,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dcg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #ae1 #bjbe,mr4 ,kennedy of ,new ,york introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act to expand assistance related to winter storms1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,support ,neighborhoods ,offset ,winter ,damage ,act of #bjbe or the ,,snow ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,winter storms 7a7 ,use of assistance for winter storms ,section #djd of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj;c7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7h7 ,use of assistance for winter storms ,recipients of hazard mitigation assistance provided under this section and section #bjc may use the assistance to conduct activities to help reduce the risk of future damage1 hardship1 loss1 or suffering in any area affected by a winter storm1 including acquiring equipment to remove snow4 7i7 ,winter storm defined ,in this section1 the term winter storm means a combination of heavy snow1 blowing snow1 or dangerous wind chills1 as determined by the ,administrator4 4 7b7 ,waiver of snowfall methodology and damages requirement ,the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency shall1 by rule1 establish a process to waive the methodology related to the amount of snowfall required to declare a winter storm eligible for a major disaster declaration and to waive the statewide total damages required for such eligibility1 if at least #b of the following conditions are met for a response zone or region affected by a winter storm3 7#a7 ,a ,state emergency management agency determines in writing that the damages of such winter storm exceed the damages required for such ,state to issue a disaster declaration for such a response zone or region4 7#b7 ,the ,national ,weather ,service determines that1 during such winter storm1 such a response zone or region has experienced-- 7,a7 wind speeds that are greater than #eh miles per hour and a wind chill below #j degrees ,fahrenheit2 or 7,b7 lake-effect snow and conditions for more than #bd hours4 7#c7 ,the ,bureau of the ,census determines that such a response zone or region-- 7,a7 represents a population for which the real median household income is below the real median household income in the ,united ,states2 or 7,b7 is an area that is not an urban area4 7c7 ,regulations related to winter storms 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency shall issue such regulations1 as may be necessary or appropriate1 as follows3 7,a7 ,to provide assistance for winter storms authorized under sections #djb1 #djc1 #djf1 #djg1 #dah1 #dai1 #dba7;d71 #ejb1 and #ejc of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj;a1 #eagj;b1 #eagb1 #eagc1 #eahe1 #eahf1 #eahh7;d71 #eaib1 #eaic7 related to the following3 7i7 ,debris removal4 7ii7 ,roads and bridges4 7iii7 ,water control facilities4 7iv7 ,public buildings and contents4 7v7 ,public utilities4 7vi7 ,parks1 recreational1 and other facilities4 7,b7 ,to provide assistance for winter storms authorized under sections #djh and #ejc of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagd1 #eaic7 when the ,state emergency management agency determines that the magnitude or estimated threat of an incident in a response zone or region exceeds the capacity of the ,state or local government 7as such term is defined in section #ajb of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eabb77 with jurisdiction over such response zone or region to respond or recover4 7d7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,response zone or region ,the term response zone or region means an area that a ,state emergency management agency has listed as a response zone or region for the purpose of determining any damages required for such ,state to issue a disaster declaration4 7#b7 ,winter storm ,the term winter storm has the meaning given in section #djd7;i7 of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj;c7i771 as added by subsection 7a7 of this section4 #c4 ,federal cost share ,the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 in section #djc-- 7,a7 by amending subsection 7b7 to read as follows3 7b7 ,federal share 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,federal share of assistance under this section shall be not less than #ge percent of the eligible cost of such assistance4 7#b7 ,rural or disadvantaged areas ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#a71 the ,federal share of assistance under this section shall be not less than #ij percent of the eligible cost of such assistance in a rural or disadvantaged area4 2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7e7 ,rural or disadvantaged area defined ,in this section1 the term rural or disadvantaged area means an area that the ,bureau of the ,census has determined-- 7#a7 represents a population for which the real median household income is below the real median household income in the ,united ,states2 or 7#b7 is not an urban area4 2 7#b7 in section #djd-- 7,a7 by striking 7a7 ,in ,general4--,the ,president and inserting the following3 7a7 ,federal share 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,president 2 and 7,b7 in subsection 7a71 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,disadvantaged urban communities ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#a71 the ,president may contribute up to #ij percent of the cost of hazard mitigation measures which the ,president has determined are cost effective and which substantially reduce the risk of1 or increase resilience to1 future damage1 hardship1 loss1 or suffering in a rural or disadvantaged area 7as such term is defined in section #djc7 affected by a major disaster1 or by a fire for which assistance was provided under section #dbj4 ,such measures shall be identified following the evaluation of natural hazards under section #cbb and shall be subject to approval by the ,president4 ,subject to section #cbb1 the total of contributions under this section for a major disaster or event under section #dbj shall not exceed #ae percent for amounts not more than #b1jjj1jjj1jjj1 #aj percent for amounts of more than #b1jjj1jjj1jjj and not more than #aj1jjj1jjj1jjj1 and #g4e percent on amounts of more than #aj1jjj1jjj1jjj and not more than #ce1ccc1jjj1jjj of the estimated aggregate amount of grants to be made 7less any associated administrative costs7 under this ,act with respect to the major disaster or event under section #dbj4 2 7#c7 by amending section #djg7;d7 to read as follows3 7d7 ,federal share 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,federal share of assistance under this section shall be not less than #ge percent of the eligible cost of debris and wreckage removal carried out under this section4 7#b7 ,rural or disadvantaged areas ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#a71 the ,federal share of assistance under this section shall be not less than #ij percent of the eligible cost of debris and wreckage removal carried out under this section in a rural or disadvantaged area 7as such term is defined in section #djc74 2 and 7#d7 by amending section #ejc7;a7 to read as follows3 7a7 ,federal share 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,federal share for assistance provided under this title shall be equal to not less than #ge percent of the eligible costs4 7#b7 ,rural or disadvantaged areas ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#a71 the ,federal share of assistance under this title shall be not less than #ij percent of the eligible costs in a rural or disadvantaged area 7as such term is defined in section #djc74 4