119-hr3161

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3161 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3161

 To make protection against damage and loss resulting from the erosion 
 and undermining of shorelines available under the National Flood 
 Insurance Program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 May 1, 2025

Mr. Murphy (for himself, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Mr. 
 Rouzer, and Mr. Wittman) introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To make protection against damage and loss resulting from the erosion 
 and undermining of shorelines available under the National Flood 
 Insurance Program, 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 ``Preventing Environmental Hazards Act 
of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FLOOD INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR STRUCTURES ON LAND SUBJECT TO 
 IMMINENT COLLAPSE OR SUBSIDENCE.

    (a) In General.--

Section 1306 of the National Flood Insurance Act 
of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4013) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection:
 ``

    (e) Erosion Coverage.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--If any structure covered by a contract 
 for flood insurance under this title and located on land that 
 is along the shore of a lake or other body of water is 
 condemned or deemed unsafe for habitation by a State or local 
 authority due to imminent collapse or subsidence as a result of 
 shoreline erosion or determined by a State or local authority 
 to be situated partially or wholly over water, a shoreline 
 bluff, or escarpment, or below Mean Higher High Water on tidal 
 waterbodies (regardless of whether as a result of long-term, 
 chronic erosion or as a result of waves or currents of water 
 exceeding anticipated cyclical levels), the Administrator shall 
 (following final determination by the Administrator that the 
 claim is in compliance with regulations developed pursuant to 
 paragraph

    (7)
        (A) ) pay amounts under such flood insurance 
 contract for proper demolition or relocation as follows:
 ``
        (A) Demolition.--For proper demolition--
 ``
            (i) following final determination by the 
 Administrator, 40 percent of the value of the 
 structure; and
 ``
            (ii) following demolition of the 
 structure (including any septic containment 
 system) within 6 months of payment under clause
            (i) and prior to collapse, the remaining 60 
 percent of the value of the structure or the 
 actual cost of demolition, whichever amount is 
 less.
 ``
        (B) Relocation.--For proper relocation (including 
 removal of any septic containment system) if the owner 
 chooses to relocate the structure, following final 
 determination by the Administrator, prior to collapse, 
 up to 40 percent of the value of the structure; except 
 that the total payment under this subparagraph shall 
 not exceed the actual cost of relocation.
 ``

    (2) Collapse or subsidence.--If any structure subject to 
 a final determination under paragraph

    (1) collapses or 
 subsides, or a period of six or more months elapses, before the 
 owner demolishes or relocates the structure and the 
 Administrator determines that the owner has failed to take 
 reasonable and prudent action to demolish or relocate the 
 structure, the Administrator shall not pay more than the amount 
 provided in paragraph

    (1)
        (A)
            (i) with respect to the structure.
 ``

    (3) Value of structure.--For purposes of paying flood 
 insurance pursuant to this subsection, the value of a structure 
 shall be whichever of the following is lowest:
 ``
        (A) The fair market value of a comparable 
 structure that is not subject to imminent collapse or 
 subsidence.
 ``
        (B) The price paid for the structure and any 
 improvement to the structure, as adjusted for inflation 
 in accordance with an index determined by the 
 Administrator to be appropriate.
 ``
            (C) The value of the structure under the flood 
 insurance contract issued pursuant to this title.
 ``

    (4) Coverage terms.--
 ``
        (A) Maximum claim.--Notwithstanding any provision 
 of this subsection, the amount paid under a flood 
 insurance contract in connection with any claim under 
 this subsection may not exceed the lesser of--
 ``
            (i) the amount of coverage under the 
 flood insurance contract for the structure; or
 ``
            (ii) $250,000.
 ``
        (B) Exclusion of loss of contents.--Flood 
 insurance coverage under this subsection shall not 
 cover any loss of or damage to any contents of a 
 structure.
 ``

    (5) Applicability.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--The provisions of this 
 subsection shall apply to contracts for flood insurance 
 under this title that are in effect on, or entered into 
 after, the date of the enactment of this subsection.
 ``
        (B) Coverage on certification date.--The 
 provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any 
 structure not subject to a contract for flood insurance 
 under this title on the date of a certification under 
 paragraph

    (1) .
 ``
            (C) Period of coverage.--The provisions of this 
 subsection shall not apply to any structure unless the 
 structure is covered by a contract for flood insurance 
 under this title--
 ``
            (i) for a period of 12 months on or 
 before the date of the enactment of this Act; 
 or
 ``
            (ii) for a continuous period of 4 years 
 prior to certification under paragraph

    (1) .
 ``

    (6) Termination of coverage.--For any structure that is 
 subject to a final determination under paragraph

    (1) , no 
 subsequent flood insurance coverage under this title or 
 assistance under the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (except 
 emergency assistance essential to save lives and protect 
 property, public health and safety) shall be available for the 
 same structure, or a different structure on any remaining 
 portions of the parcel of land originally afforded assistance 
 under this subsection.
 ``

    (7) Regulations.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--The Administrator shall 
 promulgate regulations and guidelines to implement this 
 subsection.
 ``
        (B) Applicability.--Prior to issuance of 
 regulations regarding the State and local 
 certifications pursuant to paragraph

    (1) , all 
 provisions of this subsection shall apply to any 
 structure that--
 ``
            (i) otherwise meets the requirements of 
 this subsection; and
 ``
            (ii) is imminently threatened by 
 shoreline erosion, regardless of whether as a 
 result of long-term, chronic erosion or as a 
 result of waves or currents of water exceeding 
 anticipated cyclical levels.''.

    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall 
become effective on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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