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Bill

S 4757

Federal Flood Risk Management Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Cory Booker and 2 co-sponsors

Establishes a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard that requires higher elevations, floodplain coverage, and climate-informed planning for all federally funded projects and actio

Introduced in Senate
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 4757

Overview

  • Bill: S. 4757, Federal Flood Risk Management Act of 2026
  • Purpose: Establish a Federal standard to improve the Nation’s resilience to current and future flood risk and integrate floodplain management into federal actions, planning, and financing.
  • Introduced in the Senate on June 11, 2026 (Sponsors: Sen. Van Hollen, with Senators Schatz and Booker; co-sponsors include Sen. Schatz and Sen. Booker).
  • Committees: Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Main purpose and intent

  • Create a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and framework to ensure federal programs, projects, and land use decisions account for flood risk beyond the existing base flood elevations.
  • Elevate consideration of flood hazards in federal actions to protect life, property, public health and safety, and national security.
  • Align agency planning, budgeting, permitting, and management with higher flood risk standards and climate-informed flood projections.

Key provisions and changes

  • Sec. 2 – Definitions

    • Establishes terms for the Act (Administrator, Agency, Agency Action, Base Flood, Critical Action, Emergency, Executive Order 11988, Federally Funded Project, Floodplain, National Flood Insurance Program, Standard, Water Resources Council).
    • The “Standard” refers to the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (Appendix G of 2015 guidance associated with EO 11988 and EO 13690).

  • Sec. 3 – Sense of Congress

    • Declares policy to improve federal resiliency to flooding.
    • Emphasizes climate-informed, science-based decisions; flood risk will increase with time.
    • Specifies that agencies should move from base flood elevation to a higher vertical elevation and expanded floodplain coverage to address current and future risk.

  • Sec. 4 – Floodplain Management

    • Agencies must lead to reduce flood losses, protect safety, and preserve floodplain values.
    • Agencies must evaluate floodplain effects, reflect flood hazards in planning and budgets, and establish procedures to implement the Act.
    • Determination of floodplains must consider climate-informed data, future changes, and whether an action is “critical.”
    • Requires agency actions in floodplains to evaluate alternatives, consider nature-based solutions, and provide notices if only practicable options require floodplain siting; includes public notice and brief comment periods.
    • Agencies must inform State/local/Tribal governments about floodplain impacts for affected geographic areas.

  • Sec. 5 – Federal Flood Risk Management Standard

    • Federally funded projects must comply with the Standard (elevations and design measures beyond base flood).
    • For Federal real property, apply floodproofing, elevate where practicable, delineate flood heights on structures for public awareness, and impose conveyance restrictions when leasing or disposing Federal property in floodplains.
    • Allows exemptions for national security emergencies or emergencies, with required Federal Register notice and factual findings.
    • Updates to the Standard occur at least every 5 years.

  • Sec. 6 – Financial Transactions in Flood Areas

    • Before finalizing financial transactions related to areas subject to base flooding, agencies must inform private participants about flood hazards.

  • Sec. 7 – Reports

    • Agencies must report within 1 year on how the Act impacts procedures.
    • The Water Resources Council will annually evaluate agency procedures and provide Congress with evaluation results.

  • Sec. 8 – General Provisions

    • Clarifies that the Act does not apply to emergency work necessary to save life, protect property, or public health and safety.
    • Implementation subject to applicable law and appropriations.
    • Water Resources Council to coordinate with other bodies for implementation.

  • Sec. 9 – Assumption of Responsibilities

    • Allows an applicant under certain housing programs to assume environmental review responsibilities if they also assume NEPA responsibilities.

Who and what would be affected

  • Federal agencies and their projects, funding, permits, licenses, and land management decisions.
  • Federally funded construction and operations in floodplains, including management of Federal lands and facilities.
  • Federal real property and facilities management, including new requirements for floodproofing, elevation, and public awareness about flood hazards.
  • Private parties involved in federal-financed transactions or federally funded projects located in flood-prone areas (through required hazard disclosures for transactions in base flood zones).
  • State, local, and Tribal governments (via notices and coordination on floodplain developments).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Implementation would require agencies to assess floodplain impacts before action; NEPA considerations may be triggered where applicable.
  • The Standard is to be updated at least every five years by the Water Resources Council.
  • Agencies must report within 1 year; ongoing evaluation of procedures occurs at least every 2 years with Congress receiving a formal evaluation.
  • Exemptions are allowed for national security or emergencies, with required public notices documenting findings.
  • Regulations and procedures to implement the Act would be issued or amended in coordination with the Water Resources Council, the Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force, the Administrator, and the Council on Environmental Quality.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Enhanced resilience to flood risk across federal actions and financing.
  • Increased upfront costs for elevated designs, floodproofing, and higher standards, offset by longer project lifespans and reduced flood losses.
  • Greater emphasis on climate-informed data and future flood projections in planning and budgeting.
  • More explicit responsibilities and coordination across federal, state, local, and Tribal entities in floodplain management.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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