The DAMS Act (Dam Assessment and Mitigation Support Act) is a House bill introduced on September 16, 2025, to amend the National Dam Safety Program Act. Its main purposes are to reauthorize and extend federal assistance to states for dam safety programs, standardize how high-hazard dams are prioritized for rehabilitation, and adjust the program’s funding timeline. Specifically, the bill removes a provision in current law, requires any state without its own risk-based priority system to use the federal risk-based system for identifying high-hazard dams, and extends the authorization of appropriations from 2026 to 2031. Overall, the bill aims to strengthen dam safety oversight and ensure continued federal support for state dam safety activities.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The act may be cited as the “Dam Assessment and Mitigation Support Act” or the “DAMS Act.”
- 2Repeal of a provision: Amends Section 8(e) by striking paragraph (4), removing that specific requirement from the National Dam Safety Program Act.
- 3Priority system for high-hazard dams: Adds a default rule that if a state is not using its own risk-based priority system, it must use the federal risk-based priority system developed by the federal program to identify high-hazard potential dams for rehabilitation.
- 4Funding authorization extended: Extends the authorization of appropriations for the program (Section 8A(j)(4)) from 2026 to 2031, meaning federal funding for state dam safety programs would be available through 2031.
- 5Reauthorization of state assistance: The act is designed to reauthorize and expand assistance to states under the National Dam Safety Program Act.