Federal Do No Harm Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-2137
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Mast, Brian J. [R-FL-18]
Introduced: 2017-04-25
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Aquatic ecology

Disaster relief and insurance

Government liability

Lakes and rivers

Marine and coastal resources, fisheries

Water quality

Wetlands
Latest action: action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-04-25
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Federal Do No Harm Act of 2017</strong></p> <p>This bill directs the President to: (1) treat the impacts to state waterways and coastal estuaries of a harmful algal bloom conveyed downstream as a result of a water transfer carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers within such state as an emergency for purposes of federal emergency assistance programs under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and (2) exercise such authority to provide federal emergency assistance under such Act as necessary to address such an emergency, including exercising debris-removal authority to remove toxic algal biomass and muck.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2137 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 25, 2017 Mr. Mast introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To direct the President to treat a harmful algal bloom caused by certain activities of the Federal Government as an emergency for purposes of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Federal Do No Harm Act of 2017 . 2. Emergency assistance for harmful algal blooms caused by Corps of Engineers water transfers (a) Treatment as emergency Notwithstanding section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5191 ), the President shall treat the impacts to State waterways and coastal estuaries of a harmful algal bloom conveyed downstream as a result of a water transfer carried out by the Corps of Engineers within such State as an emergency for purposes of title V of such Act. (b) Emergency assistance The President, in consultation with the affected State, shall exercise any authority under section 502 or 503 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5192 , 5193) that the President determines is necessary to address an emergency described in subsection (a), including exercising debris-removal authority under section 502(a)(5) of such Act to remove toxic algal biomass and muck.