 for fiscal year 2012; 
‘‘(D) $76,491,000 for fiscal year 2013; and 
‘‘(E) $78,786,000 for fiscal year 2014.’’; 
(3) by adding at the end of subsection (c) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
National Science Foundation for carrying out this Act— 
‘‘(A) $64,125,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(B) $66,049,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
‘‘(C) $68,030,000 for fiscal year 2012; 
‘‘(D) $70,071,000 for fiscal year 2013; and 
‘‘(E) $72,173,000 for fiscal year 2014.’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end of subsection (d) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology for car-
rying out this Act— 
‘‘(A) $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(B) $7,700,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
‘‘(C) $7,931,000 for fiscal year 2012; 
‘‘(D) $8,169,000 for fiscal year 2013; and 
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‘‘(E) $8,414,000 for fiscal year 2014.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 14 of the Na-
tional Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (42 
U.S.C. 7708) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (b). 
TITLE II—WIND 
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘National Windstorm 
Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2009’’. 
SEC. 202. PURPOSE. 
Section 202 of the National Windstorm Impact Reduc-
tion Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15701) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘SEC. 202. PURPOSE. 
‘‘It is the purpose of the Congress in this title to 
achieve a major measurable reduction in losses of life and 
property from windstorms through the establishment and 
maintenance of an effective Windstorm Impact Reduction 
Program. The objectives of such Program shall include— 
‘‘(1) the education of households, businesses, and 
communities about the risks posed by windstorms, 
and the identification of locations, structures, life-
lines, and segments of the community which are espe-
cially vulnerable to windstorm damage and disrup-
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tion, and the dissemination of information on meth-
ods to reduce those risks; 
‘‘(2) the development of technologically and eco-
nomically feasible design and construction methods 
and procedures to make new and existing structures, 
in areas of windstorm risk, windstorm resilient, giv-
ing high priority to the development of such methods 
and procedures for lifelines, structures associated with 
a potential high loss of life, and structures that are 
especially needed in times of disasters, such as hos-
pitals and public safety and shelter facilities; 
‘‘(3) the implementation, in areas of major 
windstorm risk, of instrumentation to record and 
gather data on windstorms and the characteristics of 
the wind during those events, and continued research 
to increase the understanding of windstorm phe-
nomena; 
‘‘(4) the development, publication, and pro-
motion, in conjunction with State and local officials 
and professional organizations, of model building 
codes and standards and other means to encourage 
consideration of information about windstorm risk in 
making decisions about land use policy and construc-
tion activity; and 
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‘‘(5) the facilitation of the adoption of wind-
storm risk mitigation measures in areas of windstorm 
risk by households, businesses, and communities 
through outreach, incentive programs, and other 
means.’’. 
SEC. 203. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 203(1) of the National Windstorm Impact Re-
duction Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15702(1)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy’’ and inserting ‘‘Director of the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology’’. 
SEC. 204. NATIONAL WINDSTORM IMPACT REDUCTION PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 204 of the National Windstorm Impact Reduc-
tion Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15703) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘SEC. 204. NATIONAL WINDSTORM IMPACT REDUCTION 
PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Na-
tional Windstorm Impact Reduction Program. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.—The activities of the Pro-
gram shall be designed to— 
‘‘(1) research and develop cost-effective, feasible 
methods, tools, and technologies to reduce the risks 
posed by windstorms to the built environment, espe-
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cially to lessen the risk to existing structures and life-
lines; 
‘‘(2) improve the understanding of windstorms 
and their impacts on households, businesses, commu-
nities, buildings, structures, and lifelines, through 
interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research that 
involves engineering, natural sciences, and social 
sciences; and 
‘‘(3) facilitate the adoption of windstorm risk re-
duction measures by households, businesses, commu-
nities, local, State and Federal governments, national 
standards and model building code organizations, ar-
chitects and engineers, building owners, and others 
with a role in planning for disasters and planning, 
constructing, retrofitting, and insuring buildings, 
structures, and lifelines through— 
‘‘(A) grants, contracts, cooperative agree-
ments, and technical assistance; 
‘‘(B) development of hazard maps, stand-
ards, guidelines, voluntary consensus standards, 
and other design guidance for windstorm risk re-
duction for buildings, structures, and lifelines; 
‘‘(C) outreach and information dissemina-
tion to communities on site specific windstorm 
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hazards and ways to reduce the risks from those 
hazards; and 
‘‘(D) development and maintenance of a re-
pository of information, including technical 
data, on windstorm hazards and risk reduction; 
‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROGRAM AGENCIES.— 
‘‘(1) LEAD AGENCY.—The National Institute of 
Standards and Technology (in this section referred to 
as the ‘Institute’) shall be responsible for planning 
and coordinating the Program. In carrying out this 
paragraph, the Director of the Institute shall— 
‘‘(A) ensure that the Program includes the 
necessary components to promote the implemen-
tation of windstorm risk reduction measures by 
households, businesses, communities, local, State, 
and Federal governments, national standards 
and model building code organizations, archi-
tects and engineers, building owners, and others 
with a role in planning and preparing for disas-
ters, and planning constructing, and retrofitting, 
and insuring buildings, structures, and lifelines; 
‘‘(B) support the development of perform-
ance-based engineering tools, and work with the 
appropriate groups to promote the commercial 
application of such tools, through wind-related 
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building codes, standards, and construction prac-
tices; 
‘‘(C) ensure the use of social science research 
and findings in informing the development of 
technology and research priorities, in commu-
nicating windstorm risks to the public, in devel-
oping windstorm risk mitigation strategies, and 
in preparing for windstorm disasters; 
‘‘(D) coordinate all Federal post-windstorm 
investigations; and 
‘‘(E) when warranted by research or inves-
tigative findings, issue recommendations for 
changes in model codes to the relevant code devel-
opment organizations, and report back to Con-
gress on whether such recommendations were 
adopted. 
‘‘(2) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND 
TECHNOLOGY.—In addition to the lead agency re-
sponsibilities described under paragraph (1), the In-
stitute shall be responsible for carrying out research 
and development to improve model codes, standards, 
design guidance and practices for the construction 
and retrofit of buildings, structures, and lifelines. In 
carrying out this paragraph, the Director of the Insti-
tute shall— 
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‘‘(A) support the development of instrumen-
tation, data processing, and archival capabili-
ties, and standards for the instrumentation and 
its deployment, to measure wind, wind loading, 
and other properties of severe wind and structure 
response; 
‘‘(B) coordinate with other appropriate 
Federal agencies to make the data described in 
subparagraph (A) available to researchers, stand-
ards and code developers, and local planners; 
‘‘(C) support the development of tools and 
methods for the collection of data on the loss of 
and damage to structures, and data on surviving 
structures after severe windstorm events; 
‘‘(D) improve the knowledge of the impact 
of severe wind on buildings, structures, lifelines, 
and communities; 
‘‘(E) develop cost-effective windstorm im-
pact reduction tools, methods, and technologies; 
‘‘(F) work, in conjunction with other appro-
priate Federal agencies, to support the develop-
ment of wind standards and model codes; and 
‘‘(G) in conjunction with other appropriate 
Federal agencies, work closely with standards 
and model code development organizations, pro-
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fessional societies, and practicing engineers, ar-
chitects, and others involved in the construction 
of buildings, structures, and lifelines, to promote 
better building practices, including by— 
‘‘(i) supporting the development of 
technical resources for practitioners to im-
plement new knowledge; and 
‘‘(ii) supporting the development of 
methods and tools to incorporate wind engi-
neering principles into design and construc-
tion practices. 
‘‘(3) FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGEN-
CY.—The Federal Emergency Management Agency 
shall support the development of risk assessment tools 
and effective mitigation techniques, assist with wind-
storm-related data collection and analysis, and sup-
port outreach, information dissemination, and imple-
mentation of windstorm preparedness and mitigation 
measures by households, businesses, and communities, 
including by— 
‘‘(A) working to develop or improve risk-as-
sessment tools, methods, and models; 
‘‘(B) work closely with other appropriate 
Federal agencies to develop and facilitate the 
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adoption of windstorm impact reduction meas-
ures, including by— 
‘‘(i) developing cost-effective retrofit 
measures for existing buildings, structures, 
and lifelines to improve windstorm per-
formance; 
‘‘(ii) developing methods, tools, and 
technologies to improve the planning, de-
sign, and construction of new buildings, 
structures, and lifelines; 
‘‘(iii) supporting the development of 
model wind codes and standards for build-
ings, structures, and lifelines; and 
‘‘(iv) developing technical resources for 
practitioners that reflect new knowledge and 
standards of practice; and 
‘‘(C) develop and disseminate guidelines for 
the construction of windstorm shelters. 
‘‘(4) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC AD-
MINISTRATION.—The National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration shall support atmospheric 
sciences research and data collection to improve the 
understanding of the behavior of windstorms and 
their impact on buildings, structures, and lifelines, 
including by— 
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‘‘(A) working with other appropriate Fed-
eral agencies to develop and deploy instrumenta-
tion to measure speed and other characteristics 
of wind, and to collect, analyze, and make avail-
able such data; 
‘‘(B) working with officials of State and 
local governments to ensure that they are knowl-
edgeable about, and prepared for, the specific 
windstorm risks in their area; 
‘‘(C) supporting the development of suitable 
wind speed maps and other derivative products 
that support building codes and other hazard 
mitigation approaches for buildings, structures, 
and lifelines; 
‘‘(D) conducting a competitive, peer-re-
viewed process which awards grants and cooper-
ative agreements to complement the National 
Oceanic 
and 
Atmospheric 
Administration’s 
wind-related and storm surge-related research 
and data collection activities; 
‘‘(E) working with other appropriate Fed-
eral agencies and State and local governments to 
develop or improve risk-assessment tools, meth-
ods, and models; and 
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‘‘(F) working with other appropriate Fed-
eral agencies to develop storm surge models to 
better understand the interaction between wind-
storms and bodies of water. 
‘‘(5) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.—The Na-
tional Science Foundation shall be responsible for 
funding basic research that furthers the under-
standing of windstorms, wind engineering, and com-
munity preparation and response to windstorms. In 
carrying out this paragraph, the Director of the Na-
tional Science Foundation shall— 
‘‘(A) support multidisciplinary and inter-
disciplinary research that will improve the resil-
iency of communities to windstorms, including— 
‘‘(i) research that improves the safety 
and performance of buildings, structures, 
and lifelines; 
‘‘(ii) research to support more effective 
windstorm mitigation and response meas-
ures, such as developing better knowledge of 
the specific types of vulnerabilities faced by 
segments of the community vulnerable to 
windstorms, addressing the barriers they 
face in adopting mitigation and prepara-
tion measures, and developing methods to 
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better communicate the risks of windstorms 
and to promote mitigation; and 
‘‘(iii) research on the response of com-
munities to windstorms, including on the 
effectiveness of the emergency response, and 
the recovery process of communities, house-
holds, and businesses; 
‘‘(B) support research to understand wind-
storm processes, windstorm patterns, and wind-
storm frequencies; 
‘‘(C) encourage prompt dissemination of 
significant findings, sharing of data, samples, 
physical collections, and other supporting mate-
rials, and development of intellectual property so 
research results can be used by appropriate orga-
nizations to mitigate windstorm damage; 
‘‘(D) work with other Program agencies to 
maintain awareness of, and where appropriate 
cooperate with, windstorm risk reduction re-
search efforts in other countries, to ensure that 
the Program benefits from relevant information 
and advances in those countries; and 
‘‘(E) include to the maximum extent prac-
ticable diverse institutions, including Histori-
cally Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic- 
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serving institutions, Tribal Colleges and Univer-
sities, Alaska Native-serving institutions, and 
Native Hawaiian-serving institutions.’’. 
SEC. 205. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 207 of the National Windstorm Impact Reduc-
tion Program of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15706) is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency for carrying out this 
title— 
‘‘(1) $9,682,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(2) $9,972,500 for fiscal year 2011; 
‘‘(3) $10,271,600 for fiscal year 2012; 
‘‘(4) $10,579,800 for fiscal year 2013; and 
‘‘(5) $10,897,200 for fiscal year 2014. 
‘‘(b) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.—There are au-
thorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foun-
dation for carrying out this title— 
‘‘(1) $9,682,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(2) $9,972,500 for fiscal year 2011; 
‘‘(3) $10,271,600 for fiscal year 2012; 
‘‘(4) $10,579,800 for fiscal year 2013; and 
‘‘(5) $10,897,200 for fiscal year 2014. 
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‘‘(c) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECH-
NOLOGY.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology for car-
rying out this title— 
‘‘(1) $4,120,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(2) $4,243,600 for fiscal year 2011; 
‘‘(3) $4,370,900 for fiscal year 2012; 
‘‘(4) $4,502,000 for fiscal year 2013; and 
‘‘(5) $4,637,100 for fiscal year 2014. 
‘‘(d) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINIS-
TRATION.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for car-
rying out this title— 
‘‘(1) $2,266,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(2) $2,334,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
‘‘(3) $2,404,000 for fiscal year 2012; 
‘‘(4) $2,476,100 for fiscal year 2013; and 
‘‘(5) $2,550,400 for fiscal year 2014.’’. 
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