1.This Act may be cited as the
Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee Community Recovery
Assistance Act of 2012
.
2.Congress finds the following:
(1)The devastation that Hurricane Irene and
Tropical Storm Lee brought to many communities was catastrophic. In addition to
the damage sustained from the storms themselves, subsequent flooding destroyed
towns, wiped out roads and bridges, and caused thousands of Americans to lose
their homes, businesses, farms, and personal possessions. Given the fiscal
challenges facing these communities, the task of repairing and rebuilding has
been significant. Difficult economic times have created very real challenges
and obstacles for local and State governments to overcome.
(2)Members of Congress recognized this
devastation and organized a bipartisan coalition of 30 Members whose districts
were impacted by Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee. The coalition has
worked diligently to ensure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has
the resources it needs to support the recovery efforts. As the recovery efforts
move forward, it is equally important to conduct studies on what can be done to
mitigate disasters of this scale in the future, and the Corps of Engineers is
leading the work associated with these studies.
(3)As the Nation continues to recover from
Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, some communities are financially
incapable of making payments immediately to meet cost-sharing requirements for
watershed mitigation projects and flood damage reduction projects. Given the
fiscal circumstances and the critical need for recovery efforts, it is
necessary to provide temporary relief of these cost-sharing requirements, so
that ongoing studies can be concluded and mitigation efforts can be
implemented. Providing such relief could result in long-term future
savings.
3.Temporary relief
of cost-sharing requirements for certain counties adversely impacted by
Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee
(a)Payment of
non-Federal contributionsUpon the request of a State or local
government, the Secretary of the Army shall allow a non-Federal interest to
make payment of any non-Federal contribution associated with a qualifying
watershed mitigation project (including treatment and distributions components)
or a qualifying flood damage reduction project over a 30-year period in
accordance with section 103(k) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986
(33 U.S.C. 2213(k)).
(b)In this section, the following definitions
apply:
(1)The term disaster county means—
(A)a county included
in the geographical area covered by a qualifying natural disaster declaration;
and
(B)each county
contiguous to a county described in subparagraph (A).
(2)Qualifying
natural disaster declarationThe term qualifying natural
disaster declaration means a major disaster or emergency declared by the
President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in 2011 due to damaging weather and other
conditions relating to Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee.
(3)Qualifying flood
damage reduction projectThe term qualifying flood damage
reduction project means a flood damage reduction project carried out by
the Corps of Engineers for a disaster county.
(4)Qualifying
watershed mitigation projectThe term qualifying watershed
mitigation project means a project or study carried out by the Corps of
Engineers with respect to a watershed located in whole or in part in a disaster
county for one or more of the following purposes:
(A)To reduce the
impacts of flooding in the watershed, including through ecosystem
restoration.
(B)To enhance rivers
in the watershed with respect to use as transportation corridors.
(C)To improve water
quality throughout the watershed.
(D)To increase
economic opportunities in the watershed.
(E)To utilize new
technologies and innovative approaches to benefit the watershed.
(F)To develop and
implement a long-term resource monitoring program for the watershed.