Federal Flood Risk Management Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
Introduced
Summary
Federal flood risk management standard would require federally funded projects and many federal properties to meet stronger, climate-informed flood resilience rules. It expands protection beyond base flood elevations and builds regular oversight and updates.
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- Families and communities: Projects in floodplains must include mandatory floodproofing, elevation where practicable, and visible flood-height markers on public structures. The standard requires a freeboard of 2 feet for non-critical actions and 3 feet for critical actions.
- Local governments and housing programs: Agencies must reflect flood hazards in planning, permitting, licensing, loans, grants, and budgeting. The bill requires public notice and comment and allows eligible housing and community development projects to transfer or assume NEPA review responsibilities.
- Federal agencies, property managers, and financial actors: Federal property conveyances in floodplains can be restricted or conditioned. Agencies that guarantee, approve, regulate, or insure transactions must inform private participants about flood hazards, and narrow exemptions exist for national security or emergencies with published findings.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Stronger federal flood rules for projects
If enacted, federal agencies would have to make government-funded projects meet a stronger Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. Agencies would use climate-informed flood data and add extra freeboard: 2 feet for non-critical projects and 3 feet for critical projects, or alternatively consider areas that flood at a 0.2% annual chance. Agencies would check for floodplain impacts, include evaluations in NEPA when the action may significantly affect the environment, consider alternatives, and send a short public notice when actions must occur in a floodplain. Federal buildings would use accepted floodproofing, elevate structures when practicable, post clear past and likely flood heights at public sites, and agencies would attach use restrictions or withhold conveyance when selling or leasing floodplain federal land. Agencies must report within a year on how the rule changes procedures, a mitigation group would reassess implementation yearly, and the flood standard would be updated at least every 5 years.
Buyers must be told flood risks
If enacted, the bill would require federal agencies involved in loans, guarantees, approvals, regulation, or insurance for a property in a base flood area to tell private parties about the flood hazards before completing the transaction. You would get that information before the agency finishes any action on the deal.
Applicants can assume NEPA duties
If enacted, applicants for projects under section 104(h) would be able to assume certain floodplain procedural duties if they also assume all NEPA environmental review responsibilities for the project. This would let eligible applicants shorten review steps and reduce duplicated agency paperwork, but applicants must fully take on NEPA duties first.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov