Support Neighborhoods Offset Winter Damage Act of 2025 or the SNOW Act of 2025
This bill authorizes Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funding for winter storm hazard mitigation and requires FEMA rulemaking to expand assistance for winter storms. It also increases the federal cost share for various FEMA grants, for any hazard type, in rural or disadvantaged areas.
The bill specifically authorizes the use of grant funding under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program to reduce the risk of future damage in areas affected by winter storms, such as by acquiring snow removal equipment.
Also, under current FEMA policy, in determining eligibility and recommending a presidential major disaster declaration for a snowstorm, FEMA’s considerations include whether data shows record (or near record) snowfall and whether estimated statewide costs meet applicable thresholds. The bill requires FEMA to create regulations waiving these eligibility requirements for a major disaster declaration for a snowstorm in certain circumstances. FEMA must also create regulations to provide certain assistance for winter storms, including for debris removal and specified infrastructure, as well as individual and emergency assistance when the state determines the storm exceeds state and local capacity.
In addition, for any hazard type, the bill requires FEMA to increase the federal cost share from 75% to 90% for certain assistance provided in rural or disadvantaged areas. It also authorizes an increased HMGP federal cost share amount from 75% to 90% for assistance in rural or disadvantaged areas.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 437 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 437
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to expand assistance related to winter storms, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 15, 2025
Mr. Kennedy of New York introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to expand assistance related to winter storms, 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 ``Support Neighborhoods Offset Winter
Damage Act of 2025'' or the ``SNOW Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. WINTER STORMS.
(a) Use of Assistance for Winter Storms.--Section 404 of the Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5170c) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Use of Assistance for Winter Storms.--Recipients of hazard
mitigation assistance provided under this section and section 203 may
use the assistance to conduct activities to help reduce the risk of
future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering in any area affected by a
winter storm, including acquiring equipment to remove snow.
``(i) Winter Storm Defined.--In this section, the term `winter
storm' means a combination of heavy snow, blowing snow, or dangerous
wind chills, as determined by the Administrator.''.
(b) Waiver of Snowfall Methodology and Damages Requirement.--The
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall, by
rule, establish a process to waive the methodology related to the
amount of snowfall required to declare a winter storm eligible for a
major disaster declaration and to waive the statewide total damages
required for such eligibility, if at least 2 of the following
conditions are met for a response zone or region affected by a winter
storm:
(1) A State emergency management agency determines in
writing that the damages of such winter storm exceed the
damages required for such State to issue a disaster declaration
for such a response zone or region.
(2) The National Weather Service determines that, during
such winter storm, such a response zone or region has
experienced--
(A) wind speeds that are greater than 58 miles per
hour and a wind chill below 0 degrees Fahrenheit; or
(B) lake-effect snow and conditions for more than
24 hours.
(3) The Bureau of the Census determines that such a
response zone or region--
(A) represents a population for which the real
median household income is below the real median
household income in the United States; or
(B) is an area that is not an urban area.
(c) Regulations Related to Winter Storms.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency shall issue such regulations, as may be
necessary or appropriate, as follows:
(A) To provide assistance for winter storms
authorized under sections 402, 403, 406, 407, 418, 419,
421(d), 502, and 503 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170a,
5170b, 5172, 5173, 5185, 5186, 5188(d), 5192, 5193)
related to the following:
(i) Debris removal.
(ii) Roads and bridges.
(iii) Water control facilities.
(iv) Public buildings and contents.
(v) Public utilities.
(vi) Parks, recreational, and other
facilities.
(B) To provide assistance for winter storms
authorized under sections 408 and 503 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 5174, 5193) when the State emergency
management agency determines that the magnitude or
estimated threat of an incident in a response zone or
region exceeds the capacity of the State or local
government (as such term is defined in section 102 of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 5122)) with jurisdiction over such
response zone or region to respond or recover.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Response zone or region.--The term ``response zone or
region'' means an area that a State emergency management agency
has listed as a response zone or region for the purpose of
determining any damages required for such State to issue a
disaster declaration.
(2) Winter storm.--The term ``winter storm'' has the
meaning given in section 404(i) of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5170c(i)), as added by subsection (a) of this section.
SEC. 3. FEDERAL COST SHARE.
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 403--
(A) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
``(b) Federal Share.--
``(1) In general.--The Federal share of assistance under
this section shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible
cost of such assistance.
``(2) Rural or disadvantaged areas.--Notwithstanding
paragraph (1), the Federal share of assistance under this
section shall be not less than 90 percent of the eligible cost
of such assistance in a rural or disadvantaged area.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Rural or Disadvantaged Area Defined.--In this section, the
term `rural or disadvantaged area' means an area that the Bureau of the
Census has determined--
``(1) represents a population for which the real median
household income is below the real median household income in
the United States; or
``(2) is not an urban area.'';
(2) in section 404--
(A) by striking ``(a) In General.--The President''
and inserting the following:
``(a) Federal Share.--
``(1) In general.--The President''; and
(B) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the
following:
``(2) Disadvantaged urban communities.--Notwithstanding
paragraph (1), the President may contribute up to 90 percent of
the cost of hazard mitigation measures which the President has
determined are cost effective and which substantially reduce
the risk of, or increase resilience to, future damage,
hardship, loss, or suffering in a rural or disadvantaged area
(as such term is defined in section 403) affected by a major
disaster, or by a fire for which assistance was provided under
section 420. Such measures shall be identified following the
evaluation of natural hazards under section 322 and shall be
subject to approval by the President. Subject to section 322,
the total of contributions under this section for a major
disaster or event under section 420 shall not exceed 15 percent
for amounts not more than $2,000,000,000, 10 percent for
amounts of more than $2,000,000,000 and not more than
$10,000,000,000, and 7.5 percent on amounts of more than
$10,000,000,000 and not more than $35,333,000,000 of the
estimated aggregate amount of grants to be made (less any
associated administrative costs) under this Act with respect to
the major disaster or event under section 420.'';
(3) by amending section 407(d) to read as follows:
``(d) Federal Share.--
``(1) In general.--The Federal share of assistance under
this section shall be not less than 75 percent of the eligible
cost of debris and wreckage removal carried out under this
section.
``(2) Rural or disadvantaged areas.--Notwithstanding
paragraph (1), the Federal share of assistance under this
section shall be not less than 90 percent of the eligible cost
of debris and wreckage removal carried out under this section
in a rural or disadvantaged area (as such term is defined in
section 403).''; and
(4) by amending section 503(a) to read as follows:
``(a) Federal Share.--
``(1) In general.--The Federal share for assistance
provided under this title shall be equal to not less than 75
percent of the eligible costs.
``(2) Rural or disadvantaged areas.--Notwithstanding
paragraph (1), the Federal share of assistance under this title
shall be not less than 90 percent of the eligible costs in a
rural or disadvantaged area (as such term is defined in section
403).''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
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