text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Urban Flooding Awareness Act of 
  2014''.
  
  SEC. 2. URBAN FLOODING DEFINED.
  
      (a) In General.--In this Act, the term ``urban flooding'' means the 
  inundation of property in a built environment, particularly in more 
  densely populated areas, caused by rain falling on increased amounts of 
  impervious surface and overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems, 
  such as storm sewers.
      (b) Inclusions.--In this Act, the term ``urban flooding'' 
  includes--
              (1) situations in which stormwater enters buildings through 
          windows, doors, or other openings;
              (2) water backup through sewer pipes, showers, toilets, 
          sinks, and floor drains;
              (3) seepage through walls and floors;
              (4) the accumulation of water on property or public rights-
          of-way; and
              (5) the overflow from water bodies, such as rivers and 
          lakes.
      (c) Exclusion.--In this Act, the term ``urban flooding'' does not 
  include flooding in undeveloped or agricultural areas.
  
  SEC. 3. URBAN FLOODING STUDY.
  
      (a) Agreement With National Research Council.--The Administrator of 
  the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall enter into an agreement 
  with the National Research Council under which the National Research 
  Council will conduct a study on urban flooding in accordance with the 
  requirements of this section.
      (b) Contents.--
              (1) General review and evaluation.--In conducting the 
          study, the National Research Council shall review and evaluate 
          the latest available research, laws, regulations, policies, 
          best practices, procedures, and institutional knowledge 
          regarding urban flooding.
              (2) Specific issue areas.--The study shall include, at a 
          minimum, an examination of the following:
                      (A) The prevalence and costs associated with urban 
                  flooding events across the United States, with a focus 
                  on the largest metropolitan areas and any clear trends 
                  in frequency and severity over the past 2 decades.
                      (B) The adequacy of existing federally provided 
                  flood risk information and the most cost-effective 
                  methods and products to identify, map, or otherwise 
                  characterize the risk of property damage from urban 
                  flooding on a property-by-property basis, whether or 
                  not a property is in or adjacent to a 1-percent (100-
                  year) flood plain, and the potential for training and 
                  certifying local experts in flood risk characterization 
                  as a service to property purchasers and owners and 
                  their communities.
                      (C) The causes of urban flooding and its apparent 
                  increase over the past 20 years, including the impacts 
                  of--
                              (i) global climate change;
                              (ii) increasing urbanization and the 
                          associated increase in impervious surfaces; and
                              (iii) undersized, deteriorating and 
                          otherwise ineffective stormwater 
                          infrastructure.
                      (D) The most cost-effective strategies, practices, 
                  and technologies used to reduce the impacts of urban 
                  flooding, with a focus on decentralized, easy-to-
                  install, and low-cost approaches, such as nonstructural 
                  and natural infrastructure on public and private 
                  property. The examination under this subparagraph shall 
                  include an assessment of opportunities for implementing 
                  innovative strategies and practices on government-
                  controlled land, such as Federal, State, and local 
                  roads, parking lots, alleys, sidewalks, buildings, 
                  recreational areas, and open space.
                      (E) The role of the Federal Government and State 
                  governments, as conveners, funders, and advocates, in 
                  spurring market innovations based on public-private-
                  nonprofit partnerships. Such innovations may include 
                  smart home technologies for improved flood warning 
                  systems connected to high-resolution weather forecast 
                  data and Internet- and cellular-based communications 
                  systems.
                      (F) The most sustainable and effective methods for 
                  funding flood risk and flood damage reduction at all 
                  levels of government, including--
                              (i) the potential for establishing a State 
                          revolving fund program for flood prevention 
                          projects similar to the revolving fund programs 
                          under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
                          and the Safe Drinking Water Act;
                              (ii) stormwater fee programs using 
                          impervious surface as the basis for fee rates 
                          and providing credits for the installation of 
                          flood prevention or other stormwater management 
                          features;
                              (iii) grant programs; and
                              (iv) public-private partnerships.
                      (G) Information and education strategies and 
                  practices, including nontraditional approaches such as 
                  the use of social media, for community leaders, 
                  government staff, and property owners on--
                              (i) flood risks;
                              (ii) flood risk reduction strategies and 
                          practices; and
                              (iii) the availability and effectiveness of 
                          different types of flood insurance policies.
                      (H) The relevance of the National Flood Insurance 
                  Program and Community Rating System to urban flooding 
                  areas outside traditional flood plains, and strategies 
                  for broadening coverage and increasing participation 
                  under the programs.
                      (I) Strategies for protecting downstream 
                  communities from the flooding impacts of development in 
                  upstream communities, including a review of--
                              (i) potential standards for watershed-wide 
                          flood protection planning; and
                              (ii) the potential establishment of 
                          streamlined legal processes for victims of 
                          flood damage, to avoid the need for expensive 
                          litigation.
      (c) Consultation.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
  Management Agency shall carry out this section in consultation with the 
  Secretary of the Army (acting through the Chief of Engineers), the 
  Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Administrator of the 
  Environmental Protection Agency, and State, regional, and local 
  stormwater management agencies, and such other interested parties as 
  the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency considers 
  appropriate.
      (d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
  enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
  Management Agency shall submit to the Committee on Financial Services 
  and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and 
  the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and the Committee 
  on Appropriations of the Senate a report containing the findings of the 
  National Research Council based on the results of the study, including 
  recommendations for implementation of strategies, practices, and 
  technologies relating to urban flooding by Congress and the executive 
  branch.
target: Urban Flooding Awareness Act of 2014 - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to enter into an agreement with the National Research Council to conduct a study on urban flooding. Defines &quot;urban flooding&quot; as the inundation of property in a built environment, particularly in more densely populated areas, caused by rain falling on increased amounts of impervious surface and overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems. Directs the Council to evaluate the latest research, laws, regulations, policies, best practices, procedures, and institutional knowledge regarding urban flooding. Requires the Council's study to include an examination of:  the prevalence of and costs associated with urban flooding events across the United States, with a focus on the largest metropolitan areas and trends in frequency and severity over the past two decades; the adequacy of federally provided flood risk information and the most cost-effective methods and products to characterize the risk of property damage from urban flooding on a property-by-property basis;  the potential for training and certifying local experts in flood risk characterization as a service to property purchasers and owners; the causes of urban flooding and its apparent increase over the past 20 years; the most cost-effective strategies, practices, and technologies used to reduce the impacts of urban flooding;  the role of the federal government and state governments in spurring market innovations based on public-private-nonprofit partnerships;  the most sustainable and effective methods for funding flood risk and flood damage reduction at all levels of government; the relevance of the National Flood Insurance Program and Community Rating System to urban flooding areas outside traditional flood plains and strategies for broadening coverage and increasing participation under the Program; and strategies for protecting downstream communities from the flooding impacts of development in upstream communities. 
feat_title: Urban Flooding Awareness Act of 2014