Senate Votes to Reauthorize Cantwell's National Landslide Preparedness Act

Bill improves live-saving emergency preparedness as climate change and more frequent weather events increase landslide risk nationwide; 73 landsides were reported in WA during last month's series of atmospheric rivers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last night the U.S. Senate passed legislation reauthorizing the National Landslide Preparedness Act. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Finance Committee, and Representative Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01) first introduced the bill that established these programs in November 2020, and it was signed into law in January 2021. After last night's Senate passage of the reauthorization, the legislation moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

"At least 73 landslides occurred in the aftermath of last month's atmospheric river flooding and storms in the Pacific Northwest," said Sen. Cantwell. "This bill will extend landslide preparedness programs including early warning systems, expand landslide hazard and risk mapping, and ensure coordination with NOAA's weather experts to deliver real time information that communities need to stay safe."

This legislation reauthorizes The National Landslide Preparedness Act of 2021, which:

1. Expanded existing early warning systems for post-wildfire landslides in recently burned areas across the United States. It also required procedures to be developed for federal monitoring of stormwater drainage in areas with a high risk of landslides, in coordination with state, local, and tribal governments.
2. Created a new federal program focused specifically on landslide hazards through the United States Geological Survey (USGS), to identify risks and hazards from landslides to protect at-risk communities and improve communication and emergency preparedness.
3. Directed USGS, through its 3D Elevation Program, to develop new maps to help communities prepare for landslide risk, to increase data collection and landslide threat identification across the country.
4. Authorized new landslide-related grant programs to provide funding to state, territorial, local, and tribal governments for landslide research, mapping, assessment, and data collection.

Landslides kill 25 to 50 people and cause billions of dollars in damages in the U.S. annually, according to USGS. The National Research Council previously estimated that landslides cause between $1.6 billion and $3.2 billion in damage per year. The national strategy prepared by USGS as directed by the National Landslide Preparedness Act of 2021 identified the need to develop better economic loss estimates for landslide damage.

In addition, these statistics are expected to worsen because of climate change. Moreover, according to USGS, the largest landslide in Earth's recorded history took place in Washington state, when Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980.

During last month's series of atmospheric rivers, the Washington Geological Survey reported 73 landslides associated with the weather events.

Sen. Cantwell authored $3.3 billion in NOAA investments in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to help communities prepare for and adapt to climate change, boost science needed to understand changing weather and climate patterns, and invest in advanced computer technologies that are critical for extreme weather prediction and emergency response. In May 2022, Sen. Cantwell introduced the Fire Ready Nation Act to establish a fire weather services program within NOAA. In December 2023, Sen. Cantwell passed two bipartisan bills out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to modernize the nation's weather communication and radio service to keep communities better informed during intense weather events.

Sen. Cantwell has been outspoken about the importance of weather preparedness and how cuts to the NOAA and the National Weather Service put Americans at risk. In a July 2025 to President Trump, she unveiled a five-point plan to bolster the United States' weather readiness.

###