Biden

Additional Funding from the President’s Investing in America Agenda Enables Major Program Expansion, with 23 States Selected for the First Time

WASHINGTON -- Today, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Senior Advisor to the President and White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu announced the project selections for nearly $3 billion in climate resilience funding as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics. The selections, through two competitive grant programs, will help communities across the nation enhance resilience to climate change and extreme weather events. Overall, the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides FEMA nearly $7 billion to help communities proactively reduce their vulnerability to flood, hurricanes, drought, wildfires, extreme heat and other climate-fueled hazards.

Today’s selections include $1.8 billion for critical resilience projects funded by the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) national competition and $642 million for Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) community-scale flood mitigation projects. These selections build on $160 million in BRIC and FMA selections that FEMA announced in May for efforts to support mitigation projects, project scoping and adoption of hazard-resistant building codes. Combined, the funds awarded this grant cycle of the BRIC and Flood Mitigation Assistance programs total nearly $3 billion, including management costs.

A key pillar of Bidenomics, President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has provided record funding to FEMA’s annual resilience grant programs, increasing them from $700 million when he took office to $3 billion this year. This increased funding allows FEMA to expand its geographic scope in funding selections and protect more of our nation’s communities that are most in harm’s way from the effects of climate change and extreme weather. Today’s selections include projects in 23 states that have never before received competitive BRIC funding.

“Our local and community partners are the first responders when extreme weather events unfold, and they are on the front lines of building our nation’s resilience to the impacts of climate change,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “By investing today in strengthening our critical infrastructure, particularly for the most marginalized and vulnerable communities, President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is going to keep Americans and their communities safer and more resilient.”

“From Hawaii to Maine, communities across the country are experiencing more frequent and intense severe weather events, resulting in devastating impacts to their homes, businesses and families. Though FEMA will always help communities respond to and recover from these disasters, it is also paramount to build resilience before disasters strike,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we can further our mission to help our state, local, territorial and tribal partners build a more resilient nation.”

“Millions of Americans in communities big and small feel the effects of climate change each year from drought, extreme heat, wildfires and floods,” said Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor to the President and White House Infrastructure Coordinator. “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda provides the largest investment in the resilience of physical and natural systems in American history. These projects will be a lifeline for many communities as we build a stronger, more resilient America.”

Today’s selections further underscore the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to equity and environmental justice, including by assisting the most disadvantaged communities in building resilience to climate change and extreme weather events. Aligning with the President’s Justice40 Initiative, these efforts will advance the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain covered federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment. In total, more than $1.2 billion — 71% — in BRIC national competition selections and approximately 53% of all BRIC and FMA selections — $1.6 billion — will benefit disadvantaged communities.

Both programs received applications representing an intense demand for climate resilience funding. State, local, tribal and territorial governments submitted record-breaking requests for funding totaling a combined $5.6 billion for these two grant programs.

For the BRIC national competition, FEMA selected 124 projects across 115 communities. The selections span all 10 FEMA regions, including 38 states, one tribe and the District of Columbia. These are critical mitigation projects and activities to reduce natural hazard risks for states, local communities, tribes and territories. Examples of funded projects include:

A total of 64 of the projects selected use nature-based solutions to achieve program objectives. In addition to funding for flood mitigation, wildfire and drought, this year’s selections also include the first BRIC funding for extreme heat.

Combined with May’s announcement of $136 million, FEMA has selected $2.2 billion worth in BRIC grants for this funding cycle.

Also announced in May, 46 local communities, tribes and territories will receive non-financial direct technical assistance to help build community-wide resilience through the BRIC program. Through process-oriented, hands-on support, this assistance enhances a community’s capacity to design holistic, equitable climate adaptation solutions that advance numerous community-driven objectives.

This assistance provides free support to help disadvantaged and underserved communities access Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs. More than 70 communities, territories and tribes nationwide have been selected to receive this hands-on support since the BRIC technical assistance program began three years ago, several of which received implementation funding as part of this year’s selections.

Learn more about selected projects on FEMA.gov.

For the Flood Mitigation Assistance program, FEMA selected 149 projects in National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)-participating communities in 28 states and the District of Columbia. This funding will go toward flood control and individual property mitigation projects such as elevation, acquisitions and mitigation reconstruction of repetitively flood-damaged buildings insured by NFIP.

Combined with May’s announcement of $24 million, FEMA has selected $711 million worth in Flood Mitigation Assistance grants for this funding cycle. Examples of funded projects include:

Approximately $212 million (33%) of this cycle’s Flood Mitigation Assistance project selections will go to disadvantaged communities. Examples of community-wide projects funded areas include:

Learn more about selected projects on FEMA.gov.