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A 20-state coalition sued the Trump administration on Wednesday to decide to close a multi-billion-dollar grant program that aims to strengthen infrastructure before natural disasters hit.
The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Boston, and held that the Federal Emergency Administration (FEMA) illegally eliminated its Building Resilience Infrastructure and Community (BRIC) program earlier this year and held the power of Congress.
The states said the impact of the closure was “destructive.”
“Communities across the country are forced to delay, reduce or cancel hundreds of mitigation projects, depending on the funding,” the complaint said.
“Projects that have been developing for years, and communities have invested millions of dollars in programs, licensing and environmental reviews are under threat,” it continues. “At the same time, Americans across the country are at a higher risk of harm caused by natural disasters.”
Before the turn of the century, Congress and FEMA began implementing mitigation measures as a strategy for natural disasters rather than responding to the crisis.
The complaint said the plan was created as an iteration of past plans that together with other federal mitigation grants avoided over $150 billion in fees. Over the past four years, FEMA has selected nearly 2,000 projects from “every corner of the country” to receive approximately $4.5 billion in funding.
In April, the Trump administration shut down the plan, calling it “waste” and “politicization.” Shan asked for comment to FEMA.
“Not only can the state not continue with many planned projects, but it also risked the risk of wasting a lot of time, energy and money they have invested in these projects and undermined the trust they have built with their local community and industry partners, which will make it more difficult to engage in such projects in the future,” the lawsuit said. ”
Early in President Trump’s second term, he showed that major major overhauls will be underway at the FEMA, which could lead to its elimination. However, after the deadly floods in Texas, his administration changed its voice to reform the institution rather than completely displace it.
The lawsuit noted that Congress has not authorized the termination of the BRICS Program and has not greatly reduced the FEMA’s mitigation “functions and capabilities.”
“In fact, Congress has specifically banned it,” the complaint read. “So several blocks terminate the separation of violations of these regulations and powers.”