Bill > HR1858

This bill introduces several key provisions related to flood prevention, assessment, and restoration in agricultural areas. First, it amends the Agricultural Credit Act to allow the Secretary of Agriculture to undertake watershed restoration measures that provide a higher level of protection than immediately necessary, if such restoration is determined to be in the long-term interest of watershed health and is cost-effective. Second, the bill mandates a comprehensive National Agriculture Flood Vulnerability Study within two years, which will analyze economic losses from flooding, downstream mitigation effects, available flood risk data, and current conservation practices, along with recommendations for managing flood impacts. Third, the bill modifies the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act by changing project requirements and increasing the federal cost-share for rehabilitation projects from 65 to 90 percent. The overall goal of these provisions is to improve flood resilience, risk assessment, and mitigation strategies for agricultural lands, recognizing the increasing challenges posed by climate change and extreme weather events.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1858/all-info