Repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities
Contributions
In general
The President may make contributions—
to a State or local government for the repair, restoration, reconstruction, or replacement of a public facility damaged or destroyed by a major disaster and for associated expenses incurred by the government; and
subject to paragraph (3), to a person that owns or operates a private nonprofit facility damaged or destroyed by a major disaster for the repair, restoration, reconstruction, or replacement of the facility and for associated expenses incurred by the person.
Associated expenses
For the purposes of this section, associated expenses shall include—
the costs of mobilizing and employing the National Guard for performance of eligible work;
the costs of using prison labor to perform eligible work, including wages actually paid, transportation to a worksite, and extraordinary costs of guards, food, and lodging;
base and overtime wages for the employees and extra hires of a State, local government, or person described in paragraph (1) that perform eligible work, plus fringe benefits on such wages to the extent that such benefits were being paid before the major disaster; and
base and overtime wages for extra hires to facilitate the implementation and enforcement of adopted building codes for a period of not more than 180 days after the major disaster is declared.
Conditions for assistance to private nonprofit facilities
In general
The President may make contributions to a private nonprofit facility under paragraph (1)(B) only if—
the facility provides critical services (as defined by the President) in the event of a major disaster; or
the owner or operator of the facility—
has applied for a disaster loan under section 636(b) of title 15; and
has been determined to be ineligible for such a loan; or
has obtained such a loan in the maximum amount for which the Small Business Administration determines the facility is eligible.
Definition of critical services
Religious facilities
Notification to Congress
Before making any contribution under this section in an amount greater than $20,000,000, the President shall notify—
the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate;
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives;
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
Federal share
Minimum Federal share
Reduced Federal share
The President shall promulgate regulations to reduce the Federal share of assistance under this section to not less than 25 percent in the case of the repair, restoration, reconstruction, or replacement of any eligible public facility or private nonprofit facility following an event associated with a major disaster—
that has been damaged, on more than one occasion within the preceding 10-year period, by the same type of event; and
the owner of which has failed to implement appropriate mitigation measures to address the hazard that caused the damage to the facility.
Increased Federal share
Incentive measures
The President may provide incentives to a State or Tribal government to invest in measures that increase readiness for, and resilience from, a major disaster by recognizing such investments through a sliding scale that increases the minimum Federal share to 85 percent. Such measures may include—
the adoption of a mitigation plan approved under section 5165 of this title;
investments in disaster relief, insurance, and emergency management programs;
encouraging the adoption and enforcement of the latest published editions of relevant consensus-based codes, specifications, and standards that incorporate the latest hazard-resistant designs and establish minimum acceptable criteria for the design, construction, and maintenance of residential structures and facilities that may be eligible for assistance under this chapter for the purpose of protecting the health, safety, and general welfare of the buildings’ users against disasters;
facilitating participation in the community rating system; and
funding mitigation projects or granting tax incentives for projects that reduce risk.
Comprehensive guidance
Report
Savings clause
Large in-lieu contributions
For public facilities
In general
Use of funds
Funds contributed to a State or local government under this paragraph may be used—
to repair, restore, or expand other selected public facilities;
to construct new facilities; or
to fund hazard mitigation measures that the State or local government determines to be necessary to meet a need for governmental services and functions in the area affected by the major disaster.
Limitations
Funds made available to a State or local government under this paragraph may not be used for—
any public facility located in a regulatory floodway (as defined in section 59.1 of title 44, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)); or
any uninsured public facility located in a special flood hazard area identified by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.).
For private nonprofit facilities
In general
Use of funds
Funds contributed to a person under this paragraph may be used—
to repair, restore, or expand other selected private nonprofit facilities owned or operated by the person;
to construct new private nonprofit facilities to be owned or operated by the person; or
to fund hazard mitigation measures that the person determines to be necessary to meet a need for the person’s services and functions in the area affected by the major disaster.
Limitations
Funds made available to a person under this paragraph may not be used for—
any private nonprofit facility located in a regulatory floodway (as defined in section 59.1 of title 44, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)); or
any uninsured private nonprofit facility located in a special flood hazard area identified by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.).
Flood insurance
Reduction of Federal assistance
Amount of reduction
The amount of a reduction in Federal assistance under this section with respect to a facility shall be the lesser of—
the value of such facility on the date of the flood damage or destruction, or
the maximum amount of insurance proceeds which would have been payable with respect to such facility if such facility had been covered by flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 on such date.
Exception
Dissemination of information
Eligible cost
Determination
In general
For the purposes of this section, for disasters declared on or after
on the basis of the design of the facility as the facility existed immediately before the major disaster;
in conformity with the latest published editions of relevant consensus-based codes, specifications, and standards that incorporate the latest hazard-resistant designs and establish minimum acceptable criteria for the design, construction, and maintenance of residential structures and facilities that may be eligible for assistance under this chapter for the purposes of protecting the health, safety, and general welfare of a facility’s users against disasters (including floodplain management and hazard mitigation criteria required by the President or under the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)); and
in a manner that allows the facility to meet the definition of resilient developed pursuant to this subsection.
Cost estimation procedures
In general
Applicability
Contributions
Modification of eligible cost
Actual cost greater than ceiling percentage of estimated cost
Actual cost less than estimated cost
Greater than or equal to floor percentage of estimated cost
Less than floor percentage of estimated cost
No effect on appeals process
Expert panel
Establishment
Duties
The expert panel shall develop recommendations concerning—
procedures for estimating the cost of repairing, restoring, reconstructing, or replacing a facility consistent with industry practices; and
the ceiling and floor percentages referred to in paragraph (2).
Regulations
Taking into account the recommendations of the expert panel under subparagraph (B), the President shall promulgate regulations that establish—
cost estimation procedures described in subparagraph (B)(i); and
the ceiling and floor percentages referred to in paragraph (2).
Review by President
Report to Congress
Special rule
New rules
In general
Interim guidance
Guidance
Report
Source
(Pub. L. 93–288, title IV, § 406, as added Pub. L. 100–707, title I, § 106(b),Notes
References in Text
Prior Provisions
Amendments
Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
Effective Date of 2000 Amendment
Transfer of Functions
Guidance on Inundated and Submerged Roads
Guidance and Recommendations
Guidance.—
The Administrator [of the Federal Emergency Management Agency] shall provide guidance to a common interest community that provides essential services of a governmental nature on actions that a common interest community may take in order to be eligible to receive reimbursement from a grantee that receives funds from the [Federal Emergency Management] Agency for certain activities performed after an event that results in a major disaster declared by the President under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170).
Recommendations.—
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act [
Effective Date.—
This section shall be effective on the date of enactment of this Act.”
Post-Disaster Building Safety Assessment
Building Safety Assessment Team.—
In general.—
The Administrator [of the Federal Emergency Management Agency] shall coordinate with State and local governments and organizations representing design professionals, such as architects and engineers, to develop guidance, including best practices, for post-disaster assessment of buildings by licensed architects and engineers to ensure the design professionals properly analyze the structural integrity and livability of buildings and structures.
Publication.—
The Administrator shall publish the guidance required to be developed under paragraph (1) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [
National Incident Management System.—
The Administrator shall revise or issue guidance as required to the National Incident Management System Resource Management component to ensure the functions of post-disaster building safety assessment, such as those functions performed by design professionals are accurately resource typed within the National Incident Management System.
Effective Date.—
This section shall be effective on the date of enactment of this Act.”
Review of Assistance for Damaged Underground Water Infrastructure
Definition of Public Assistance Grant Program.—
The term ‘public assistance grant program’ means the public assistance grant program authorized under sections 403, 406, 407, 428, and 502(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b, 5172, 5173, [5189f,] 5192(a)).
Review and Briefing.—
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act [
conduct a review of the assessment and eligibility process under the public assistance grant program with respect to assistance provided for damaged underground water infrastructure as a result of a major disaster declared under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), including wildfires, and shall include the extent to which local technical memoranda, prepared by a local unit of government in consultation with the relevant State or Federal agencies, identified damaged underground water infrastructure that should be eligible for the public assistance grant program; and
provide to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a briefing on the review conducted under paragraph (1).
Report and Recommendations.—
The Administrator shall—
not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, issue a report on the review conducted under subsection (b)(1); and
not later than 180 days after the date on which the Administrator issues the report required under paragraph (1), initiate a rulemaking, if appropriate, to address any recommendations contained in the report.”