FEMA announced an update today to its plan to end the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program (BRIC) designed to help communities proactively reduce their disaster risks through hazard mitigation projects. We estimate that the loss of funding will total $3.6 billion.
It seems that fully obligated projects that have started construction can go forward (so, no literal half-built seawalls) but all other projects have been cut.
Some of the money is going to stay in the Disaster Relief Fund, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds are going to the Treasury.
While legal battles between states and FEMA over access to critical BRIC funds continue, many states have been forced to front the costs themselves, hoping to eventually be reimbursed. Although courts have consistently affirmed FEMA’s obligation to fund these projects, the latest advisory casts doubt on whether the agency will follow through.
Here are some examples of projects announced last year that no longer meet the criteria to be funded:
Florida
Florida’s BRIC awards focus on infrastructure hardening and erosion control to protect vital utilities and vulnerable communities. In Gainesville, $4 million was allocated to stabilize the rapidly eroding banks of Sweetwater Branch Creek, which threatens the city’s water reclamation facility. Union County received $5.5 million to strengthen Clay Electric’s grid by upgrading transmission loops and distribution systems, ensuring power continuity at critical sites like a regional medical center. These investments directly enhance storm resilience, reducing recovery costs and safeguarding public health infrastructure.
Georgia
In Georgia, DeKalb County was awarded $1.9 million for the Flood Resilient DeKalb: Critical Route Protection Program, which will replace undersized culverts across four neighborhoods. These upgrades will allow key roadways to remain passable during 100-year flood events, ensuring emergency vehicle access and community mobility during storms. The project is a direct response to vulnerabilities identified in the county’s stormwater master plan and aims to protect disadvantaged communities from climate-exacerbated flooding.
Kentucky
Kentucky’s $6.7 million grant will support the City of Falmouth in overhauling a deteriorating 5.1-mile radial transmission line that serves as the primary power source for 2,200 residents. With much of the infrastructure outdated and vulnerable to wind and storm damage, the project will replace 45 of 65 aging structures, install a temporary generator during construction, and fortify the system against long-term outages. This investment in Falmouth’s energy resilience marks a crucial step in protecting a Justice40 community from power disruptions during extreme weather.
Here’s an archived full list of the 2024 grants:
