145-1 U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Landslide Hazard Mapping and Assessment Grant Program and National Landslide Risk Reduction Working Group – Overview and Updates

Session: Dynamics of Natural and Built Environments (Posters)

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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landslide Hazards Program plays a vital role in facilitating landslide risk reduction by working with state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments through competitive grant opportunities and the coordination of a national landslide working group.

The National Landslide Hazard Risk Reduction (NLHRR) Working Group convened the first monthly meeting in January 2025, bringing together professionals from diverse sectors—including state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, academia, community organizations, and the private sector. This collaboration fosters multi-level exchanges of ideas and best practices. Monthly meetings serve as forums for interaction between researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers. Additionally, eight active Interest Groups, which are regionally or topically focused subgroups of the NLHRR, are led by volunteer co-leaders and consist of NLHRR members. These Interest Groups meet approximately quarterly to share best practices and discuss topics such as mapping and modeling, mitigation and preparedness, forecasting and warning, and more. Looking ahead, the NLHRR Working Group will continue its virtual meetings into the next year, and the Interest Groups will report on their 2025 activities and deliverables in early 2026.

The Cooperative Landslide Hazard Mapping and Assessment Grant Program facilitates risk reduction through competitive grants available to government entities. To date, the program has awarded a total of $2.1 million over its first two grant cycles—$1.1 million to 12 governments in 2025 and $1.0 million to nine governments in 2024. Eligible applicants can request financial assistance up to $250,000 for projects with performance periods of 12 or 24 months. Key topics for proposals include landslide hazards mapping and assessment, planning and coordination, and education and outreach. The USGS is preparing for a third grant cycle starting in October 2025 for projects commencing between May and September 2026. 

Both the grant and working group were initiated following the authorization of the 2021 National Landslide Preparedness Act (Public Law 116-323) and the subsequent publication of the National Strategy for Landslide Loss Reduction (USGS Open-File Report 2022–1075). This presentation will provide an overview of both the grant program and the working group, highlighting examples of funded projects and addressing general inquiries. Through these efforts, the USGS continues to provide opportunities to address challenges posed by landslide hazards by advancing scientific understanding and community preparedness for enhanced public safety.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-4548

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