Daines Bill to Support Floodplain Ecosystem Restoration Passes U.S. Senate, One Step Closer to Becoming Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that his bill, the “Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act,” passed the U.S. Senate and now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill creates a new expedited pathway for ecosystem restoration projects that meet low-risk criteria, streamlining approval for important restoration work while still upholding flood safety standards. “ This is huge news for Montana. Critical ecosystem restoration projects across our state have been abandoned due to FEMA’s onerous and costly ‘No Rise’ rule. This commonsense, bipartisan bill will reduce unnecessary burdens on important conservation and restoration work, while continuing to keep our communities safe from flooding, and I’m glad to see it pass the Senate. Next step: the U.S. House!” said Daines. Read the bill text HERE. Background: Under current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) policy, any proposed development in a regulated floodway must prove that it will not increase the base flood elevation (BFE) of the area. This requirement is commonly referred to as the “No Rise” rule. While important for protecting communities from increased flood risks, it has had major unintended consequences on important environmental restoration in Montana and around the country. The “Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act” will create a new pathway only for ecosystem restoration projects that result in less than a one-foot increase in BFE and has no adverse impact to critical infrastructure. Read the release from when Daines introduced the bill HERE. ### Contact: Gabby Wiggins