New FEMA and HUD Grants Support Resilience to Climate Change Impacts

Even if they don’t include the words “climate change,” federal agency funding notices are acknowledging the worrisome effects of a warmer planet. Post-disaster relief remains a priority (in June, Congress approved and the president signed a $19 billion disaster aid bill), but federal funding for pre-disaster mitigation (PDM) is increasing. The government is seeking to help grantees prepare for and mitigate the impact of flooding, hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural hazards that are becoming more severe and intense due to climate change.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) presented webinars and solicited public input this summer as it started developing the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program to implement Section 1234 of the 2018 Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA). Section 1234 authorizes a National Public Infrastructure Pre-Disaster Mitigation fund, which is to be funded through the Disaster Relief Fund as a six percent set aside from estimated disaster grant expenditures. The program has been called a game-changer for shifting more federal funding to preventing and mitigating loss and damage from extreme weather and other climate change impacts. EESI is urging FEMA to ensure that grants do not fund projects that will further contribute to GHG emissions and to fund those that prioritize nature-based solutions for hazard mitigation, including the restoration of natural infrastructure like wetlands, and built systems such as green roofs and rain gardens for stormwater management. FEMA received more than 5,000 comments from individuals and organizations via an online platform and continues to seek input on BRIC, which is expected to supersede the existing Pre-Disaster Mitigation program beginning in Fiscal Year 2020.

Meanwhile, as it develops the BRIC program, FEMA has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity for grants under the current PDM program: “In Fiscal Year 2019, $250 million is available to assist state, tribal, territorial and local governments in reducing overall risk to the population and structures from future hazard events, while also reducing reliance on federal funding from future disasters.” Applications are due at 3 pm EST on January 31, 2020.

On August 30, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published an allocation notice of $6.875 billion in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds to grantees recovering from disasters in 2015, 2016, and 2017. The notice states, “While it is impossible to eliminate all risks, CDBG-MIT funds will enable grantees to mitigate against disaster risks, while at the same time allowing grantees the opportunity to transform State and local planning.”

On September 10, HUD published CDBG-MIT requirements for the U.S. Virgin Islands. The notice allocates more than $744 million in mitigation funding and details specific guidelines for the Virgin Islands. A notice for Puerto Rico will come out separately.

 

Author: Ellen Vaughan