119th (2025–2027)
S. 4515
This bill establishes a pilot program requiring the Federal Emergency Management Agency to award grants to local governments for improving urban flood mapping and making that information accessible to homeowners, businesses, and communities. The program will select 12 total grant recipients over time, distributed across three tiers based on city population size and whether they are coastal or non-coastal areas, with priority given to communities vulnerable to sea level rise, those with military installations, and those with vulnerable populations and limited flood mitigation resources. Grant recipients can use funds to develop flood risk mapping tools, provide structure-specific flood projections, incorporate climate trend data, and create public web portals displaying flood risk information, with work to be completed within 18 months of receiving funds. The federal government will cover up to 75 percent of project costs, and FEMA must report to Congress every two years on program progress and outcomes. The bill authorizes $2 million for fiscal year 2027 and $5 million for fiscal year 2028 through 2030.