[House Report 116-427]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
116th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 116-427
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SINKHOLE MAPPING ACT OF 2019
_______
June 4, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 496]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (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,
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 496 is 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.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Sinkholes are a natural hazard common in areas underlain by
limestone, a type of rock easily dissolved by water, and
frequently occur in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri,
Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania.\1\ The United States
Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that sinkhole damages cost
on average at least $300 million annually.\2\ However, because
there is no comprehensive database for sinkholes in the United
States, there is no reliable data on how many occur each year.
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\1\See generally Compiled by James Hercher, Sinkhole Science Is
Actually Quite Simple, PBS Newshour: Extra (Apr. 8, 2013), https://
www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/2013/04/sinkhole-science-is-actually-quite-
simple/.
\2\How Much Does Sinkhole Damage Cost Each Year in the United
States?, U.S.G.S., https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-much-does-sinkhole-
damage-cost-each-year-united-states (last visited May 7, 2020).
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USGS runs a number of Natural Hazard programs that
coordinate long-term planning, disaster response, and emergency
management for coastal and marine hazards, earthquakes,
landslides, volcanoes, and floods. No program currently exists
for sinkholes.\3\
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\3\Natural Hazards Programs, U.S.G.S., https://www.usgs.gov/
mission-areas/natural-hazards/programs (last visited May 7, 2020).
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In June of 2019, the House of Representatives passed the
National Landslide Preparedness Act (H.R. 1261), which bolsters
USGS's current Landslide Hazards Program and authorizes the
existing national 3D elevation program (3DEP) to update and
produce standard, publicly accessible 3D elevation data for the
United States. The 3DEP program would help identify geologic
and environmental hazards like sinkholes, in addition to
assessing landslide hazards, but that bill does not create a
specific sinkholes hazard program.\4\
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\4\See generally H.R. Rep. No. 116-99 (2019), https://
www.congress.gov/116/crpt/hrpt99/CRPT-116hrpt99.pdf.
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H.R. 496 creates a program within USGS to study the
mechanisms that cause sinkholes, map the zones at highest risk
of sinkhole formation, and build a website displaying the maps
developed in order to better inform community planners and
emergency managers.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 496 was introduced on January 11, 2019, by
Representative Darren Soto (D-FL). The bill was referred solely
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee
to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. On
September 19, 2019, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the
bill. On January 15, 2020, the Natural Resources Committee met
to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged by
unanimous consent. No amendments were offered, and the bill was
adopted and ordered favorably reported to the House of
Representatives by unanimous consent.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the
116th Congress--the following hearing was used to develop or
consider H.R. 496: legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on
Energy and Mineral Resources held on September 19, 2019.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
This section provides the short title of the bill, the
``Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2019.''
Section 2. Sinkhole Hazard Identification
This section directs USGS to establish a program to study
the short-term and long-term mechanisms that cause sinkholes,
including extreme weather events, prolonged droughts causing
shifts in water management practices, aquifer depletion, and
other major changes in water use; and develop maps depicting
zones at greater risk of sinkhole formation. This section
requires the USGS Director, at least once in each five-year
period, to assess the need to revise and update these maps.
This section also directs USGS to establish a public
website that displays these maps and other relevant information
for use by community planners and emergency managers.
The Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2019 does not provide USGS
additional funding to establish this program.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, March 10, 2020.
Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 496, the Sinkhole
Mapping Act of 2019.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Robert Reese.
Sincerely,
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director.
Enclosure.
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 496 would direct the United States Geological Survey
(USGS) to study the causes of sinkholes and to develop maps
depicting the areas most at risk of developing sinkholes. The
bill also would require the USGS to review those maps every
five years, update them as necessary, and publish them online.
Using information from USGS about the cost of completing
similar mapping activities and accounting for additional costs
associated with creating and maintaining a public website and
database for those maps and other information, CBO estimates
that implementing H.R. 496 would cost $4 million over the 2020-
2025 period. Such spending would be subject to the availability
of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Robert Reese.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and
objectives of this bill are 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.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
EXISTING PROGRAMS
This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of
the federal government known to be duplicative of another
program.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the
U.S. Constitution.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
If enacted, this bill would make no changes to existing
law.
SUPPLEMENTAL, MINORITY, ADDITIONAL, OR DISSENTING VIEWS
None.
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