National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
The National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S. 1626) would reauthorize and significantly update the National Landslide Hazards Reduction Program. It broadens definitions to align with flood-risk concepts (such as atmospheric rivers and extreme precipitation) and expands who participates in the program to include Native Hawaiian organizations, tribal organizations, institutions of higher education, and the private sector. The bill increases funding, requires the first national strategy to assess risks from atmospheric river events and extreme precipitation, and strengthens data, early-warning, and regional partnership activities. It also expands interagency coordination (adding NASA), enhances the landslide hazards database, and broadens community preparedness efforts. Overall, the bill aims to modernize and scale up national landslide risk reduction, with a stronger emphasis on climate-driven extreme events and inclusive collaboration. Potential impact includes better identification and monitoring of landslide risks (especially in data-poor or changing hydrologic contexts), more widespread use of early-warning systems, and closer collaboration among federal agencies, universities, Native Hawaiian and Tribal organizations, and local decisionmakers. The changes would require additional or redirected funding, improved data sharing, and expanded program governance to support these broader activities.
Key Points
- 1Reauthorization and funding changes: Authorizes continued operation of the National Landslide Hazards Reduction Program through 2030, increases funding to about $35 million (with at least $10 million for landslide early warning systems), and updates appropriations language accordingly.
- 2Expanded definitions and risk focus: Adds definitions for atmospheric river, atmospheric river flooding events, and extreme precipitation, tying landslide risk planning to these flood-related phenomena and their potential to raise landslide hazards.
- 3Broadened participation and governance: Explicitly includes Native Hawaiian organizations, Tribal organizations, institutions of higher education, and the private sector in program activities; adds NASA to the interagency coordinating committee; and updates advisory committees to reflect broader stakeholder engagement.
- 4Programmatic enhancements: Changes the program’s aim from merely “protect” to “contribute to protecting” communities; requires the national strategy to assess atmospheric river and extreme precipitation risks; enlarges the national landslide hazards database to identify priority assessment areas including data-poor regions and areas affected by hydrologic changes, geologic activity, or other risk factors.
- 5Regional partnerships and 3D data emphasis: Establishes regional partnerships (starting with Alaska) with eligible partners like higher education institutions to coordinate regional landslide research and monitoring; expands the 3D Elevation Program and related interagency coordination, including derivative data and the 3D Hydrography Program Working Group.