Attorney General Raoul Sues Trump Administration Over Illegally Ending Disaster Mitigation Program

The Trump administration's move to terminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program has been met with resistance from Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a coalition of 20 states. The BRIC program, established 30 years ago, provides communities with resources to fortify their infrastructure against natural disasters, protecting property, saving lives, and reducing post-disaster costs. The program has protected communities across the nation from devastating events such as the California wildfires and Texas flooding, with a recent study showing that every dollar spent on mitigation saves an average of $6 in post-disaster costs.

Key Takeaways:

• The BRIC program has a 30-year history of providing communities with resources to fortify their infrastructure against natural disasters.
• The program has protected communities from devastating events such as the California wildfires and Texas flooding.
• A recent study concluded that every dollar spent on mitigation saves an average of $6 in post-disaster costs.
• FEMA approved nearly 2,000 projects to receive $4.5 billion in BRIC funding nationwide over the past four years.
• Illinois has received BRIC funding for numerous disaster mitigation projects, including relocating a vulnerable wastewater treatment plant and reducing the risk of flooding in the Des Plaines River Valley.
• The lawsuit argues that FEMA's decision to terminate the BRIC program is in direct violation of Congress' decision to fund it and the separation of powers and the Administrative Procedure Act.
• Joining Attorney General Raoul in filing the lawsuit are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as the governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Statistics:

• Half of the BRIC projects selected by FEMA over the past four years remain at risk of being delayed or canceled due to the termination of the program.
• The BRIC program has supported over 2,000 mitigation projects nationwide, with a total of $4.5 billion in funding awarded.
• The relocation of the vulnerable wastewater treatment plant in DePue, Illinois, is expected to reduce the risk of harm to DePue and neighboring communities by preventing raw sewage backup and contamination of waterways.
• The storm relief efforts in Texas and California have showcased the importance of disaster mitigation programs like the BRIC initiative.

Sources:

• Illinois Attorney General's Office
• 20 Attorneys General from various states and the governor of Pennsylvania, as mentioned in the original text.