Sponsors (9)
The bill provides federally standardized, regularly updated sinkhole-risk mapping that improves planning, preparedness, and scientific understanding—but shifts potential financial and regulatory costs onto homeowners, under-resourced localities, and federal taxpayers.
Local and state planners and homeowners in sinkhole-prone areas gain publicly available sinkhole-risk maps that guide land-use and development decisions, reducing property damage and long-term infrastructure losses.
Emergency managers and local governments can better target preparedness and response because maps will be reassessed at least every five years, improving community safety and disaster response in at-risk areas.
Federal standardized 3D elevation data and ongoing mapping efforts improve scientific understanding of sinkhole mechanisms (storms, drought, aquifer depletion), informing water management and resilience planning across jurisdictions.
Homeowners and localities identified as higher-risk could face increased insurance premiums, underwriting exclusions, or land-use restrictions if private insurers or regulators use the maps, raising housing and development costs.
Federal taxpayers may bear additional costs to establish and maintain the USGS mapping program and periodic reassessments if Congress provides funding.
Smaller and rural local governments may lack the funding or technical capacity to act on identified risks, leaving vulnerable communities with maps but without resources to mitigate hazards.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs USGS, subject to appropriations, to create a sinkhole hazard program that studies causes and publishes 3D-based risk maps updated at least every five years on a public website.
Requires the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, subject to appropriations, to create a sinkhole-hazard program to study causes of sinkholes and produce public risk maps. The program must use specified 3D elevation data, update maps at least every five years (or more often if needed), and host maps and related information on a public website for planners and emergency managers. The measure sets program goals and data standards but does not appropriate funds or change other laws; implementation depends on future appropriations and USGS actions.
Introduced January 31, 2025 by Darren Michael Soto · Last progress July 15, 2025