Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2025

Floor Speech

I am excited to see Representative Darren Soto's Sinkhole Mapping Act on the floor today. This bipartisan legislation will direct the U.S. Geological Survey to study both the short- and long-term causes of sinkholes, including extreme weather events, droughts, and groundwater depletion.

Right now, there is no national, comprehensive mapping to track and predict sinkholes, leaving communities across the country more vulnerable to sudden and serious damage. Sinkholes can open without warning and wreak havoc on our infrastructure, damaging roads, bridges, buildings, and utilities and putting people's lives and livelihoods at risk.

We have seen this firsthand on the Oregon coast at Cape Kiwanda, where ocean wave erosion has carved into the sandstone. In 2023, two sinkholes appeared there measuring up to 25-feet wide and 30-feet deep each.

Thankfully, State and local officials acted quickly, identified the problem, and put safety precautions in place to protect the public.

With effective sinkhole mapping, we can do even more. We can identify at-risk areas before disaster strikes and take preventive action, like ground stabilization, to protect lives and reduce the cost of damage.

This bill is a commonsense, forward-looking investment in our communities and infrastructure, especially as climate change increases the risk of sinkholes across the country.

I thank my colleagues, Representatives Soto and Bilirakis, for introducing this bill and their leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 900, and I reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source