Oregon AG wins lawsuit blocking Trump administration from cutting billions in disaster preparedness funding

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration unlawfully attempted to terminate FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which provides billions of dollars for disaster preparedness. The lawsuit, led by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a coalition of 20 states, challenged a memo from a FEMA official directing the cancellation of fiscal 2024 funding. Judge Richard G. Stearns found that FEMA’s actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution, as the agency attempted to reduce mitigation responsibilities and reprogram funds without congressional authorization.

Over the past four years, the BRIC program has funded nearly 2,000 projects nationwide, totaling roughly $4.5 billion, supporting infrastructure like evacuation shelters and flood walls. Oregon alone received nearly $100 million in grants, including funds for projects in Clatsop County, Medford, and Grants Pass, aimed at preparing for events like the Cascadia subduction zone earthquake and improving water infrastructure.

The program was established after Hurricane Katrina, and a recent study indicates that every dollar spent on mitigation saves an average of $6 in post-disaster costs. Representative Suzanne Bonamici highlighted that Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria also benefited from the funding for a tsunami evacuation structure.

(Source：Kgw)