[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 496 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 496

   To direct the Director of the United States Geological Survey to 
 establish a program to map zones that are at greater risk of sinkhole 
                   formation, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 11, 2019

   Mr. Soto (for himself, Mr. Crist, and Mrs. Murphy) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Director of the United States Geological Survey to 
 establish a program to map zones that are at greater risk of sinkhole 
                   formation, 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 ``Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. SINKHOLE HAZARD IDENTIFICATION.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the United States Geological 
Survey shall establish a program to--
            (1) study the short-term and long-term mechanisms that 
        cause sinkholes, including extreme storm events, prolonged 
        droughts causing shifts in water management practices, aquifer 
        depletion, and other major changes in water use; and
            (2) develop maps that depict zones that are at greater risk 
        of sinkhole formation.
    (b) Review of Maps.--Once during each 5-year period, or more often 
as the Director of the United States Geological Survey determines is 
necessary, the Director shall assess the need to revise and update the 
maps developed under this section.
    (c) Website.--The Director of the United States Geological Survey 
shall establish and maintain a public website that displays the maps 
developed under this section and other relevant information critical 
for use by community planners and emergency managers.
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