Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) today joined Senator Christopher S. Bond (R-MO) in introducing legislation to reauthorize the National Dam Safety Program Act.

The National Dam Safety Program, established in 1996 and managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provides grants to improve state dam safety programs through training, technical assistance, inspection, and research.

"The costs of failing to maintain dams properly are extremely high. Such was the tragic situation when the Ka Loko Dam on the Island of Kauai suddenly collapsed in March. When a dam collapses, destruction is often swift and uncontrollable. In the case on Kauai, lives were lost, farms were destroyed, and homes were damaged. Thankfully, local, state, and federal officials quickly responded to the tragedy," said Akaka.

"However, it should be our goal to prevent the dam from failing in the first place, and that is what the National Dam Safety Program helps to do."

There have been at least 29 dam failures in the United States during the past two years, causing more than $200 million in property damages. Only 5 percent of the Nation's 78,000 dams are owned, operated, or regulated by the federal government. State governments are responsible for ensuring the safety of most dams. Unfortunately, many state programs are underfunded and understaffed. This legislation recognizes that the federal government plays a vital role in maintaining and repairing dams wherever they may be located.

The Dam Safety Act of 2006 will reauthorize the National Dam Safety Program, at a cost of approximately $12 million over 5 years, with funds allocated as follows:

$8 million per year split among the states, based on the relative number of dams per state, to make improvements in programs identified in the National Dam Safety Program Act;

$2 million per year in research funds to identify more effective techniques to assess, construct, and monitor dams;

$700,000 per year in training assistance to state engineers; and

$1 million for the National Inventory of Dams.