Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15) and Rep. Andrew Garbarino (NY-02) introduced a bipartisan bill to help coastal communities across the country better prepare for the threats and flood risks they face due to groundwater rise.

In coastal regions across the United States, rising seas and extreme rainfall are causing groundwater levels to rise, creating problems for which few communities are prepared. Groundwater rise can worsen flooding, damage critical infrastructure, spread toxic chemicals, and harm freshwater supplies. Reports estimate that millions of people and trillions of dollars of property are at risk.  

On July 29, 2025, Rep. Mullin held a press conference along the San Francisco Bay to announce his bill and hear from stakeholders who are working to address the hazards associated with groundwater and sea-level rise. Learn more here.

The Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act would direct the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to:

• Map and forecast future groundwater rise through 2100
• Study the impacts to infrastructure such as roads, utilities, and sewers
• Assess the risks to public health, including the spread of underground pollutants or contamination of drinking water
• Develop and recommend mitigation strategies for communities to better address the impacts

Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15) speaks during a press conference along the San Francisco Bay.

“As we continue to witness the devastating and deadly impacts of flooding across America, we need to help communities understand their risks so they can better prepare. Too many lives, homes, businesses and critical infrastructure have been upended due to extreme flooding,” said Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15). “Rising groundwater is a hidden threat that can remain unseen until it’s too late. My Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act is essential to ensuring communities have data-driven resources to help protect people, property, and the infrastructure that so many rely upon.”

“Groundwater rise is a growing threat to coastal communities like Long Island, but most local plans and federal maps don’t even account for it. If we’re serious about protecting infrastructure, drinking water, and public health, we need better data and a clearer understanding of the risks,” said Rep. Andrew Garbarino (NY-02). The Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act is a practical step to help communities get ahead of the problem, and I’m proud to co-lead this bill to ensure our coastal infrastructure is ready for the challenges ahead.”

The bill is endorsed by American Coastal Coalition, American Planning Association, Association of State Floodplain Managers, National State Geographic Information Council, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), OneShoreline, Restore America’s Estuaries, San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR), Save the Bay, and Surfrider Foundation.

“Communities rely on data-driven insights from planners to make critical decisions. As coastal conditions change and groundwater levels increase, planners will need new resources to understand impacts and make communities stronger and more resilient. The American Planning Association is proud to endorse the Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act. This bill provides critical maps, models, and forecasts and ensures that local decision makers have the best information to protect people and critical infrastructure,” said Sue Schwartz, FAICP, President, American Planning Association.

“Along the Bay shoreline and Pacific Coast of San Mateo County, we know that rising groundwater already impacts private property and public infrastructure, and that these impacts will become more acute over time,” said Len Materman, CEO of the San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District, also known as OneShoreline. “What we don’t know is how great this impact will be on specific built and natural assets in specific locations. The Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act will enable us to have the detailed information necessary to build effective protection against this and other climate threats.”

“Saltwater intrusion sea level rise poses existential risks for coastal communities and their surrounding habitats. This legislation helps provide local governments and states with critical data that will help inform their future planning efforts to combat climate change,” said Dan Ginolfi, Executive Director of the American Coastal Coalition.

“Coastal communities, and their infrastructure, are being increasingly impacted by saltwater intrusion from rising seas and extreme weather events. Drinking water systems are compromised, roadways are deteriorating, and wastewater infrastructure is failing, leading to sewage spills and leaks polluting coastal waterways, posing danger to the public and threatening to upend coastal recreation based economies that rely on clean water,” said Emma Haydocy, Senior Manager with Surfrider Foundation. “The Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act will provide the best available information to coastal communities to better understand and plan for these risks in the future.”

“In the Bay Area, there are over 5,000 toxic sites at risk of sea level and groundwater rise,” said Sarah Atkinson, Hazard Resilience Senior Policy Manager at SPUR. “Rising water can cause contaminant mobilization into sewer systems and creeks. Community leaders are concerned about the resulting public health impacts and are demanding action—and this isn’t just a Bay Area problem. SPUR strongly supports The Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act – a vital step toward understanding groundwater rise and effective mitigation solutions. The Bay Area and the Country urgently need federal support to protect lives, homes, and infrastructure from this threat.

“Groundwater rise, one of the many impacts of climate change, is already being experienced nationally,” said Adelle Thomas, Senior Director for Climate Adaptation at NRDC. “This bill is a step forward in assessing the risks of groundwater rise for infrastructure, human health and agriculture, an essential step to ensuring the safety of communities across the nation.”

“Flooding from groundwater rise won’t just damage our communities in familiar ways; it will carry toxic contamination to places we never expected to find it,” said Allison Chan, Policy Director of Save the Bay. The vulnerability analysis proposed in this bill is a crucial first step, giving us the data and tools necessary to protect residents from the overwhelming number of toxic sites at risk from groundwater rise.”

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