Sponsors (9)
The bill lowers cost barriers and broadens eligibility for floodplain restoration projects and improves post-project oversight, but it increases the risk that nearby homeowners and communities may face higher flood elevations, insurance costs, administrative burdens, and uncertainty if impacts are not fully identified and managed.
Local and state governments and homeowners: reduced upfront costs and broader eligibility for restoration projects because FEMA map-change fees are waived and projects no longer must be federally funded to qualify.
FEMA, local governments, and communities: clearer deadlines and a required post-project analysis within 180 days, improving federal oversight and producing faster data on changed flood conditions.
Local governments and rural communities: allows some ecosystem restoration in regulatory floodways, enabling projects that can restore floodplain functions and improve flood resilience and environmental health.
Homeowners near restored floodways: potential increases in flood risk and higher flood insurance costs if projects raise Base Flood Elevations (even by about a foot) or if analyses fail to capture impacts.
Homeowners and local governments: if post-project analyses are incomplete or delayed, FEMA and communities may lack timely information on changed flood risks, which can delay insurance rating updates and mitigation actions.
Local and state governments: new administrative responsibilities and potential liability to ensure no insurable structures or critical infrastructure are adversely affected by restoration projects.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Exempts ecosystem restoration projects from FEMA map-change fees, allows some restoration in regulatory floodways that raise base flood elevations under strict conditions, and requires FEMA guidance.
Introduced November 21, 2025 by Troy Downing · Last progress November 21, 2025
Allows certain ecosystem restoration projects to be processed without FEMA map-change fees and lets communities permit some restoration work in regulatory floodways that slightly raise base flood elevations, as long as specific safety and environmental conditions are met and an engineering analysis is filed with FEMA. Directs FEMA to consult natural resource agencies and issue implementing guidance within 180 days of enactment.