PHILADELPHIA –In the two years since President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), FEMA has taken significant steps to build a more resilient nation. In FEMA Region 3, several communities have benefited from the increase in funding this law provides.
With funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, FEMA has infused extra money into existing grant programs and announced initiatives to find creative ways to reduce disaster impacts and minimize future disaster costs. The historic legislation provides nearly $7 billion over five years for these actions across states, local communities, tribes, territories and the District of Columbia.
“President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has empowered FEMA to take bold actions to enhance resiliency against growing climate threats,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “In the past two years, this infusion of money has allowed the agency to invest in creative programs to ensure communities across the country can build the resilience they need to be prepared to withstand the increasing threats of hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, extreme heat, storms, flooding and other events driven by climate change. As we continue this forward momentum, we encourage more communities to seize these opportunities and apply for this transformational funding.”
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Impact in FEMA Region 3:
Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, FEMA Region 3 is in the process of funding over 50 mitigation projects throughout Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, DC, and Delaware. These grants will fund hazard mitigation plans, studies to support future mitigation, and the construction of mitigation projects. More than $27 million from the BIL is being provided in federal grant dollars to support this work.
A few highlights include:
- Home Elevations in the City of Norfolk (Virginia): Through FEMA’s Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program, the City of Norfolk will receive nearly $775,000 to elevate seven homes throughout the city. By elevating their homes, property owners will have better protection from future flooding and lower flood insurance rates.
- DC Water & Sewer Pump Station Improvements (District of Columbia): DC Water and Sewer Authority will receive $816,000 through FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program to complete critical upgrades to their Deane Avenue Stormwater Pump Station, which regularly experiences outages due to flooding. The project will consist of installing a new generator and floodproofing mechanisms that will protect the pump station and keep it operational during future storms.
- Public Drinking Water and Wastewater Database Development (Delaware): The Delaware Department of Safety & Homeland Security will receive nearly $435,000 through the BRIC program to fund the data collection project that will look at the drinking and wastewater systems throughout the state and how to protect them from future hazards such as contamination, flooding and public health epidemics.
- City of Philadelphia’s 21st Street Sewer Capacity Improvements (Pennsylvania): The City of Philadelphia will receive $5.4 million to increase the 21st Street sewer conveyance capacity. The 21st Street sewer plays a critical role in conveying wastewater and stormwater from schools, parks, residences, community facilities, and streets. Increasing the capacity of the sewer to convey wastewater and stormwater runoff will reduce the risk of flooding that damages properties and impacts human life and safety.
- Maryland Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (Maryland): The state of Maryland will receive $70,000 to help cover the costs of updating their State Hazard Mitigation Plan. A Hazard Mitigation Plan outlines risks and vulnerabilities faced by Marylanders and offers ideas and recommendations for protecting and improving resilience in the state. These plans are updated every five years and make the state eligible for FEMA disaster grant funding.
“The projects above are great examples of how our states and the District of Columbia have benefited from the increased FEMA funding available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said FEMA Region 3 Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. “We’re always excited to see how our state and local partners are finding new ways to become more resilient and protect themselves from future hazards. With application periods currently open for several of our grant programs, we encourage local municipalities to work with their State Hazard Mitigation Officers to apply.”
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding for Other FEMA Programs
In addition to the BRIC and Flood Mitigation Assistance programs, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has provided funding for a number of FEMA programs that are taking decisive action to tackle the climate crisis and strengthen resilience nationwide, including in underserved and disadvantaged communities.
The agency will make available $1 billion over four years in State and Local Cybersecurity Grants to support strong cybersecurity practices for states, local communities, tribes and territories. In August, FEMA announced about $375 millionfor the next funding cycle.
$733 million over five years is available for the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams program and the National Dam Safety State Assistance Grant Program to help state, territorial and local governments take action to address high hazard potential dams that pose dangers to life and property if they fail. On Nov. 2, FEMA announced a total $211 million for the two programs comprised entirely of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.
$500 million over five years is available for the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund program . This program provides capitalization grants to states, eligible federally recognized tribes, territories and the District of Columbia to establish revolving loan funds. These low-interest loans allow jurisdictions to reduce vulnerability to natural disasters and foster greater community resilience. FEMA made the first selections for this new program this summer. The agency anticipates releasing the next funding opportunity later this year.
For more information about FEMA programs funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, please visit here.
If you have any questions, please contact FEMA Region 3 Office of External Affairs at femar3newsdesk@fema.dhs.gov.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
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