Bill 112-S-646 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Act of 2011 - Title I: Earthquakes - National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 to revise and reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program through FY2015. (Sec. 103) Repeals provisions establishing the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction and an associated advisory committee. (Sec. 104) Revises responsibilities of Program agencies, including by making: (1) the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) responsible for research and development to improve building standards and practices; (2) the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), consistent with its all hazards approach, responsible for facilitating the adoption of model building codes; (3) the United States Geological Survey (USGS) responsible for providing real-time earthquake information; and (4) the National Science Foundation (NSF) responsible for funding basic research. (Sec. 105) Makes NIST (currently, USGS) responsible for organizing investigations under the post-earthquake investigations program. Title II: Wind - National Windstorm Impact Reduction Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 to revise and reauthorize the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program through FY2015. (Sec. 203) Repeals provisions requiring the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to establish an Interagency Working Group responsible for the planning, management, and coordination of the Program. (Sec. 204) Designates NIST as the lead agency and sets forth revised responsibilities of NIST and the other Program agencies: FEMA, NSF, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Title III: Interagency Coordinating Committee on Natural Hazards Risk Reduction - (Sec. 301) Establishes an Interagency Coordinating Committee on Natural Hazards Risk Reduction, chaired by the Director of NIST, to oversee the planning and coordination of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, and other federal research for natural hazard mitigation that the Committee considers appropriate. Requires: (1) the Committee to develop strategic plans and coordinated budgets for such Programs; and (2) the Director to establish an Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction and such other advisory committees as necessary to advise NIST on research, development, and technology transfer activities to mitigate the impact of natural disasters. Title IV: National Construction Safety Team Act Amendments - (Sec. 401) Amends the National Construction Safety Team Act to authorize safety teams to be established for deployment after events causing the failure of infrastructure, as well as buildings, leading to a substantial loss of life. Title V: Fire Research Program - (Sec. 501)Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to include among the types of fires subject to the Fire Research Center's research program fires at the wildland-urban interface.