AGRI–FLOOD Resilience and Infrastructure Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 11022 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 11022

To establish a Floodplains and Watershed Resilience Program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 12, 2026

Mrs. McClain Delaney (for herself and Mrs. Miller of West Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a Floodplains and Watershed Resilience Program, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``AGRI-FLOOD Resilience and Infrastructure Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following: (1) Aging infrastructure, increasing flood risks, and vulnerable communities necessitate urgent action. (2) Watershed protection, flood prevention infrastructure, and floodplain restoration are critical to public safety, economic stability, and environmental health. (3) Nature-based solutions, resilient design, and innovative technologies can enhance Federal watershed and floodplain programs administered by the Secretary. (4) Strategic collaboration among Federal, State, Tribal, and local stakeholders is essential for effective implementation. (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to-- (1) modernize and rehabilitate high-hazard dams and aging infrastructure to reduce flood risk and improve ecological health; (2) restore, protect, and manage floodplain easements while strengthening the resilience of watershed and flood prevention infrastructure; (3) expand access to flood protection resources for underserved and vulnerable communities; and (4) promote innovative infrastructure, advanced water management practices, and nature-based solutions.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act: (1) Covered dam.--The term ``covered dam'' means a dam-- (A) the structure of which no longer serves its authorized purpose; (B) the maintenance or rehabilitation of which is not economically, technically, or environmentally feasible; or (C) that may be safely decommissioned without causing adverse impacts to downstream infrastructure, water use, or public safety. (2) Eligible land.--The term ``eligible land'' means land that is-- (A) located within a floodplain or watershed protection area; (B) at risk of flooding; or (C) capable of being restored to a natural floodplain or watershed condition. (3) Floodplain easement.--The term ``floodplain easement'' has the same meaning as when used in section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203). (4) High-hazard dam.--The term ``high-hazard dam'' means a covered dam the failure of which is likely to result in loss of human life or significant economic and environmental damage. (5) Nature-based solutions.--The term ``nature-based solutions'' means sustainable practices that utilize natural systems to address environmental challenges, such as floodplain restoration, wetland creation, and reforestation. (6) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Floodplains and Watershed Resilience Program established under section 4. (7) Project.--The term ``project'' means an activity or a set of activities carried out under section 4(a) to restore, rehabilitate, decommission, or enhance floodplain, watershed, or flood prevention infrastructure on eligible land. (8) Project sponsor.--The term ``project sponsor'' means a non-Federal entity, including a State, Tribal territorial, or local government, special district, or instrumentality thereof, that is authorized under applicable law to carry out a project and has agreed to assume responsibility for planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of the project. (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Agriculture. (10) Smart water management.--The term ``smart water management'' means the integration of advanced technologies, data analytics, and real-time monitoring to optimize water resource management and flood control.

SEC. 4. FLOODPLAINS AND WATERSHED RESILIENCE PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish the Floodplains and Watershed Resilience Program under which the Secretary may enter into a contract with a project sponsor to provide financial and technical assistance to carry out a project on eligible land that-- (1) restores or enhances vegetative cover, hydrologic functions, or flood storage capacity on a floodplain easement; (2) rehabilitates, repairs, or upgrades watershed or flood prevention infrastructure, including high-hazard dams; (3) integrates nature-based solutions, including wetland restoration and riparian buffer establishment, to reduce flood risk and improve watershed resilience; (4) decommissions a covered dam where such decommissioning reduces flood risk or improves public safety; or (5) by taking pre-disaster actions, reduces flood risk where forecasts, modeling, or risk assessments indicate an imminent or recurring flood threat, including-- (A) temporary or permanent flood control measures; (B) emergency floodplain reconnection or water diversion actions; or (C) pre-positioning of materials or infrastructure necessary to reduce anticipated flood impacts. (b) Duties of Secretary.-- (1) In general.--Under the program, the Secretary shall-- (A) develop a 20-year maintenance plan for each project that receives assistance under the program; (B) deploy real-time monitoring systems, including remote sending and flood gauges, to enhance data collection and early warning capabilities; (C) ensure all covered dams have complete, accurate, and verified records of the conditions, inspection status, and rehabilitation needs of such covered dams; (D) establish and maintain a centralized national database that-- (i) contains any data or records collected under this program; and (ii) is accessible to authorized stakeholders at the discretion of the Secretary; (E) develop and implement public education campaigns to raise awareness about flood risks and watershed protection; (F) promote the adoption of smart water management technologies, including sensors, data analytics, and automated flood control systems; and (G) establish performance metrics to assess the effectiveness of projects in reducing flood risk and improving water quality. (2) National risk assessment.--Not later than 360 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, shall conduct a national risk assessment to identify communities that are vulnerable to floods. (3) Flood risk maps.-- (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall make publicly available flood risk maps and associated data in an accessible digital format. (B) Privacy of sensitive federal information.--With respect to flood risk maps and associated data described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall, only to the extent necessary, withhold or limit the level of detail of such maps and associated data to protect national security, law enforcement interests, or the physical security of critical or sensitive Federal facilities. (c) Project Requirements.--For each project that receives assistance under the program, the applicable project sponsor shall-- (1) with respect to each such project, conduct an assessment that evaluates-- (A) existing and future flood risks; (B) potential impacts to critical infrastructure, agricultural lands, housing, and public safety; and (C) community vulnerability, including the presence of underserved populations, repetitive loss properties, limited evacuation capacity, or other social, economic, or geographic factors that increase susceptibility to flood-related harm; (2) demonstrate how such project is designed to reduce identified risks and vulnerabilities and is consistent, to the maximum extent practicable, with findings from the national flood risk assessment conducted under paragraph (1); and (3) upon completion of such project, conduct a post-project assessment to-- (A) evaluate project performance and flood-risk reduction outcomes; (B) document lessons learned and best practices; and (C) inform future watershed and floodplain resilience projects. (d) Priority Consideration.--In selecting projects for assistance under the program, the Secretary shall give priority to projects that-- (1) address repetitive flooding or documented flood losses; (2) protect critical agricultural lands, food systems, or rural infrastructure; or (3) serve communities identified as high-risk in the national flood risk assessment conducted under subsection (b)(3).

SEC. 5. EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS.

(a) Emergency Watershed Program.--Section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(c) Timelines for Completion.--The Secretary shall ensure that any emergency watershed protection measure taken under subsection (a) is completed-- ``(1) not later than 1 year after the date on which funding is obligated for such measure; and ``(2) in the case of exigent circumstances that pose an imminent threat to life or property, not later than 30 days after the date on which funding is obligated for such measure. ``(d) Expanded Watershed Restoration Scope.--In the case of an emergency watershed protection measure that restores a watershed under this section, the Secretary may provide assistance to support a level of restoration beyond that which is necessary to reduce threats to life and property if the Secretary determines that such restoration-- ``(1) is consistent with long-term watershed health and resilience; and ``(2) enhances environmental and hydrologic outcomes.''. (b) Regional Conservation Partnership Program.--Section 1271A(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871a(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(G) The measures carried out under section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203).''.

SEC. 6. TRANSPARENCY AND APPLICATION REVIEW STANDARDS.

(a) Watershed Program Guidance and Communication.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall develop, and make publicly available on a Department of Agriculture or Natural Resources Conservation Service platform, clear and comprehensive guidance for carrying out the Floodplains and Watershed Resilience Program and the emergency watershed program under section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203), including information on-- (1) funding availability, including estimated funding levels for the program and anticipated funding cycles, and timelines for application submission, review, and obligation of funds; (2) eligibility requirements and prioritization criteria; and (3) application procedures and technical support resources. (b) Documentation of Project Decisions.--The Secretary shall require State offices of the Natural Resources Conservation Service to document, for each project submitted to the Floodplains and Watershed Resilience Program and the emergency watershed program under section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203), the rationale for advancing the application, including-- (1) how the project aligns with national program priorities; (2) relevant dam safety or flood risk assessments; and (3) anticipated benefits to community protection and public safety. (c) Expedited Review for Flood-Impacted Communities.--The Secretary shall establish an expedited review and approval process for applications under this Act submitted project sponsors in areas-- (1) experiencing an active flood event; (2) subject to a recent Presidential or State disaster declaration for flooding; (3) identified as a high-risk imminent flooding based on Federal forecasts or assessments; or (4) have experienced a flood in the past 365 days.

SEC. 7. FUNDS.

(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act. (b) Use of Funds.--Amounts made available under subsection (a) may be used by the Secretary to carry out the program established under section 4, projects, and other activities under this Act, including the provision of financial and technical assistance, data collection, monitoring, and administrative support. (c) Flood Response Reserve.--Of the funds made available under subsection (a), the Secretary may reserve a portion of such funds to support-- (1) immediate flood risk reduction and emergency watershed stabilization activities; and (2) projects designed to reduce near-term flood impacts in communities experiencing or at risk of flooding. <all>