20 states, including Pennsylvania, are suing the Trump administration over the termination of FEMA disaster funding. Here are the details.
Pennsylvania has recently joined a coalition of 20 states in a legal challenge against the Trump administration’s decision to terminate a long-standing Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding program dedicated to natural disaster preparedness. The coalition, which includes 19 Democratic attorneys general and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, aims to reinstate what they characterize as critical funding for disaster mitigation projects.
Announced on Wednesday, the lawsuit claims that the cessation of these bipartisan grants is illegal. The states involved argue that FEMA’s financial support has been essential in preparing communities for potential natural disasters, ultimately saving taxpayers significant amounts that would otherwise be devoted to post-disaster recovery efforts. The filing states that the impact of halting this funding has been severe, insisting that it has forced numerous communities to delay or cancel vital mitigation projects. As a result, they assert that the risk to American lives and properties from natural disasters has significantly increased.
The legal proceedings emerge in light of FEMA’s recent termination of its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which had been previously approved by Congress. Critics argue that this action was taken without congressional approval and allege it undermines the infrastructure necessary to deal with severe weather events. The plaintiff states cite historical data to support their contention that pre-disaster funding effectively mitigates future costs. They assert that FEMA’s initiatives have successfully saved taxpayers an estimated 0 billion by reducing the financial burden associated with the aftermath of natural disasters.
Key states participating in the lawsuit include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The lawsuit follows the administration’s abrupt announcement in April regarding the discontinuation of the BRIC program, which had supported nearly 2,000 projects nationwide with approximately .5 billion in funding over the past four years. Governor Shapiro expressed that Pennsylvania alone stands to lose over 0 million designated for 47 projects aimed at enhancing disaster preparedness. He emphasized the detrimental effect this funding cut will have on communities already vulnerable to natural disasters such as flooding and landslides.
FEMA and officials from the Department of Homeland Security have refrained from commenting on the ongoing lawsuit. Previous assertions from the agency labeled the BRIC program as ineffective; however, they did not provide evidence to substantiate these claims. This lawsuit against FEMA is part of a broader pattern of legal actions taken by Pennsylvania against the Trump administration regarding various issues, including immigration enforcement and funding for health and educational programs.
As the landscape surrounding natural disaster preparedness continues to evolve, the ramifications of this legal challenge could have a lasting impact on how states manage and fund their disaster resilience initiatives moving forward.
