What This Bill Does
This bill makes improvements to how the National Flood Insurance Program creates and updates flood risk maps. The bill requires flood maps to include more detailed information about buildings and properties, ensures flood maps stay current, and increases funding for map creation and maintenance.
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Who It Affects
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which runs the National Flood Insurance Program
- The United States Geological Survey
- Contractors hired to create or update flood maps
- Property owners and the general public who access flood risk information
- Entities receiving grants under this act
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Key Provisions
- Flood maps must include planimetric features (geographic elements like buildings, roads, and rivers that show true location and size from above), along with property identification information and addresses whenever possible (Sec. 2(a))
- Flood maps must be updated within 5 years after the National Geodetic Survey completes the National Spatial Reference System 2022 and must meet geographic information system accuracy standards (Sec. 2(b))
- FEMA must work with the United States Geological Survey to maintain stream flow networks (systems that measure water flow) critical to flood risk mapping, including ensuring measuring devices are modern and operational (Sec. 2(c))
- FEMA must create a public website repository where citizens can access raw data used in flood maps, including flood models, building footprints, flood depth information, and flood risk assessments (Sec. 2(c))
- Flood map data must be verified as current and credible at least once every 5 years (Sec. 2(c))
- Contracts for program management, engineering, surveying, and mapping work must be awarded based on qualifications, not just lowest cost, following federal selection procedures (Sec. 2(c))
- Each fiscal quarter, 5 percent of certain flood insurance revenues must be set aside for creating and maintaining current and accurate flood maps (Sec. 2(d))
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What Changes
If this bill becomes law, flood risk maps will contain significantly more detail about specific buildings and properties. The public will have direct online access to the raw data and analysis behind flood maps, allowing residents to view flood risks at the property level. FEMA will be required to keep maps current every 5 years. Stream measuring stations used for flood prediction will be upgraded with modern hardware and expanded in high-risk areas. Flood mapping will receive dedicated funding from insurance revenues rather than relying solely on appropriated money.
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Important Definitions
- **Planimetric feature**: Geographic elements that do not depend on elevation (like roads, building footprints, rivers, and lakes) shown on maps as they appear from above
- **Parcel identification data**: Information about a piece of land including its location, unique identifier, boundaries, structures on it, zoning classification, and owner
- **Stream flow network**: A system of measuring devices maintained by the United States Geological Survey and partners that measures water flow down streams, rivers, or through entire watershed systems and sends real-time information
- **Stream gage station**: A device placed at the edge of a river or stream that measures water flow and additional information such as water height, chemistry, and temperature
- **Surveying and mapping**: Geospatial activities involving measuring, locating, and creating maps or charts showing natural and human-made features and legal boundaries
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Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 2568
To provide for improvements to National Flood Insurance Program rate
maps, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 10, 2023
Mr. MOONEY (for himself and Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services
A BILL
To provide for improvements to National Flood Insurance
Program rate maps, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improvement of Map-
4
ping, Addresses, Geography, Elevations, and Structures
5
Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘IMAGES Act of 2023’’.
6
SEC. 2. NATIONAL FLOOD MAPPING PROGRAM.
7
(a) INCLUSION OF PLANIMETRIC FEATURES IN RATE
8
MAPS.—Section 100216(b)(3) of the Biggert-Waters
9
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•HR 2568 IH
Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C.
1
4101b(b)(3)) is amended—
2
(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘and’’ at
3
the end;
4
(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period
5
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
6
(3) by adding at the end the following:
7
‘‘(F) planimetric features, including, for
8
each planimetric feature—
9
‘‘(i) the associated parcel identifica-
10
tion data for such planimetric feature; and
11
‘‘(ii) to the maximum extent prac-
12
ticable, using public and private sector ad-
13
dress data, the address of such planimetric
14
feature.’’.
15
(b) FORMAT OF RATE MAPS.—Section 100216(c)(2)
16
of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of
17
2012 (42 U.S.C. 4101b(c)(2)) is amended—
18
(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and’’ at
19
the end;
20
(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period
21
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
22
(3) by adding at the end the following:
23
‘‘(D) not later than 5 years after the date
24
that the National Geodetic Survey completes
25
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•HR 2568 IH
the National Spatial Reference System 2022,
1
updated to conform with the geospatial data
2
provided by such system; and
3
‘‘(E) spatially accurate in accordance with
4
the common protocols for geographic informa-
5
tion systems under section 216 of the E-Gov-
6
ernment Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note).’’.
7
(c) ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS.—Section 100216
8
of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of
9
2012 (42 U.S.C. 4101b) is amended—
10
(1) by redesignating subsection (f) as sub-
11
section (k); and
12
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol-
13
lowing:
14
‘‘(f) STREAM FLOW NETWORKS.—
15
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall co-
16
ordinate with the United States Geological Survey to
17
ensure that, to the extent necessary to maintain the
18
stream flow networks critical to the National Flood
19
Insurance Program, flood risk mapping, and flood
20
risk assessments—
21
‘‘(A) the stream gage stations in such
22
stream flow networks are operational and use
23
modern hardware;
24
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‘‘(B) such stream flow networks are suffi-
1
ciently densified by adding new stream gage
2
stations in high-risk areas;
3
‘‘(C) inactive critical stream gage stations
4
in such stream flow networks are reactivated;
5
and
6
‘‘(D) the speed of the geospatial real-time
7
data feeds from such stream gage stations is in-
8
creased.
9
‘‘(2) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection:
10
‘‘(A) STREAM FLOW NETWORK.—The term
11
‘stream flow network’ means a network of
12
stream flow gages maintained under the direc-
13
tion of the United States Geological Survey and
14
its partners that is used to measure or record
15
the flow of water down a stream or river, or
16
through an entire watershed system, and trans-
17
mit such information using a geospatial real-
18
time data feed.
19
‘‘(B) STREAM GAGE STATION.—The term
20
‘stream gage station’ means a device installed
21
at the edge of a river or stream that measures
22
or records the flow of water down the stream
23
and additional information such as water
24
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•HR 2568 IH
height, water chemistry, and water tempera-
1
ture.
2
‘‘(g) AVAILABILITY OF DATA TO PUBLIC.—The Ad-
3
ministrator shall make available to the public on the
4
website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency a
5
national geospatial data repository that—
6
‘‘(1) provides access to the raw data used to in-
7
clude the planimetric features and parcel identifica-
8
tion data in National Flood Insurance Program rate
9
maps;
10
‘‘(2) to the extent that such data is available,
11
allows users to view, query, and obtain such data at
12
multiple levels of detail, including down to the prop-
13
erty level;
14
‘‘(3) allows users to view flood risks, flood in-
15
surance zones, and flood elevations;
16
‘‘(4) provides access to flood mapping and re-
17
lated information such as—
18
‘‘(A) hydrologic and hydraulic models used
19
in determining flood risk;
20
‘‘(B) structure footprints where available;
21
‘‘(C) flood depth grids;
22
‘‘(D) flood risk reports;
23
‘‘(E) flood risk assessments (Hazus ana-
24
lyses);
25
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•HR 2568 IH
‘‘(F) hazard mitigation plans; and
1
‘‘(G) other flood risk products at the dis-
2
cretion of the Administrator; and
3
‘‘(5) maintains and disseminates such data in a
4
consistent manner.
5
‘‘(h) ENSURING CURRENT DATA.—Not less fre-
6
quently than once every 5 years, the Administrator shall
7
verify that each National Flood Insurance Program rate
8
map contains data that is current and credible.
9
‘‘(i)
QUALIFICATIONS-BASED
SELECTION
CON-
10
TRACTING.—
11
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to a contract
12
awarded by the Administrator under this Act, or by
13
an entity receiving a grant under this Act, for pro-
14
gram management, architectural and engineering
15
services, or surveying and mapping, such a contract
16
shall be awarded to a contractor selected in accord-
17
ance with the procedures described in section 1103
18
of title 40, United States Code (or an applicable
19
equivalent State qualifications-based statute). The
20
Administrator, or entity, as the case may be, shall
21
require such contractor, as a condition of such con-
22
tract, to award any subcontract for program man-
23
agement, architectural and engineering services, or
24
surveying and mapping in accordance with the pro-
25
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•HR 2568 IH
cedures described in the previous sentence, or the
1
applicable equivalent State statute.
2
‘‘(2) RELATIONSHIP TO STATE LAW.—Nothing
3
in this subsection shall supersede any applicable
4
State licensing law governing professional licensure.
5
‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection:
6
‘‘(A) ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING
7
SERVICES.—The term ‘architectural and engi-
8
neering services’ has the meaning given that
9
term in section 1102 of title 40, United States
10
Code.
11
‘‘(B) SURVEYING
AND
MAPPING.—The
12
term ‘surveying and mapping’ includes geospa-
13
tial activities associated with measuring, locat-
14
ing, and preparing maps, charts, or other
15
graphical or digital presentations depicting nat-
16
ural and man-made physical features, phe-
17
nomena, and legal boundaries of the earth, in-
18
cluding the following:
19
‘‘(i) Topographic Engineering Sur-
20
veying, including acquisition of topographic
21
oriented surveying and mapping data for
22
design, construction, master planning, op-
23
erations, as-built conditions, precise struc-
24
ture stability studies using conventional
25
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•HR 2568 IH
and electronic instrumentation, photo-
1
grammetric, LiDAR, remote sensing, iner-
2
tial, satellite, and other manned and un-
3
manned survey methods as applicable.
4
‘‘(ii) Hydrographic Engineering Sur-
5
veying, including acquisition of hydro-
6
graphic oriented surveying and mapping
7
data for design, construction, dredging,
8
master planning, operations, and as-built
9
conditions using conventional and elec-
10
tronic instrumentation, and photogramme-
11
tric, remote sensing, inertial, satellite, side
12
scan sonar, subbottom profiling, and other
13
surveying methods, as applicable.
14
‘‘(iii) Land Surveying, including prop-
15
erty and boundary surveys, monumenta-
16
tion, marking and posting, and preparation
17
of tract descriptions, using conventional,
18
electronic instrumentation, photogramme-
19
tric, inertial, satellite, and other survey
20
methods, as applicable.
21
‘‘(iv) Geodetic Surveying, including
22
first-, second-, and third-order horizontal
23
and vertical control surveys, geodetic as-
24
tronomy, gravity and magnetic surveys
25
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•HR 2568 IH
using conventional, electronic instrumenta-
1
tion, photogrammetric, inertial, satellite,
2
and other survey methods, as applicable.
3
‘‘(v) Cartographic Surveying, includ-
4
ing acquisition of topographic and hydro-
5
graphic oriented surveying and mapping
6
data for construction of maps, charts, and
7
similar products for planning, flood anal-
8
ysis, and general use purposes using con-
9
ventional and electronic instrumentation,
10
photogrammetric, inertial, satellite, mobile,
11
terrestrial, and other survey methods, as
12
applicable.
13
‘‘(vi) Mapping, charting, and related
14
geospatial database development, including
15
the design, compilation, digitizing, attrib-
16
uting, scribing, drafting, printing and dis-
17
semination of printed or digital map,
18
chart, and related geospatial database
19
products associated with planning, engi-
20
neering, operations, and related real estate
21
activities
using
photogrammetric,
geo-
22
graphic information systems, and other
23
manual and computer assisted methods, as
24
applicable.
25
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•HR 2568 IH
‘‘(j) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
1
‘‘(1) PLANIMETRIC FEATURE.—The term ‘pla-
2
nimetric feature’ means the geographic elements and
3
features—
4
‘‘(A) that are independent of elevation,
5
such as roads, structure footprints, and rivers
6
and lakes;
7
‘‘(B) which are represented on maps to
8
show the true location and size of the elements
9
in relationship to each other, as they are seen
10
from the air; and
11
‘‘(C) that are mapped from LiDAR or aer-
12
ial photography by employing basic photo-
13
grammetry.
14
‘‘(2) PARCEL
IDENTIFICATION
DATA.—The
15
term ‘parcel identification data’ means the informa-
16
tion associated with a parcel of land, including the
17
geographic location, unique parcel identifier, bound-
18
aries, structures contained within the parcel, zoning
19
classification, and owner.’’.
20
(d) FUNDING FOR ELEVATION DATA.—Section 1310
21
of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C.
22
4017) is amended by adding at the end the following:
23
‘‘(g) ALLOCATION FROM THE NATIONAL FLOOD IN-
24
SURANCE FUND.—Each fiscal quarter the Administrator
25
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•HR 2568 IH
shall allocate from the National Flood Insurance Fund an
1
amount equal to 5 percent of any revenue collected under
2
section 1308(b)(3) for use for creating or maintaining cur-
3
rent and accurate National Flood Insurance Program
4
Rate Maps.’’.
5
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—Sub-
6
section (k) of section 100216 of the Biggert-Waters Flood
7
Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (42 U.S.C. 4101b), as so
8
redesignated by the preceding provisions of this Act, is
9
further amended by striking ‘‘$400,000,000 for each of
10
fiscal
years
2013
through
2017’’
and
inserting
11
‘‘$500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through
12
2029’’.
13
Æ
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