Twenty Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit against FEMA, challenging the termination of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The lawsuit asserts that the Trump administration acted illegally by shutting down the program, which is vital for disaster preparedness and response. This program has funded numerous infrastructure projects aimed at reducing damage from natural disasters. Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell emphasized the importance of federal resources in helping communities protect residents and save lives.
The lawsuit contends President Donald Trump's administration acted illegally when it announced in April that it was ending the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program.
By abruptly and unlawfully shutting down the BRIC program, this administration is abandoning states and local communities that rely on federal funding to protect their residents and, in the event of disaster, save lives.
The program, established by a 2000 law, provides grants for a variety of disaster mitigation efforts, including levees to protect against floods, safe rooms to provide shelter from tornadoes, vegetation management to reduce damage from fires and seismic retrofitting.
That law requires FEMA to make available at least $200 million annually for disaster mitigation grants for the 2022-2026 fiscal years, the lawsuit says.
Collection
[
|
...
]