National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 1626
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Passed Senate
- Latest Action
- 2026-01-07: Held at the desk.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-11T05:06:24Z
AI-Generated Summary
National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S. 1626)
Purpose
This legislation reauthorizes and expands the National Landslide Preparedness Act to improve the nation's ability to predict, prepare for, and respond to landslides and related hazards. It also enhances water monitoring systems to better address flood, drought, and extreme weather risks, such as heavy rain from atmospheric rivers (long bands of water vapor in the atmosphere that can cause intense rain or snow) and extreme precipitation events (rainfall exceeding typical five-year averages for a location). The goal is to protect lives, property, and the economy through better data, warnings, and coordination.
Key Provisions
- Updates to Definitions and Programs:
- Adds new terms like "atmospheric river," "atmospheric river flooding event," and "extreme precipitation event" to the Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support Act and the National Landslide Preparedness Act. These terms help identify weather patterns that increase landslide and flood risks.
- Expands the National Landslide Hazards Reduction Program to include assessments of risks from atmospheric rivers, extreme rain, thawing permafrost (frozen soil melting due to warming), glacial retreat, and other factors like earthquakes or poor data monitoring.
- National Strategy and Database Enhancements:
- Requires the first updated national strategy (due soon after enactment) to assess how atmospheric rivers and extreme rain affect landslide dangers.
- Improves the national landslide database by identifying high-risk areas needing more study, including those affected by water changes, geological events, or limited data.
- Community Preparedness and Response:
- Broadens support for landslide hazard education and risk reduction to include Native Hawaiian organizations (groups focused on Native Hawaiian interests, including specific state offices), Tribal organizations (entities under Indian self-determination laws), and other stakeholders.
- Enhances debris flow early warning systems and emergency responses, including real-time risk management for events like floods or volcanic activity. Allows consultation with universities and the private sector.
- Establishes regional partnerships in high-hazard areas to coordinate local research, mapping, and monitoring with experts like universities.
- Grants and Funding:
- Expands grant programs for research, mapping, monitoring, and early warning systems, prioritizing areas with recent landslide deaths or high risks.
- Increases annual funding for the landslide program from $25 million to $35 million through 2030, with at least $10 million dedicated to early warning systems in high-risk zones.
- Requires any canceled funds to go toward reducing the federal budget deficit.
- 3D Elevation Program Updates:
- Enhances the program for collecting and using three-dimensional mapping data (like elevation models from satellites or surveys) to include "derivative" data (processed versions for analysis).
- Adds the 3D Hydrography Program Working Group (focused on water features like rivers) to coordination efforts and extends funding authorization to 2034.
- Next Generation Water Observing System:
- Creates a new system within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for real-time water quantity and quality data using affordable, advanced sensors.
- Supports flood/drought forecasts, emergency decisions, and evaluations of water storage (e.g., snowpack, glaciers), evaporation losses, and water quality changes.
- Prioritizes high-risk regions with droughts, reservoir dependence, groundwater/snowpack reliance, or frequent flooding/extreme rain.
- Authorizes $30 million for fiscal year 2026 to start in 10 initial areas.
- Water Data and Groundwater Monitoring Enhancements:
- Boosts USGS efforts in streamflow monitoring (measuring river and stream water levels) and groundwater assessments, including effects of permafrost thaw and changing rain patterns.
- Extends the Federal Priority Streamgage Network timeline to 11 years and prioritizes installations in drought-prone or flood-vulnerable areas without disrupting existing sites.
- Increases funding to $30 million annually from 2026 through 2033 and includes more stakeholders like Tribal and Native Hawaiian groups in planning.
- Focuses grants on high-need areas, such as those with water storage challenges.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expanded Scope and Inclusivity: Previously, programs focused mainly on general landslide risks; now they explicitly address climate-related threats like atmospheric rivers, extreme rain, and permafrost issues. Adds Tribal organizations and Native Hawaiian groups as key partners, which were underrepresented before.
- Funding and Duration Increases: Extends authorizations (e.g., landslide program to 2030, elevation program to 2034, water monitoring to 2033) and raises budgets, with new earmarks for early warnings and specific monitoring.
- New Structures: Introduces regional partnerships, a Next Generation Water Observing System, and priorities for data-poor or high-risk sites, building on but surpassing prior laws like the 2009 Omnibus Public Land Management Act and 1942 water gaging act.
- Deficit Reduction Mechanism: Replaces vague funding language with rules ensuring canceled appropriations reduce the federal deficit, promoting fiscal responsibility.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The USGS (under the Department of the Interior) and Department of Commerce gain resources for advanced monitoring, coordination, and data sharing, potentially improving efficiency but increasing administrative duties. Interagency groups will need to collaborate more on hazards like floods and landslides.
- Citizens: People in landslide-prone, drought, or flood areas (e.g., western U.S. states with atmospheric rivers or Alaska with permafrost) benefit from better early warnings, forecasts, and preparedness tools, which could reduce deaths, property damage, and economic losses from natural disasters.
- International Relations: No direct impacts; the focus is domestic, though improved glacial and snowpack monitoring could indirectly support global climate data sharing.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: U.S. Geological Survey (lead for monitoring and systems), Department of the Interior (overall oversight), and Department of Commerce (input on weather events).
- State, Local, and Community Groups: State and local governments, emergency managers, and communities in high-risk regions for preparedness and response.
- Indigenous and Educational Entities: Indian tribes, Tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations (e.g., Department of Hawaiian Home Lands), and institutions of higher education (universities with expertise in geology or hydrology).
- Private Sector and Others: Businesses involved in water management or disaster response, plus the public in vulnerable areas benefiting from enhanced safety measures.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens federal authority under existing environmental and disaster laws (e.g., 43 U.S.C. chapters on public lands) by mandating inclusive consultations with tribes and Native Hawaiians, aligning with self-determination policies (e.g., Indian Self-Determination Act). Ensures funds are appropriated properly, avoiding unauthorized spending.
- Constitutional: No major challenges; it respects federalism by involving state/local partners and tribes without overriding state authority. The deficit reduction clause supports balanced budgeting under Article I spending powers.
- Political: Promotes bipartisan disaster resilience amid climate change concerns, with funding increases potentially sparking debates on federal spending priorities. Emphasizes equity by including underserved groups like tribes, which could influence future hazard policies.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-01-07: Held at the desk.
- 2026-01-07: Received in the House.
- 2026-01-07: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- 2026-01-05: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- 2026-01-05: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- 2026-01-05: The committee amendment as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S13-16)
- 2026-01-05: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S10-16)
- 2025-11-03: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 249.
- 2025-11-03: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment. With written report No. 119-92.
- 2025-11-03: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment. With written report No. 119-92.
- 2025-05-21: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
- 2025-05-06: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 2025-05-06: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2026-01-05 — PDF (28 pages)
- National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-06 — PDF (17 pages)
- National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-11-03 — PDF (40 pages)