September 3rd, 2023 at 07:50 am
Biden Haris Administration Declares $3 Billion Projects (DHS, FEMA, DMA)
The Biden-Harris Administration has announced the selection of over three billion dollars worth of projects to assist localities in becoming more resilient to climate change and severe weather. As part of President Biden’s investing in America program, a crucial component of bidenomics, White House infrastructure coordinator Mitch Landrew revealed the Project’s selections for over three billion dollars in climate resilience funding.
To assist communities in proactively lowering their vulnerability to flood, hurricane, drought, wildfire, severe heat, and other climate-fueled risks, the president’s bipartisan infrastructure law allocates roughly 7 billion dollars to FEMA.
These selections include 642 million dollars for Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Community Skill Flood Mitigation Projects and 1.8 billion dollars for important resilience projects supported by the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) nationwide competition.
These choices add to the 160 million dollars in BRIC and FMA choices that FEMA announced in May to support mitigation project scoping and the adoption of hazard-resisted building regulations. The entire amount of money allocated for grants under the BRIC and FMA programs this cycle is close to $3 billion, including management costs.
Bidenomics
President Biden’s investing in America plan, a cornerstone of bidenomics, has increased funding for FEMA’s yearly resilience award programs by a record amount, from 700 million dollars when he took office to 3 billion this year. Due to the enhanced funds, FEMA is now able to protect more of the most vulnerable areas across the country. From the effects of climate change and extreme weather, in Danger
Projects from 23 states that have never before qualified for competitive BRIC funding are among the current selections. According to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorka, local and community partners serve as first responders during severe weather events and are crucial in enhancing the country’s resilience to climate change’s effects.
President Biden’s investing in America strategy will keep Americans and their communities safer and more resilient by making investments today and upgrading the crucial infrastructure, especially for the most marginalized.
Severe Weather Conditions
More often occurring and more severe extreme weather events are having a disastrous effect on homes, businesses, and families across the nation. While FEMA will always support communities in responding to and recovering from severe disasters, it is crucial to foster resilience before disaster strikes.
We can further our mission to assist our state, local, territorial, and tribal Partners in creating a more resilient Nation because of President Biden’s investing in America plan. According to Mitch Landrew, senior assistant to the president and coordinator of the White House infrastructure, millions of Americans in both large and small communities experience the effects of climate change each year in the form of drought, high heat, wildfires, and floods.
The largest investment in the history of America has been made in the resilience of physical and ecological systems through President Biden’s Investing in America initiative. As we work to make America stronger and more resilient, these initiatives will act as a lifeline for several communities. By aiding the most disadvantaged areas in constructing resilience to climate change and harsh weather events, the current selections further highlighted the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to equity and environmental justice.
President’s Justice-40 Initiative
These initiatives will further the president’s justice-40 initiative’s objective of having marginalized, overburdened by pollution, underinvested, and disadvantaged areas receive 40% of the overall benefits of certain covered Federal Investments. More than 1.2 billion dollars (71% of the 1.6 billion dollars in BRIC and FMA picks) and almost 53% of all selections will go to disadvantaged communities.
Applications for both programs were received, showing a desire for funding for climate resilience. For these two Grant programs, state, municipal, tribal, and territory governments submitted historically high grant requests totaling 5.6 billion dollars.
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities
FEMA chose 124 projects in 115 areas for the BRIC national competition. The choices included 38 States, 1 Tribe, and the District of Columbia in all 10 FEMA areas. These are essential natural hazard risk reduction projects and actions for States, local communities, tribes, and territories.
Current Funded Projects
Here are the funded projects include;
- Foremost, establishing three essential electrical hubs in Ko’olapoko, Hawaii, to maintain electricity during extreme weather and protracted outages, upgrading pipes in the Central Utah Water Conservancy District to withstand seismic activity
- Also, enhancing safety and safeguarding the water supply by installing crucial infrastructure enhancements at the Hobart Creek Reservoir Dam in Nevada. Through this work, the risk of a catastrophic breach during earthquakes or significant precipitation events will be reduced.
- Moreover, improving Greenville, North Carolina’s storm drainage system to lower the risk of flooding for 90 households
- Besides that, by planting 10,500 trees over three years, Portland, Oregon, will experience less intense heat, which will lessen the effects of heat islands.
- Furthermore, sponsoring a new water pump station in Philadelphia to reduce flood risk and enhance water quality and quality of life throughout the city, supporting a comprehensive Wildfire mitigation program in Napa County, California, to give long-term term wildfire protection.
The improvement should reduce the likelihood that residents and important facilities would experience power disruptions.
64 of the projects chosen make use of natural approaches to fund flood prevention, wildfire suppression, and drought relief. Additionally, the first BRIC funding for high heat is among this year’s selections. FEMA has chosen BRIC awards totaling 2.1 billion dollars for this funding cycle, including May’s announcement of 136 million dollars.
Flood Mitigation Assistance
FEMA chose 149 projects from towns taking part in the National Flood Insurance Program in 28 states and the District of Columbia for the flood mitigation assistance program. These funds will be used for individual property mitigation and flood control initiatives such as building elevation, acquisition, and rehabilitation of structures repeatedly damaged by flooding and covered by the National Flood Insurance Program.
- FEMA has chosen 711 million dollars’ worth of funds for flood mitigation assistance for this fiscal cycle including the 24 million dollars announced in May.
- Elevating 84 structures in East Baton Rouge Parish two feet above the Base Flood
- Elevation to create a public green area for the neighborhood of Louisiana
- To remove ongoing flood dangers to property and turn them into green space, we are acquiring and demolishing repeatedly flooded structures in Machesney Park, Illinois.
- Improving a Harris County stormwater infrastructure system Texas is using piers and concrete footings to raise 19 single-family residences in the Florida Keys at least three feet above the base flood elevation or at the height specified by the local floodplain legislation, whichever is higher.
Roughly 212,000,000 USD 33 of the projects chosen for flood mitigation assistance in this cycle will benefit underprivileged areas.
- First, creating a flood control facility in Apache Junction, Arizona
- Also, modifying drainage to lower flood risk in Canton, Mississippi.
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