politics
March 26, 2026
FEMA Resumes Disaster Mitigation Program Following Judge's Order on Lawsuit Brought by Democratic-Led States
The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday opened applications for a major resilience grant program that the agency canceled last year, less than three weeks after a federal judge ordered FEMA to make the funding available.
TL;DR
- FEMA has reopened applications for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program with $1 billion in funding.
- The program helps states, local governments, territories, and tribes prepare for natural hazards.
- FEMA had canceled the BRIC program last year, halting approximately $3.6 billion in funding.
- A federal judge ordered FEMA to reverse its decision and make the funding available after a lawsuit was filed by 22 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia.
- New rules for the resumed program shift more responsibility for disaster management to states and local governments.
- The program prioritizes new applicants and impoverished communities, and focuses on major infrastructure projects.
- Previous BRIC funding cuts disproportionately affected counties that supported Trump in the 2024 election and vulnerable communities in the Southeast.
- Preemptive investments in disaster readiness have been shown to yield significant savings.
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