[House Report 117-677]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


117th Congress     }                                   {        Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session        }                                   {       117-677

======================================================================



 
                      SINKHOLE MAPPING ACT OF 2021

                                _______
                                

 December 30, 2022.--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. 3681]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 3681) 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. 3681 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.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    H.R. 3681 would direct the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to 
establish a program to study the short and long-term causes of 
sinkholes, including extreme weather events, prolonged 
droughts, shifts in water management practices, aquifer 
depletion, and other changes in water use. This legislation 
also directs USGS to develop maps depicting geographic zones at 
greater risk of forming sinkholes and establish a public 
website that displays maps and other relevant information for 
use by community planners and emergency managers. The Sinkhole 
Mapping Act does not include any additional funding for USGS to 
establish the program. Last Congress, the Congressional Budget 
Office (CBO) estimated the cost of this legislation to be $4 
million over five years.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Congressional Budget Office, Cost Estimate, H.R. 496, Sinkhole 
Mapping Act of 2019, March 10, 2020, https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/
2020-03/hr496.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Sinkholes occur when water erodes underlying bedrock, 
creating a depression or hole in the ground. They often occur 
in areas underlain by limestone, a type of rock more easily 
dissolved by water. They are common in Florida, Texas, Alabama, 
Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. Because there 
is no database for sinkholes in the United States, we do not 
have data on how many sinkholes form each year, but USGS 
estimates that damage from sinkholes costs at least $300 
million annually.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\United States Geological Survey, ``How much does sinkhole damage 
cost each year in the United States?'' https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-
much-does-sinkhole-damage-cost-each-year-united-states?qt-
news_science_products=3#qt-news_science_products.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 3681 was introduced on June 1, 2021, 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 July 19, 2022, 
the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On December 8, 
2022, the Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. 
The Subcommittee was discharged by unanimous consent. The bill 
was adopted and ordered favorably reported to the House of 
Representatives by unanimous consent.

                                HEARINGS

    For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the 
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure: 
hearing by the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held on July 19, 2022.

            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) of rule XIII 
of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) 
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect to 
requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) and clause 3(d) of rule XIII 
of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 402 of 
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has 
requested but not received a cost estimate for this bill from 
the Director of Congressional Budget Office. The Committee 
adopts as its own cost estimate the forthcoming cost estimate 
of the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, should such 
cost estimate be made available before House passage of the 
bill. The Committee has requested but not received from the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office a statement as to 
whether this bill contains any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditures.
    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

    An estimate of federal mandates prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chair of 
the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the 
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee, if such 
estimate is not publicly available on the Congressional Budget 
Office website.

                           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.

                                  [all]