[House Report 119-182]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 119-182
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SINKHOLE MAPPING ACT OF 2025
_______
July 2, 2025.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Westerman, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 900]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 900) 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 with an
amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. SINKHOLE HAZARD IDENTIFICATION.
(a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations made
in advance for such purpose, 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) Use of Certain Data.--In developing maps under subsection (a)(2),
the Director of the United States Geological Survey shall utilize 3D
elevation data (as that term is defined in section 2 of the National
Landslide Preparedness Act (43 U.S.C. 3101)) collected pursuant to
section 5 of that Act (43 U.S.C. 3104).
(c) 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.
(d) 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.
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 900 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
H.R. 900 directs the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
to examine the short- and long-term causes of sinkholes and map
areas at greater risk of sinkhole formation. Sinkholes are a
dangerous natural hazard, created when a ground depression
lacks external surface drainage and the rock below the
subsurface is dissolved by groundwater.\1\ While rock in the
subsurface gradually dissolves creating an underground cavern,
the surface can stay intact for a time, until the underground
cavern gets to be too large and cannot support the surface
leading to a collapse.\2\ Over the past 15 years, damage from
sinkholes cost an average of $300 million annually in the
United States.\3\
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\1\U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, What is a Sinkhole, https://
www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-a-
sinkhole.
\2\Id.
\3\U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Frequently Asked Questions,
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-much-does-sinkhole-damage-cost-each-year-
united-states.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.R. 900 directs USGS to establish a program to study the
causes of sinkholes, including storms and droughts. The
development of such program would be subject to the
availability of appropriations. The bill also requires USGS to
develop, and make publicly available, maps of higher-risk areas
and revise them as needed every five years. These provisions
could reduce the risk to the public and help land-use planners
make development decisions. H.R. 900 has bipartisan cosponsors,
including two Republicans: Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Brian
Fitzpatrick (R-PA). Previous versions of this bill passed the
Committee on Natural Resources by unanimous consent in the
116th, 117th, and 118th Congresses.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 900 was introduced on January 31, 2025, by
Representative Darren Soto (D-FL). The bill was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources. On April 9, 2025, the Committee
on Natural Resources met to consider the bill. Representative
Darren Soto (D-FL) offered an Amendment in the Nature of a
Substitute designated Soto_012 ANS. The Amendment in the Nature
of a Substitute was adopted by unanimous consent. The bill, as
amended, was then 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 in the 118th Congress by the Subcommittee on Energy and
Mineral Resources held on October 25, 2023.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 designates the short title of this bill as the
``Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2025''.
Section 2. Sinkhole hazard identification
Section 2 requires the Director of the USGS to establish a
program to study short- and long-term causes of sinkholes, such
as heavy rainfall and prolonged droughts. The USGS must also
develop maps that analyze zones that are at risk of sinkhole
formation. When developing these maps, the USGS will use Light
Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data acquired through the 3D
Elevation Program, and these maps must be updated at least
every 5 years, or more frequently if the Director determines it
is necessary, and must be made publicly available. No
appropriations are authorized for this program in this bill.
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.
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of House rule XIII and section
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and pursuant to
clause 3(c)(3) of House rule XIII and section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested
but not received from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office a budgetary analysis and a cost estimate of this bill.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill 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.
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
Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any
directed rule makings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law
98-169) as relating to other programs.
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
As ordered reported by the Committee on Natural Resources,
H.R. 900 would make no changes in existing law.
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