Enhancing Long-Term, Efficient, and Viable Alternatives to Empower Flood-Prone Communities Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4248 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4248 To provide for planning and implementation of nonstructural flood risk management solutions, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 26, 2026 Mr. Whitehouse (for himself and Mr. Tillis) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To provide for planning and implementation of nonstructural flood risk management solutions, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Enhancing Long-Term, Efficient, and Viable Alternatives to Empower Flood-Prone Communities Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Nonstructural feature.-- (A) In general.--The term ``nonstructural feature'', with respect to a project for flood risk management or hurricane and storm damage risk reduction, means-- (i) structure elevation; (ii) structure floodproofing; (iii) basement filling; and (iv) acquisition of floodplain land and structure demolition or relocation, except as provided in subparagraph (B). (B) Exclusion.--The term ``nonstructural feature'' does not include any property acquisition and structure demolition or relocation required to implement a structural feature or to mitigate for flooding induced by a structural feature. (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Army. SEC. 3. PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NONSTRUCTURAL FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS. (a) Findings.--Congress finds that-- (1) nonstructural features are proven methods for reducing both short- and long-term risk and damages from the isolated and