H.R. 4144

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4144 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4144

To require the Director of the United States Geological Survey to map 
future groundwater rise and conduct a study on its potential impacts to 
infrastructure and public health, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 25, 2025

Mr. Mullin (for himself and Mr. Garbarino) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Director of the United States Geological Survey to map 
future groundwater rise and conduct a study on its potential impacts to 
infrastructure and public health, 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 Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure 
Preparedness Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Sea level has risen 5 to 6 inches over the last 30 
years along the United States Coastline and is expected to rise 
by an additional 8 to 15 inches by 2050.
(2) The response of shallow, coastal groundwater levels to 
sea level rise will vary across different areas, complicating 
efforts by State, local, and Tribal policymakers to plan for 
the future.
(3) Groundwater rise presents multiple threats to 
infrastructure and human health, such as increased flooding and 
soil liquefaction risk, destabilization of underground 
infrastructure and building foundations, contamination of 
drinking water, damage to sewage systems, and mobilization of 
underground contamination, but there has not been a national 
assessment of these potential impacts.

SEC. 3. GROUNDWATER RISE.

(a) National Groundwater Rise Forecast.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish a 
program to carry out the following:
(A) Develop maps of groundwater rise for all 
coastal areas in the continental United States, 
building upon existing and prior coastal groundwater 
mapping efforts, that depict future groundwater rise 
with decadal projections through 2100, and associated 
changes in flooding risk and saltwater intrusion.
(B) Identify priority areas that are at increased 
risk of flooding due to groundwater rise.
(C) Make recommendations to Congress regarding the 
resources and improved research infrastructure that may 
be needed to develop the following:
(i) More accurate projections of average 
future groundwater rise and saltwater intrusion 
due to sea level change.
(ii) Extreme event projections that account 
for tides, seasonal rainfall, and storms.
(2) Website.--The Director shall establish a public website 
that displays the maps developed pursuant to paragraph (1), as 
well as other relevant information critical for use by 
community planners and emergency managers.
(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Director $5,000,000 for fiscal years 
2025 and 2026 to carry out this subsection.
(b) Groundwater Rise Impact Study.--
(1) In general.--Not later than six months after the 
completion of the activities under subsection (a), the 
Director, in consultation with the Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
and heads of other Federal agencies with relevant expertise, 
shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National 
Academies to conduct a two-phase study on the potential impacts 
of groundwater rise on infrastructure and public health.
(2) Elements.--The study under subsection (a) should, at a 
minimum--
(A) consider the results of the groundwater rise 
forecast developed in accordance with subsection (a); 
and
(B) provide recommendations for actions by the 
executive branch and Congress to mitigate the potential 
impacts of groundwater rise.
(3) Phase i study on impacts to infrastructure.--The phase 
I study under paragraph (1) should, at a minimum, consider the 
following:
(A) The potential exposure of infrastructure in 
shallow coastal areas to groundwater rise, including 
roads, buildings, underground utility lines, parking 
structures, sewers, water distribution pipes, and storm 
drains, and the costs associated with such.
(B) Changes in soil liquefaction risk during 
earthquakes due to projected groundwater rise.
(4) Phase ii study on impacts to public health.--The phase 
II study under paragraph (1) should, at a minimum, consider the 
following:
(A) The potential of groundwater rise to mobilize 
below-ground contamination and the associated risks to 
human health.
(B) An evaluation of drinking water supplies and 
agricultural areas that will be threatened by 
groundwater rise and associated saltwater intrusion.
(5) Report.--Not later than three years after initiating 
the study under paragraph (1), the Director shall submit to 
Congress a report summarizing the findings of such study.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
the United States Geological Survey.
(2) Groundwater rise.--The term ``groundwater rise'' means 
the upward movement of the shallow, coastal water table due to 
short or long-term fluctuations in sea level.
(3) National academies.--The term ``National Academies'' 
means the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
Medicine.
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