PILOT PROGRAMS ON THE FORMULATION OF CORPS OF ENGINEERS PROJECTS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

SEC. 118. [33 U.S.C. 2201 note] PILOT PROGRAMS ON THE FORMULATION OF CORPS OF ENGINEERS PROJECTS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. (a) In General.—The Secretary shall establish and implement pilot programs, in accordance with this section, to evaluate opportunities to address the flood risk management and hurricane and storm damage risk reduction needs of rural communities and economically disadvantaged communities. (b) Economically Disadvantaged Community Flood Protection and Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Study Pilot Program.— (1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and implement a pilot program to carry out feasibility studies, in accordance with this subsection, for flood risk management and hurricane and storm damage risk reduction projects for economically disadvantaged communities, in coordination with non-Federal interests. (2) Participation in pilot program.—In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— (A) annually publish a notice in the Federal Register that requests from non-Federal interests proposals for the potential feasibility study of a flood risk management project or hurricane and storm damage risk reduction project for an economically disadvantaged community; (B) upon request of a non-Federal interest for such a project, provide technical assistance to such non-Federal interest in the formulation of a proposal for a potential feasibility study to be submitted to the Secretary under the pilot program; and (C) review such proposals and, subject to the availability of appropriations, annually select 10 feasibility studies for such projects to be carried out by the Secretary, in coordination with the non-Federal interest, under this pilot program. (3) Selection criteria.—In selecting a feasibility study under paragraph (2)(C), the Secretary shall consider whether— (A) the percentage of people living in poverty in the county or counties (or county-equivalent entity or entities) in which the project is located is greater than the percentage of people living in poverty in the State, based on census bureau data; (B) the percentage of families with income above the poverty threshold but below the average household income in the county or counties (or county-equivalent entity or entities) in which the project is located is greater than such percentage for the State, based on census bureau data; (C) the percentage of the population that identifies as belonging to a minority or indigenous group in the county or counties (or county-equivalent entity or entities) in which the project is located is greater than the average such percentage in the State, based on census bureau data; and (D) the project is addressing flooding or hurricane or storm damage effects that have a disproportionate impact on a rural community, a minority community, or an Indian Tribe. (4) Administration.—Notwithstanding the requirements of section 105(a)(1)(A) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2215), the Federal share of the cost of a feasibility study carried out under the pilot program shall be 100 percent. (5) Study requirements.—Feasibility studies carried out under this subsection shall, to the maximum extent practicable, incorporate natural features or nature-based features (as such terms are defined in section 1184 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 (33 U.S.C. 2289a)), or a combination of such features and nonstructural features, that avoid or reduce at least 50 percent of flood or storm damages in one or more of the alternatives included in the final alternatives evaluated. (6) Notification.—The Secretary shall notify the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate of the selection of each feasibility study under the pilot program. (7) Completion.—Upon completion of a feasibility report for a feasibility study selected to be carried out under this subsection, the Secretary shall transmit the report to Congress for authorization, and shall include the report in the next annual report submitted under section 7001 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (33 U.S.C. 2282d). (c) Pilot Program for the Recommendation of Flood Protection and Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Projects in Rural Communities and Economically Disadvantaged Communities.— (1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and implement a pilot program to evaluate, and make recommendations to Congress on, flood risk management projects and hurricane and storm damage risk reduction projects in rural communities or economically disadvantaged communities, without demonstrating that each project is justified solely by national economic development benefits. (2) Considerations.—In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may make a recommendation to Congress on up to 10 projects annually, without demonstrating that the project is justified solely by national economic development benefits, if the Secretary determines that— (A) the community to be served by the project is an economically disadvantaged community or a rural community; (B) the long-term life safety, economic viability, and environmental sustainability of the community would be threatened without the project; and (C) the project is consistent with the requirements of section 1 of the Flood Control Act of 1936 (33 U.S.C. 701a). (3) Consistency.—In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that project recommendations are consistent with the principles and requirements and the interagency guidelines, as such terms are defined in section 110 of this Act, including the consideration of quantifiable monetary and nonmonetary benefits of the project. (4) Prioritization.—The Secretary may give equivalent budgetary consideration and priority to projects recommended under this subsection. (d) Geographic Diversity.—In selecting feasibility studies under subsection (b)(2)(C) or in making project recommendations under subsection (c), the Secretary shall consider the geographic diversity among proposed projects. (e) Report.—Not later than 5 years, 10 years, and 15 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, and make publicly available, a report detailing the results of the pilot programs carried out under this section, including— (1) a description of proposals received from non-Federal interests pursuant to subsection (b)(2)(A); (2) a description of technical assistance provided to non-Federal interests under subsection (b)(2)(B); (3) a description of proposals selected under subsection (b)(2)(C) and criteria used to select such proposals; (4) a description of the projects evaluated or recommended by the Secretary under subsection (c); (5) a description of the quantifiable monetary and nonmonetary benefits associated with the projects recommended under subsection (c); and (6) any recommendations to Congress on how the Secretary can address the flood risk management and hurricane and storm damage risk reduction needs of economically disadvantaged communities. (f) State Defined.—In this section, the term “State” means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and each of the commonwealths, territories, and possessions of the United States. (g) Sunset.—The authority to commence a feasibility study under subsection (b), and the authority make a recommendation under subsection (c), shall terminate on the date that is 15 years after the date of enactment of this Act. (h) Priority Projects.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall prioritize the following projects: (1) The project for flood risk management, city of Rialto, California, authorized by section 1201 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024. (2) The project for ecosystem restoration and recreation, Santa Ana River, Jurupa Valley, California, authorized by section 1201 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024. (3) The project for flood control and other purposes, Kentucky River and its tributaries, Kentucky, authorized by section 6 of the Act of August 11, 1939 (chapter 699, 53 Stat. 1416). (4) The project for flood risk management, Kentucky River, Kentucky, authorized by section 8201(a)(31) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (136 Stat. 3746). (5) The project for navigation, Hagaman Chute, Lake Providence, Louisiana, authorized by section 1201 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024. (6) The project for flood risk management, Otero County, New Mexico, authorized by section 1201 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024. (7) The project for flood control and other purposes, Susquehanna River Basin, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, authorized by section 5 of the Act of June 22, 1936 (chapter 688, 49 Stat. 1573). (8) The project for flood risk management and ecosystem restoration, Winooski River basin, Vermont, authorized by section 1201 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024. (9) The project for flood risk management and sediment management, Grays River, Wahkiakum County, Washington, authorized by section 1201 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024.