National Landslide Loss Reduction Act

National Landslide Loss Reduction Act

This bill requires the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a national program to identify landslide hazards and reduce losses from landslides.

The USGS shall:

• develop a national strategy for research on landslides and landslide hazards;
• develop and maintain a landslide hazard assessment system and a national landslide hazard inventory database;
• in coordination with state geological surveys, conduct federal-state working groups to establish regional priorities for identifying, mapping, and assessing hazards and develop and implement guidelines for geologists and geological and geotechnical engineers;
• compile, maintain, and evaluate data on landslide hazard stabilization and reduction of losses and on the nationwide impact of landslides on health and safety, the economy, and the environment; and
• in coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and state geological surveys, develop and disseminate guidelines and training materials (in coordination with specified entities) for planners and decision makers on the use of the system and reducing losses from landslides.

NOAA and the NWS shall develop and disseminate landslide-related curricula and training modules for state and local officials and emergency managers.

The bill establishes an Interagency Coordinating Committee on Landslides and an Advisory Committee on Landslides.

The Department of the Interior shall make grants to support: (1) state and local government efforts to map and assess landslide hazards; and (2) efforts by institutions of higher education, state and local governments, and nongovernmental entities to research landslides.