June 25, 2025
Mr. Mullin (for himself and Mr. Garbarino) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
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.
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.