article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Community Hazard Assessment and Mitigation Program Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds the following: (1) The earthquake and resulting tsunami of December 26, 2004, resulted in the deaths of over 230,000 people in Southeast Asia. (2) The geological fault line along which the December 26th tsunami occurred is mirrored by a fault line that runs along the whole of the west coast of the United States. (3) Scientists predict that there is a 10 to 15 percent chance of a major seismic event along this fault line, the Cascadia Subduction Zone, occurring in the next 50 years. (4) Such an event would probably include both a large-scale earthquake and a tsunami, causing incredible damage to both infrastructure and emergency response services. (5) Numerous false alarms in the past year have demonstrated that many coastal communities are not prepared if such a geological event takes place. SEC. 3. PURPOSE AND GOALS. (a) Purpose.--The purpose of the Community Hazard Assessment and Mitigation Program (CHAMP) is to award one-year grants directly to emergency management departments to build and maintain infrastructure to warn people of an approaching tsunami and to address post-tsunami needs. (b) Goals.--The primary goal of this Act is to provide assistance to meet the needs of emergency management departments regarding tsunami hazard preparedness, mitigation, and response. In part, the program seeks to support departments that lack the tools and resources necessary to protect the health and safety of the public and emergency response personnel with respect to a tsunami and its aftermath. In addition, any improvement in warning systems for the coastal communities will improve all hazard capabilities. SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) Grant Authorization.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Administration, may provide grants in accordance with this Act to certain areas to prepare for a tsunami. (b) Priority.--The Director shall give priority to areas in which the likelihood of a tsunami striking in the next 50 years is 10 percent or greater. (c) Competitive Awards.--In addition to the priority given pursuant to subsection (b), the Director shall award a grant under this Act to emergency management departments on a competitive basis considering financial need, benefit to the community and a demonstrated ability to cooperate with other providers of emergency services. SEC. 5. USE OF FUNDS. An emergency management department that receives a grant under this Act may use grant funds-- (1) to establish or improve warning systems, including the purchase of-- (A) sirens; (B) individual weather radios; (C) public safety agency communications gear; and (D) reverse 911 systems; (2) to purchase public safety agency rescue equipment; (3) to reinforce buildings and facilities in maintaining continuity of critical services, including-- (A) police stations; (B) fire stations; (C) emergency management facilities; (D) hospitals; (E) shelters; and (F) endangered sewer sanitation systems; (4) post-tsunami shelters and supplies; and (5) to develop outreach programs to educate both residents and tourists of different types of tsunami (near shore and far field) and how to react to each type. SEC. 6. MATCHING FUNDS. (a) Population of More Than 50,000.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this Act, an emergency management department serving an area with a population over 50,000 shall provide, with non-Federal funds, 20 percent of the total cost of a project established with a grant provided under this Act. (b) Population Between 20,001 and 50,000.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this Act, an emergency management department serving an area with a population between 20,001 and 50,000 shall provide, with non-Federal funds, 10 percent of the total cost of a project established with a grant provided under this Act. (c) Population Under 20,000.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this Act, an emergency management department serving an area with a population under 20,000 shall provide, with non-Federal funds, 5 percent of the total cost of a project established with a grant provided under this Act. (d) In-Kind Contributions.--In determining the non-Federal share of the total costs of a project, the Secretary shall consider in-kind contributions of an emergency management department, not to exceed 50 percent of the amount that the department contributes in non-Federal funds. SEC. 7. EVALUATION AND REPORT. (a) Evaluation.--Not later than 180 days after grants are awarded under this Act, the Director shall determine if emergency management departments that received a grant under this section meet the standards for certification by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as being tsunami ready and evaluate the effectiveness and tsunami readiness of programs established pursuant to this Act. (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the evaluation is completed under subsection (a), the Director shall report such findings to the appropriate Committees of Congress. SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS. (a) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Administration. (b) Emergency Management Department.--The term ``emergency management department'' means an agency or organization that is part of, or has a formally recognized arrangement with, a State, territory, local, or tribal authority (city, county, parish, fire district, township, town, or other governing body) and is responsible for planning, preparing, and providing for the prevention, mitigation, and management of emergencies or disasters that present a threat to the lives and property of the citizens and visitors of the community. (c) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico. SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2012 to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to carry out the activities of this Community hazard Assessment and Mitigation Program. (b) Reservation.--From the amount made available to carry out this Act, the Director may reserve 5 percent for administrative costs. (c) Availability.--Such funds shall remain available until expended.
summary: Community Hazard Assessment and Mitigation Program Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), to provide grants to certain areas to prepare for a tsunami. Requires the Director to: (1) give priority to areas in which the likelihood of a tsunami striking in the next 50 years is 10% or greater; and (2) award grants to state, territory, local, or tribal emergency management departments on a competitive basis considering financial need, benefit to the community, and a demonstrated ability to cooperate with other emergency services providers. Authorizes the use of grant funds to: (1) establish or improve warning systems; (2) purchase public safety agency rescue equipment; (3) reinforce buildings and facilities in maintaining continuity of critical services; (4) provide post-tsunami shelters and supplies; and (5) develop outreach programs to educate residents and tourists about different types of tsunamis and how to react to each type. Sets forth matching fund requirements, based on population. Requires the Director to: (1) determine if grant recipients meet National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) certification standards; and (2) evaluate the effectiveness and tsunami readiness of programs established pursuant to his Act.