Strengthening hazard risk reduction

(a) Improved hazard mitigation delivery (1) In general Section 404(c)(2) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c(c)(2)) is amended— (A) by striking The President and all that follows through as a pilot program.; and (B) by striking The criteria shall inserting The President shall establish criteria for the approval of applications submitted under paragraph (1) that. (2) Project consolidation Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c) is amended by adding at the end the following: (h) Mitigation project consolidations (1) Eligible activities Notwithstanding section 312 and any regulations implementing such section, assistance provided under this section for a mitigation project may be used in combination with— (A) assistance provided under section 203; and (B) any other Federal assistance provided for such project. (2) Federal and non-Federal share For purposes of the Federal share requirements of a mitigation project under this section— (A) any Federal assistance provided under section 203 for such project shall be applied toward the Federal share required under this section; and (B) any non-Federal funds for such mitigation project that are specified to meet the Federal share requirements of section 203 may be used to meet the non-Federal share requirements under this section. (3) Total Federal share Federal assistance provided for a mitigation project under this section and section 203 may not exceed the total Federal share for such project. (4) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall— (A) affect the cost-share requirement of a hazard mitigation measure under this section; (B) affect the eligibility criteria for a hazard mitigation measure under this section or section 203; or (C) affect the cost share requirements of a federally authorized hazard mitigation project.. (b) Prepayment relief for hazard mitigation Section 404(e) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c(e)) is amended to read as follows: (e) Advance assistance (1) In general The President may provide the total Federal share of the estimated cost of hazard mitigation measures to a State grantee eligible for a grant under this section before eligible costs are incurred. (2) Home retrofits The Administrator shall offer to advance assistance to applicants from such Federal share for purposes of home retrofits to improve resilience, including home elevations, totaling the total amount of the estimated Federal share of such project before eligible costs are incurred.. (c) Applicability The amendments made by this section shall apply to a major disaster or emergency declared under such Act before the date of enactment of this Act for which the period for processing requests for assistance has not ended as of the date of enactment of this Act.