Bill · S. 378· Senate(119-S-378)
Expediting Hazard Mitigation Assistance Projects Act
- Introduced
- 2/3/2025
- Last activity
- 2/3/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Sponsored by
- James Lankford
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Expediting Hazard Mitigation Assistance Projects Act authorizes the FEMA Administrator to waive or reduce certain requirements for specific projects. These covered projects involve property acquisition, structure demolition, or relocation assistance. The authority applies to projects funded under specific sections of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or the National Flood Insurance Act. The Administrator may waive various environmental or historic preservation requirements after a brief consultation process. The Act also mandates regular reporting to relevant Congressional committees regarding the use of this authority.
Yes· 3 of 7
Does this make housing cost less?+3
The bill may expedite property acquisition and relocation processes which can assist in housing recovery after disasters.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+2
Faster property acquisition and relocation processes may help low-income households recover more quickly from disasters.
Would people in cities be better off under this?+2
Streamlined recovery processes can assist urban populations facing rapid disaster-related changes.
The opposite
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?-7
The bill allows the FEMA Administrator to waive or reduce critical environmental protections including the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expedited Recovery: The Administrator can waive or reduce requirements to assist with the recovery process for individuals or communities responding to or preparing for a major disaster (Section 2(b)(2)(A)(ii)).
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Streamlined Property Processes: The authority is intended to expedite or enhance the property acquisition process for FEMA (Section 2(d)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Reduced Environmental Protections: The Administrator has the authority to waive or reduce requirements for several environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Endangered Species Act (Section 2(b)(1)).
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Reduced Historic Preservation Protections: The bill allows for the waiver of requirements related to the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 2(b)(1)(B)).
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Potential Environmental Issues: The Administrator must consider whether a waiver could cause serious environmental issues that would otherwise be foreseeable (Section 2(b)(2)(B)(iii)).
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Impact on Protected Lands: The bill includes the potential waiver of requirements related to floodplain management, wetland protection, and the Coastal Zone Management Act (Section 2(b)(1)(G-J)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Rural Residents+2Good For Urban Residents+2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+2Improves Environmental Protections-7
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Affordable Housing+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+2
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Veterans Benefits+1
- 2/3/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Introduced in Senate