Congressman Don Davis Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Address Flood Challenges in Rural Communities
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Today, Congressman Don Davis (NC-01) introduced bipartisan legislation to address flooding challenges across rural America.
Flooding is North Carolina’s second-most common natural threat, occurring on average every seven and a half days. The risk of flooding in North Carolina could affect more than 1.3 million acres, $8 billion of property, and 2,500 miles of road. The Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act addresses the obstacles hindering access to flood prevention programs to empower communities to make smart investments that effectively mitigate flood risks and protect America's farmlands.
“Farmers and rural communities in eastern North Carolina know the devastating impact of flooding all too well,” said Congressman Davis. “The bipartisan Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act empowers the Natural Resources Conservation Service to enhance flood protection beyond pre-disaster levels. This legislation equips our rural areas with data to combat flooding and eases the financial strain of repairing aging flood prevention infrastructure. It's my honor to champion this bipartisan effort, standing with farmers and rural communities against the threat of flooding."
“The federal government can’t just be there to pick up the pieces in the wake of a serious flood. They need to do a better job of preparing for, responding to, and preventing floods. Proactive conservation and watershed management have an important role to play in this, and my bipartisan bill makes several fixes that will help rural communities better leverage USDA resources so we can protect people, property, and our communities,” said Representative Molinaro (R-NY).
“As we witness increasingly severe flooding across America, both Democrats and Republicans need to work together to make sure our communities are prepared,” said Representative Spanberger (D-VA). “Particularly for smaller communities and rural areas, costs related to these projects can be a major barrier for building new levels of resiliency. That’s why I’m proud to help lead the introduction of this bipartisan bill to help rural communities afford these projects, protect American farmland, and make sure we can prevent future disasters.”
“Our country is fed and fueled by the hearts, hands, and hard work of Iowa’s farmers. When natural disasters happen, though, rural communities and farmers are often hit especially hard,” said Representative Nunn (R-IA). “Floods and other natural disasters devastate livelihoods in Iowa and have a ripple effect on our nationwide food and fuel supply chain, which is why I’m working to ensure Iowa’s farmers have the tools to extend the health of their land after natural disasters.”
“We congratulate Representatives Don Davis and Marcus Molinaro for introducing the Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act,” said Melissa Roberts, President and Executive Director of American Flood Coalition Action. “As Congress considers the next farm bill, this bill’s approach to unlocking resources for flood solutions at the watershed level would empower farmers and rural communities to recover swiftly from flooding and protect against future disasters.”
The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) currently offers programs to tackle flooding issues. However, high local costs, funding limitations, and inadequate flood risk data continue to limit access to these crucial programs. The Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act, a bipartisan effort, seeks to enhance the flexibility of USDA's watershed protection programs, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are strategically invested in enduring flood solutions.
Key provisions of the Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act include:
- Enhancing Flexibility in Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program: The legislation empowers communities to restore flood protection in watersheds to levels above pre-disaster conditions through the NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program—a federal initiative for emergency recovery. This provision will enable communities to build more resilient flood defenses.
- National Agriculture Flood Vulnerability Study: The act directs the USDA to conduct a comprehensive national agriculture flood vulnerability study. This study will provide vital insights into flood risks on agricultural lands, equipping producers with actionable data to make informed decisions and implement effective mitigation strategies.
- Reducing Local Cost Share Requirement: The legislation will reduce the local cost share requirement to access the Watershed Rehabilitation Program for communities in limited resource areas. This NRCS program was designed to rehabilitate aging dams that no longer meet federal or state safety criteria, ensuring the continued safety of communities downstream.
Congressman Don Davis serves as the Vice Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture in the 118th Congress.
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