Trump Cancels FEMA BRIC Aid for Massachusetts

The Trump administration has canceled FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, resulting in the loss of $90 million in disaster prevention aid for 18 Massachusetts communities, a regional planning commission, and two state agencies. The funding was intended to support infrastructure upgrades and resilience projects in cities including Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Brockton, Taunton, and several smaller communities, as well as broader state-level preparedness efforts. State officials, led by Governor Maura Healey, have strongly condemned the decision, warning that it will undermine critical infrastructure upgrades and increase vulnerability to climate-related disasters like storms and flooding. FEMA defended the move by calling the BRIC program wasteful and politically motivated, asserting it was ineffective in aiding Americans affected by disasters. In response, Massachusetts leaders are considering legal action and have proposed increasing the Attorney General’s budget to support potential litigation. The state is seeking alternative ways to mitigate the impact of the lost federal funding.