Environment (Coastal & Flood Protection)

in committee · United States · Senate Jul 31, 2025

S 2581: A bill to reauthorize the National Sea Grant College Program.

This bill extends funding authorization for the National Sea Grant College Program through fiscal years 2025 to 2031, replacing the previous authorization period of 2021-2025. It directly affects the program’s participating universities and coastal research institutions that receive federal funding for ocean and coastal science, education, and community resilience projects. The key change updates the fiscal year references in the law to ensure continued program operations without altering the program’s scope or funding levels. This is a routine reauthorization to maintain existing program support, not a new policy.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill reauthorizes funding for Sea Grant, a higher education program explicitly including educational components per summary.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentExtends funding for National Sea Grant Program, which supports coastal/ocean environmental research, conservation, and community resilience projects.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Coastal & Flood Protection

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 25, 2025

S 1107: MATCH Act of 2025

S 1107, the MATCH Act of 2025, allows states, local governments, and federally recognized tribes to pay for urgent emergency watershed protection measures (like flood prevention after disasters) before formally agreeing with the federal government. It requires the Secretary of Agriculture to identify eligible emergency measures and create a state-level process for sponsors to request these upfront costs within 180 days of the bill's enactment. If an agreement is later made, these pre-agreement costs count toward the sponsor’s required contribution. However, sponsors bear the full risk of incurring these costs if no agreement is reached. The bill does not guarantee federal funding but streamlines cost-sharing for immediate disaster response.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill enables upfront funding for emergency watershed protection (e.g., flood prevention), directly advancing environmental conservation and natural resource protection through streamlined state/local action.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Natural Disasters Water Quality Tags Emergency Management

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in committee · United States · Senate Jul 9, 2025

S 2215: Restoring America’s Floodplains Act

S 2215, the Restoring America’s Floodplains Act, amends the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to update how federal floodplain easements are managed. It directly affects landowners who hold existing floodplain easements (where they’ve given up development rights on flood-prone land) and federal agencies managing these areas. The bill requires the Secretary to provide financial and technical assistance for restoring natural vegetation and water flow on these easements, and grants the Secretary sole discretion to manage them through agreements with landowners or organizations. This changes current management by adding specific restoration requirements and flexibility for ongoing maintenance.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRestores natural vegetation and water flow on floodplains, enhancing ecosystem conservation and protection per bill's restoration mandate.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Water Quality

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in committee · United States · House Dec 4, 2025

HR 6473: The Facilitating Increased Resilience, Environmental Weatherization And Lowered Liability (FIREWALL) Act

The FIREWALL Act creates a refundable tax credit allowing homeowners to claim 50% of eligible expenses for disaster mitigation improvements made to their primary residence, up to $25,000 annually. Eligible improvements include fire-resistant roofing, flood barriers, storm shelters, and vegetation management, but only for homes located in areas affected by federal disaster declarations within the last decade. The credit phases out for taxpayers with adjusted gross income over $200,000 and excludes costs reimbursed by insurance or government programs. This policy applies to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, aiming to encourage property resilience against natural disasters like wildfires and floods.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides refundable tax credit for disaster mitigation, targeting middle-income homeowners with AGI phase-out at $200k, aligning with tax relief indicators.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProvides tax credits for disaster mitigation (fire-resistant roofing, flood barriers, vegetation management) to enhance environmental resilience against climate-related disasters.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Coastal & Flood Protection Natural Disasters

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 10, 2025

S 1472: New England Coastal Protection Act

The New England Coastal Protection Act prohibits the federal government from issuing new leases for oil and gas exploration, development, or production in the Outer Continental Shelf off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. This bill directly affects energy companies seeking offshore drilling permits and the federal government, which would no longer be allowed to grant such leases. The key mechanism amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to add a specific prohibition banning all new oil and gas leasing in the designated coastal states. The bill would prevent future oil and gas development in these waters but does not impact existing leases or operations.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyBill prohibits oil and gas exploration leases, restricting fossil fuel energy production on the Outer Continental Shelf.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProhibits offshore oil/gas leases, preventing environmental harm from drilling activities and protecting coastal ecosystems per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Oil & Gas Coastal & Flood Protection

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in committee · United States · House Nov 8, 2025

HR 5983: National Resilience and Recovery Fund Act

This bill creates a National Resilience and Recovery Fund financed by specific taxes on crude oil and natural gas production. The fund will be supported by taxes from Gulf of Mexico offshore oil production, environmental taxes on crude oil, and a new windfall profits tax on large crude oil producers exceeding 300,000 barrels per day in 2023. The money will directly support four existing federal disaster resilience programs: Hazard Mitigation Grants, Building Resilient Infrastructure, Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loans, and Flood Mitigation Assistance. The bill also clarifies that certain oil types (including oil from tar sands and oil shale) will be subject to these taxes, with the windfall tax applying to producers exceeding specified production thresholds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes new taxes on oil producers to fund disaster resilience programs, directly advancing government spending on essential services through targeted fiscal mechanisms.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill funds disaster resilience programs via environmental taxes on oil/gas, directly supporting climate adaptation and environmental protection efforts.92% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationFunds 'Building Resilient Infrastructure' program, directly supporting transportation infrastructure resilience through dedicated funding sources.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Natural Disasters Transportation Funding Tags Emergency Management

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in committee · United States · House Oct 6, 2025

HR 5692: Marine Energy Technologies Acceleration Act

This bill establishes a $1 billion Marine Energy Acceleration Fund to advance marine energy technologies like tidal and wave power. It allocates $600 million for 20+ pilot projects that connect to local grids, prioritizing rural, tribal, and low-income communities, while $230 million funds research to cut costs and improve efficiency. The bill also dedicates $50 million to assess 50 coastal sites for energy potential, $85 million for workforce programs near project sites, and $15 million to streamline federal permitting. These provisions directly affect marine energy developers, coastal communities, and federal agencies like the Department of Energy, aiming to accelerate deployment through targeted funding and regulatory support.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyFunds $1B for tidal/wave renewable energy projects, research, and workforce programs, advancing marine energy infrastructure per bill's explicit purpose.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds marine energy (tidal/wave) projects, promoting clean renewable energy development to reduce emissions and advance environmental protection.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAllocates $85M for workforce programs near marine energy project sites, directly supporting job creation and training in target communities.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Electric Vehicles Energy Resilience Coastal & Flood Protection

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in committee · United States · House Jun 28, 2025

HR 4188: VA Flood Preparedness Act

The VA Flood Preparedness Act allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide funding to local authorities for projects that reduce flood risks near VA medical facilities, including risks from rising sea levels. This directly affects VA medical facilities nationwide and the local governments managing flood infrastructure adjacent to those sites. The bill requires the VA Secretary to submit a report within two years assessing flood risks at each facility and determining if additional resources are needed for mitigation.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill directly addresses climate change impacts (rising sea levels) by funding flood risk reduction near VA facilities, advancing environmental protection through climate resilience measures.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransFunds flood risk reduction near VA medical facilities, protecting healthcare access infrastructure for veterans. Directly strengthens facility safety and service continuity.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Natural Disasters Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing

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in committee · United States · Senate May 11, 2026

S 2126: Integrated Ocean Observation System Reauthorization Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System through 2030, updating the 2009 law to replace "Council" with "Committee" (specifically the Ocean Policy Committee) throughout. It expands the system's scope to include meteorological observations and data management systems, requiring collaboration between regional observing systems and federal agencies. The bill authorizes $56 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2030, mandating at least 7.5% of funds support existing regional coastal observing systems. It directly affects federal agencies, regional observing networks, and coastal states by updating governance and funding mechanisms for ocean and weather data collection.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes $56M annually for ocean observation system, directly funding a government program per budget & taxes topic indicators.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds $56M annually for ocean/climate observation system, expanding data collection to support environmental monitoring and conservation efforts.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection

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passed · United States · House Sep 15, 2026

HR 2317: Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act of 2026

This bill authorizes the transfer of Federal lands in Nevada to local governments, tribes, and specific entities for public purposes including recreation, flood control, fire protection, and conservation. It designates several wilderness areas (Cain Mountain, Bluewing, Selenite Peak, etc.) as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System while establishing mechanisms for land transfers to cities like Douglas County, Carson City, Elko, Fernley, and Sparks. The bill creates special accounts to manage proceeds from land sales for conservation and public purposes, and includes provisions for managing checkerboard lands in Pershing County. It directly affects Nevada counties, local governments, and the Washoe Tribe by providing mechanisms for land transfers and wilderness designation.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentDesignates wilderness areas for conservation and authorizes land transfers for conservation purposes, directly advancing environmental protection per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Conservation

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