Funding Announced for Climate Resilience Projects

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., along with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, announced the selection of 656 projects to receive $1 billion in climate resilience funding through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. This initiative, part of Biden’s Investing in America agenda, aims to help state, Tribal, local, and territorial governments mitigate the risks of natural disasters such as extreme heat, wildfires, drought, hurricanes, earthquakes, and flooding.
Key highlights of the announcement include:

• Funding Sources: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law contributed $398 million to the initiative, while the overall Investing in America agenda allocates nearly $7 billion for reducing community vulnerability to climate events.
• Project Types: The top funded project categories include flood control ($395 million), utility and infrastructure protection ($237 million), and building code-related projects ($55 million).
• Notable Projects: Examples include flood barriers in Philadelphia, shaded bus shelters in Washington, D.C., stormwater management in New York City, and seismic resilience for a dam in California.
• Equity and Environmental Justice: The program emphasizes support for disadvantaged communities, with $587 million directed to Justice40 communities and $127 million for Community Disaster Resilience Zones.
• Nature-Based Solutions: Over half of the selected projects incorporate nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience.
  FEMA also announced an additional $208 million for 600 projects, including $55 million for building code activities and $67 million for Tribal Nations, as well as non-financial direct technical assistance for 93 Tribes, local communities, and territories.
  This funding effort underscores the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to building climate resilience and supporting communities most affected by climate change.