H.R. 900 · Passed House · Emergency Management

Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2025

Sponsor: Darren Soto (D-FL)

What it does

• Directs the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a program studying the short-term and long-term mechanisms that cause sinkholes.
• Covers causes such as extreme storms, prolonged droughts that shift water management practices, aquifer depletion, and other major changes in water use.
• Requires maps, built from three-dimensional elevation data, showing zones at greater risk of sinkholes.
• Requires a public USGS website displaying the maps and other information for community planners and emergency managers.

Official summary

Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2025 This bill directs the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a program to study the short-term and long-term mechanisms that cause sinkholes, including extreme storm events, prolonged droughts causing shifts in water management practices, aquifer depletion, and other major changes in water use; and develop maps, using three-dimensional elevation data, that depict zones that are at greater risk of forming sinkholes. The USGS must establish a public website that displays such maps and other relevant information critical for use by community planners and emergency managers.

Latest action

Sep 16, 2026: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources