§29-31-1. Short title; legislative findings; purpose.

(a) This article may be known and cited as the "Resiliency and Flood Protection Planning Act".

(b) The West Virginia Legislature finds that:

(1) Flooding has affected each of the 55 counties and 32 major watersheds within the state;

(2) Over the past 52 years, more than 282 West Virginians have died in floods;

(3) Between January 1996 and January 2017, there were 27 federal disaster declarations in West Virginia involving flooding;

(4) Between January 2010 and December 2021, West Virginia was impacted by more than 1,600 separate flood events;

(5) In June 2016, much of West Virginia suffered devastating flooding; and

(6) Despite the many state and federal flood protection programs and projects, flooding continues to be West Virginia’s most common and widespread natural disaster.

(c) It is the purpose of this article to:

(1) Provide a comprehensive and coordinated statewide resiliency and flood protection planning program to save lives, and develop community and economic resiliency plans including, but not limited to, reducing or mitigating flood damage while supporting economic growth and protecting the environment; and

(2) Provide for funding mechanisms to implement such state and community plans developed through the program.