1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act . 2. Authority to begin planning and construction of certain hazard mitigation projects (a) Definitions In this section, the following definitions apply: (1) Administrator The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2) Covered project The term covered project means— (A) an acquisition or relocation project for which an entity began implementation before a grant was awarded under a hazard mitigation assistance program; and (B) a project for which an entity initiated planning or construction before or after requesting assistance for the project under a hazard mitigation grant program qualifying for a categorical exemption under the National Environmental Policy Act. (3) Hazard mitigation assistance program The term hazard mitigation assistance program means— (A) the predisaster hazard mitigation grant program authorized under section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5133 ); (B) the hazard mitigation grant program authorized under section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170c ); and (C) the flood mitigation assistance program authorized under section 1366 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 4104c ). (b) Eligibility for assistance for initiated projects (1) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an entity seeking hazard mitigation assistance under a hazard mitigation assistance program shall be eligible to receive such assistance for a covered project if the entity— (A) complies with all other eligibility requirements of the hazard mitigation assistance program for acquisition or relocation projects, including extinguishing all incompatible encumbrances