Federal lawmakers have introduced the bipartisan Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act to reduce regulatory barriers that slow or prevent ecosystem restoration in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-mapped floodplains. The legislation … aims to streamline approvals for low-risk floodplain restoration projects by reducing costly permitting fees, shortening review timelines, and allowing certified engineers to verify that projects will not harm infrastructure. Trout Unlimited and other environmental organizations across the country … strongly support the bill, emphasizing that reconnecting rivers with their natural floodplains reduces flood risks, improves water quality, enhances wildlife habitat, and lowers long-term community costs. 

Other floodplain and wetland restoration news:

• Yellowstone Public Radio: New bill would boost ecosystem restoration
• The New York Times: Utah tries relocating beavers to save them, and remake the landscape
• KTLA (Los Angeles): Orange County clears Santa Ana River Marsh encampment under new ordinance
• Audubon California: Blog: BirdReturns 2025 – a remarkable year delivering crucial habitat for birds
• University of Nevada, Reno: Blog: Ask the professor — why are meadows important to the climate?