Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Legislation to Improve Landslide Preparedness and Safety

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Representatives Kim Schrier (WA-08), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), and Dan Newhouse (WA-04) introduced the National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that would take steps to enhance landslide preparedness and improve public safety.

Congresswoman Schrier's bill would reauthorize the National Landslide Preparedness Act, originally signed into law in 2021. The law directed the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a National Landslide Hazards Reduction Program. The program's objective is to identify and understand landslide hazards and risks, reduce losses from landslides, protect communities at risk of landslide hazards, and help improve communication and emergency preparedness.

Washington State has a history of landslides, most notably the 2014 State Route 530 Landslide. Moreover, as wildfires and storms continue to grow in strength and severity in Washington and throughout the West, burned areas are a growing, immense landslide threat. This legislation aims to work towards addressing this issue.

"Our communities felt the devastating impact of landslides firsthand when the SR 530 Landslide claimed 43 lives, making it the deadliest in U.S. history," said Congresswoman Schrier. "This bill will make crucial investments to further our understanding of landslides, improve our preparation for these natural disasters, and ultimately safeguard our communities."

Washington knows too well the devastating effects of landslides and communities across the country also see the severe impacts of natural disasters," said Congresswoman DelBene. We must provide safeguards to prevent future tragedies and mitigate risks when possible. This legislation will help ensure our communities are better prepared and able to employ the best science and technology to prevent, plan, and respond to natural disasters."

"Landslides are dangerous, damage our infrastructure, and can cut off access for emergency services. Southwest Washington experienced several landslides recently, including ones that impacted Interstate 5, Amtrak operations, and access to Mount St. Helens - and these disasters impact entire communities and take all hands on deck to overcome," said Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez. "This bipartisan legislation will help our communities stay prepared and identify landslide-prone areas before it's too late, which is an essential part of keeping folks safe."

"Washington state is no stranger to landslides and the devastation they bring," said Congressman Newhouse. "To better prepare for these natural disasters, we need the best science and technology that ensures our communities are able to prevent and respond when the time comes. This legislation is a step in the right direction towards saving lives and protecting our local communities from the unpredictable threats of landslides."

"It is absolutely critical to reauthorize the National Landslide Preparedness Act to continue the vital work that safeguard's our vulnerable communities from devastating and often lethal landslides. I know first-hand the monumental impacts our community was challenged with during the 2014 Oso landslide," said Darrington Mayor Dan Rankin. "In just over two minutes, we lost 43 of our family, friends, and neighbors. We lost our main highway for over six months. We lost the ability to communicate beyond the slide via phone or internet for more than 72 hours. Medical services were severely impacted, and prescription services and transactions were also not available. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the immediate impacts of this one event. I thank Representative Schrier for her efforts to reauthorize and fund this important program so that communities like Darrington have the data that we all need to make important decisions about land use in hazard areas, training for our emergency services, and redundancy in infrastructure so precious time is not lost in the time of need. We have made great strides to protect and inform our communities across the country but there is still work to be done especially in this time when climate born chaos seems to be an everyday occurrence."

The National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act would reauthorize the USGS to:

• Develop a national strategy for landslide hazards, risk reduction, and response.
• Develop a publicly accessible national landslide hazard and risk inventory database.
• Expand the early warning system for debris flow.
• Establish emergency response procedures for the rapid deployment of federal scientists, equipment, and services to areas impacted by a significant landslide event.
• Advance the accounting of subsidence and groundwater resources.
• Establish 3D elevation program and a corresponding committee.
• Establish regional partnerships in high landslide hazard regions.

The bill allows USGS to provide grants to research, map, assess, and collect data on landslide hazards, and the National Science Foundation may provide grants to eligible entities for landslide research.

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