S. 3140: Flood Protection and Infrastructure Resilience Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Flood Protection and Infrastructure Resilience Act of 2025, aims to enhance flood protection and improve the resilience of infrastructure through a series of modifications to existing agricultural programs. Below are the main components of the bill:

Emergency Watershed Program

The bill proposes amendments to the Emergency Watershed Program under the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978. It allows the Secretary of Agriculture to increase the level of flood protection beyond what is considered necessary for immediate issues if this action is deemed beneficial for:

• The long-term health of the watershed.
• The protection of the watershed from frequent problems.

Rehabilitation of Structural Measures

Changes to the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act are also included. This section focuses on providing federal funds for the rehabilitation of protection structures that are nearing the end of their operational life. Key points include:

• Local organizations can receive federal funding for construction costs amounting to:
• Up to 65% of total rehabilitation costs, with an upper limit of 100% of actual construction costs.
• If the project serves a limited resource area, the federal contribution may increase to 90% of total costs.
• Local organizations are responsible for the costs related to obtaining water, mineral, and other resource rights as well as necessary permits.

Regional Conservation Partnership Program

The bill modifies the goals of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program to focus on resource concerns at a larger scale, particularly for watersheds. The specific areas of focus include:

• Conservation, protection, restoration, and sustainable use of soil.
• Conservation and protection of water resources, including drinking water supplies and groundwater.
• Prevention and mitigation of flooding and drought effects, as well as enhancement of flood resilience.
• Conservation of wildlife, agricultural lands, and associated natural resources.

Funding and Support

The bill outlines provisions for funding that would support the various initiatives related to the enhancement of flood protection and infrastructure. It ensures that local organizations receive significant support for rehabilitation projects, especially in areas with limited resources.

Implementation Authority

Authority for implementing these changes will remain with the Secretary of Agriculture, who will be responsible for making determinations regarding the best approaches to watershed restoration and resilience initiatives.

Overall Goals

Essentially, the Flood Protection and Infrastructure Resilience Act seeks to provide clearer pathways for investing in flood resilience, improving watershed health, and ensuring that communities are better protected against the impacts of flooding and drought. By changing the way federal funds are allocated for infrastructure projects, the bill aims to bolster community preparedness and adaptability to environmental challenges.

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