Rural Disaster Recovery Act of 2016

Rural Disaster Recovery Act of 2016

This bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President, if a state has in effect an individual assistance program that meets specified criteria, to increase to 100%, with respect to a major disaster, the federal share of financial assistance provided to individuals and households in that state to address needs other than housing.

To receive such increased federal share, the state must develop and implement such a program that authorizes the state to provide financial assistance and necessary direct services to individuals who, as a direct result of a major disaster or an event that does not trigger a major disaster declaration, have necessary expenses and serious needs they are unable to meet otherwise. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shall publish minimum eligibility criteria for such a program.

The bill amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to: (1) authorize appropriations for emergency food and shelter grants, and for disaster supplemental food and shelter grants, for FY2017; and (2) require FEMA to award a grant for the full amount that Congress makes available for the Federal Emergency Management Food and Shelter Program to the Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board for the purpose of providing disaster supplemental food and shelter grants to needy individuals through private nonprofit organizations and local governments. Eligibility requirements for such grants are specified.

The Farm Service Agency shall: (1) amend the regulations promulgated pursuant to the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 relating to the emergency conservation program to limit the maximum amount of payments made per person or legal entity per natural disaster for carrying out wind erosion control or rehabilitation measures or for carrying out water conservation or water enhancing measures to $500,000, and (2) initiate a rule making to amend the regulations promulgated to carry out the emergency conservation program to account for the challenges posed by the increase in frequency and intensity of wildland fires.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service shall establish a two-year pilot program for the administration of the emergency watershed protection program in jurisdictions within areas for which the President declared a major disaster to extend deadlines, as specified, for submitting applications and the provision of amounts under the program.

The President may provide hazard mitigation assistance in any area in which fire management assistance is provided.