FEMA AWARDS MORE THAN $872,000 TO MENOMINEE INDIAN TRIBE OF WISCONSIN
FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION PROJECT
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20240325/fema-awards-more-872000-menominee-indian-tribe-wisconsin-infrastructure]


Release Date: 
March 18, 2024 

CHICAGO – Through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and
Communities (BRIC) grant program, FEMA has awarded $872,894 to the
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin (MITW) for an underground power
line conversion project. The project will convert a series of overhead
copper weld power lines to underground aluminum power lines. Since
their installation in the 1950s, these lines have sustained repeated
outages from natural hazards.  By converting the overhead lines to
underground lines, this project will ensure power to the reservation
remains operable during severe weather, ice storms and extreme cold. 

“FEMA’s BRIC program provides a critical opportunity for
governments to invest in a more resilient nation, reduce disaster
suffering and minimize future disaster costs,” said FEMA Region 5
Regional Administrator Tom Sivak. “This utility and infrastructure
protection project is a proactive investment in risk reduction,
supporting residents on the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
reservation.”

“MITW Emergency Management is very appreciative of the FEMA
assistance. This project will provide electrical infrastructure
protection in one of the most rural parts of our reservation,” said
Ben Warrington, emergency management coordinator, Menominee Indian
Tribe of Wisconsin. “The team at Wisconsin Emergency Management,
Mitigation Office and our Team in Menominee Tribal Administration
worked very hard over the past year on this funding application. We
look forward to completing this project as soon as possible.”

For this project, FEMA will pay 89% of the $985,526 eligible project
cost with the remaining 11% of the costs, $112,632, provided by the
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. FEMA will also cover 100% of
management costs at $93,860. 

BRIC, FEMA’s pre-disaster mitigation grant program, aims to
categorically shift the federal focus away from reactive disaster
spending toward research-supported, proactive investment in community
resilience. The BRIC program provides funds to states, local
communities, tribes and territories for eligible mitigation measures
that support a more resilient nation, reduce disaster suffering, and
avoid future disaster costs. To learn more about FEMA’s BRIC program
visit www.fema.gov/bric
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