42 U.S.C. § 15701

Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)

Section 15701 - Findings

The Congress finds the following:

(1) Hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes, and thunderstorms can cause significant loss of life, injury, destruction of property, and economic and social disruption. All States and regions are vulnerable to these hazards.

(2) The United States currently sustains several billion dollars in economic damages each year due to these windstorms. In recent decades, rapid development and population growth in high-risk areas has greatly increased overall vulnerability to windstorms.

(3) Improved windstorm impact reduction measures have the potential to reduce these losses through-

(A) cost-effective and affordable design and construction methods and practices;

(B) effective mitigation programs at the local, State, and national level;

(C) improved data collection and analysis and impact prediction methodologies;

(D) engineering research on improving new structures and retrofitting existing ones to better withstand windstorms, atmospheric-related research to better understand the behavior and impact of windstorms on the built environment, and subsequent application of those research results; and

(E) public education and outreach.

(4) There is an appropriate role for the Federal Government in supporting windstorm impact reduction. An effective Federal program in windstorm impact reduction will require interagency coordination, and input from individuals, academia, the private sector, and other interested non-Federal entities.

42 U.S.C. § 15701

Pub. L. 108-360, title II, §202, Oct. 25, 2004, 118 Stat. 1675.

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

SHORT TITLE OF 2015 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 114-52, §1, Sept. 30, 2015, 129 Stat. 496, provided that: "This Act [amending sections 15702 to 15704 and 15706 of this title] may be cited as the 'National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2015'."

SHORT TITLE Pub. L. 108-360, title II, §201, Oct. 25, 2004, 118 Stat. 1675, provided that: "This Act [probably should be 'this title', enacting this chapter and amending section 1885d of this title] may be cited as the 'National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004'."

Program

The term "Program" means the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program established by section 15703(a) of this title.

State

The term "State" means each of the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.

practices

The term "practices" means design, financing, permitting, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance, and other practices that contribute to achieving zero-net-energy buildings or facilities.

windstorm

The term "windstorm" means any storm with a damaging or destructive wind component, such as a hurricane, tropical storm, northeaster, tornado, or thunderstorm.