Measuring the Cost of Disasters Act of 2025
The Measuring the Cost of Disasters Act of 2025 would require NOAA’s Administrator to create and maintain a publicly accessible database and webpage detailing every billion-dollar disaster that occurs in the United States each year. The database must include each disaster’s estimated cost, type, location, dates, and any other relevant information, plus visual tools (graphs and maps) showing trends and distribution similar to the NOAA/NCEI “Billions” database that existed prior to May 2025. Updates are required at least biannually as new information becomes available. NOAA would use available data and may collaborate with federal and non-federal partners, including those who previously supported the 1980–2024 database. The bill also allows including non-billion-dollar disasters if appropriate, and it directs NOAA to maintain the older NCEI disaster database on the public site for archiving and research. A billion-dollar disaster is defined as a storm or severe weather event with $1 billion or more in combined direct and market costs as determined by NCEI.
Key Points
- 1Establishes a public, ongoing database and webpage managed by the NOAA Administrator to track every billion-dollar disaster each year, with specific data fields (cost, type, location, dates, etc.).
- 2Requires updates not less than biannually as new information becomes available.
- 3Requires built-in visual tools (graphs and mapping) showing trends over time and the geographic distribution of disaster types, mirroring NOAA/NCEI’s historical “Billions” visualization features.
- 4Allows NOAA to use its data and collaborate with federal and non-federal partners, including entities involved with the prior 1980–2024 database.
- 5Provides for possible inclusion of non-billion-dollar disasters if deemed appropriate and directs maintenance of the older NCEI database for archiving and research purposes.