Multiple States Sue FEMA Over Cancellation of $200B Disaster Mitigation Program

A coalition of states, led by several attorneys general and governors including those from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and California, have filed lawsuits against President Donald Trump's administration for the abrupt cancellation of FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. This pre-disaster mitigation program, established in 2018, provided billions in funding to prepare communities for natural disasters, helping to avoid over $150 billion in costs. Plaintiffs argue that the program's elimination, characterized by the Trump administration as wasteful, has forced communities to delay or cancel critical infrastructure projects that protect against wildfires, floods, and other extreme weather events. North Carolina's lawsuit highlights the loss of over $200 million in funding crucial for safeguarding water and sewer systems, while California emphasizes its reliance on BRIC grants to mitigate risks from a range of disasters, potentially losing over a billion dollars in future funding. Leaders from affected states assert that these cuts undermine public safety and contradict longstanding bipartisan federal efforts to invest in disaster preparedness. The lawsuits seek to restore these funds and compel FEMA to reinstate the program to protect communities nationwide.