[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6931 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6931

 To amend the National Dam Safety Program Act to improve that Act, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 10, 2024

Mr. Edwards (for himself and Ms. Kuster) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the National Dam Safety Program Act to improve that Act, 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 ``National Dam Safety Program 
Amendment Act of 2024'' or the ``NDSP Amendment Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO NATIONAL DAM SAFETY PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 2 of the National Dam Safety Program Act 
(33 U.S.C. 467) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (16) as paragraph (17); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (15) the following:
            ``(16) Underserved community.--The term `underserved 
        community' means a community with a population of less than 
        50,000 that has a median household income of less than 80 
        percent of the statewide median household income.''.
    (b) Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams.--Section 8A of 
the National Dam Safety Program Act (33 U.S.C. 467f-2) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)(2), by striking subparagraph (C) and 
        inserting the following:
                    ``(C) Grant assurance.--As part of a grant 
                agreement under subparagraph (B), the Administrator 
                shall require that each eligible subrecipient to which 
                the State awards a grant under this section provides an 
                assurance from the dam owner, with respect to the dam 
                to be rehabilitated, that the dam owner will carry out 
                a plan for maintenance of the dam during the expected 
                life of the dam.'';
            (2) in subsection (d)(2)(C), by striking ``commit'' and 
        inserting ``for a project not including removal, obtain a 
        commitment from the dam owner'';
            (3) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
    ``(e) Floodplain Management Plans.--
            ``(1) In general.--As a condition of receipt of assistance 
        under this section, an eligible subrecipient shall demonstrate 
        that a floodplain management plan to reduce the impacts of 
        future flood events from a controlled or uncontrolled release 
        from the dam or management of water levels in the area impacted 
        by the dam--
                    ``(A) for a removal--
                            ``(i) is in place; and
                            ``(ii) identifies areas that would be 
                        impacted by the removal of the dam and includes 
                        a communication and outreach plan for the 
                        project and the impact of the project on the 
                        affected communities; or
                    ``(B) for a project not including removal--
                            ``(i) is in place; or
                            ``(ii) will be--
                                    ``(I) developed not later than 2 
                                years after the date of execution of a 
                                project agreement for assistance under 
                                this section; and
                                    ``(II) implemented not later than 2 
                                years after the date of completion of 
                                construction of the project.
            ``(2) Requirement.--In the case of a plan for a removal, 
        the Administrator may not impose any additional requirements or 
        conditions other than the requirements in paragraph (1)(A).
            ``(3) Inclusions.--A plan under paragraph (1)(B) shall 
        address--
                    ``(A) potential measures, practices, and policies 
                to reduce loss of life, injuries, damage to property 
                and facilities, public expenditures, and other adverse 
                impacts of flooding in the area protected or impacted 
                by the dam;
                    ``(B) plans for flood fighting and evacuation; and
                    ``(C) public education and awareness of flood 
                risks.'';
            (4) by striking subsection (f) and inserting the following:
    ``(f) Priority System.--The Administrator, in consultation with the 
Board, shall develop a risk-based priority system for States to use in 
prioritizing multiple applications each year for eligible high hazard 
potential dams for which grants may be made under this section.''; and
            (5) in subsection (g)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``Any'' and 
                inserting ``Except as provided in subparagraph (C), 
                any''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Underserved communities.--Subparagraph (A) 
                shall not apply to a project carried out by or for the 
                benefit of an underserved community.''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 14 of the National 
Dam Safety Program Act (33 U.S.C. 467j) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``2023'' and 
                inserting ``2028''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by amending subparagraph (B) 
                to read as follows:
                    ``(B) Maximum amount of allocation.--The amount of 
                funds allocated to a State under this paragraph for a 
                fiscal year may not exceed the amount that is equal to 
                4 times the amount of funds committed by the State to 
                implement dam safety activities for that fiscal 
                year.'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
        ``2028'';
            (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
        ``2028'';
            (4) in subsection (d), by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
        ``2028'';
            (5) in subsection (e), by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
        ``2028''; and
            (6) in subsection (f), by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
        ``2028''.
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