1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Federal Do No Harm Act of 2017”.
Federal Do No Harm Act of 2017
A BILL
To direct the President to treat a harmful algal bloom caused by certain activities of the Federal Government as an emergency for purposes of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and for other purposes.
2. Emergency assistance for harmful algal blooms caused by Corps of Engineers water transfers
Treatment as emergency— Notwithstanding section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191), the President shall treat the impacts to State waterways and coastal estuaries of a harmful algal bloom conveyed downstream as a result of a water transfer carried out by the Corps of Engineers within such State as an emergency for purposes of title V of such Act.
Emergency assistance— The President, in consultation with the affected State, shall exercise any authority under section 502 or 503 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5192, 5193) that the President determines is necessary to address an emergency described in subsection (a), including exercising debris-removal authority under section 502(a)(5) of such Act to remove toxic algal biomass and muck.