FEMA cuts disaster mitigation program; Louisiana to lose $720M

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency has ended a program Louisiana depends on to fund natural disaster mitigation projects.

The federal agency announced on April 4 the end of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, canceling all applications from fiscal years 2020 to 2023. Officials said if funds have not been distributed, then they will be immediately returned to the Disaster Relief Fund or the U.S. Treasury.

Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021, $1 billion was made available to BRIC over five years. According to FEMA, $133 million has been given to about 450 applications.

“The BRIC program was yet another example of a wasteful and ineffective FEMA program. It was more concerned with political agendas than helping Americans affected by natural disasters. Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, we are committed to ensuring that Americans in crisis can get the help and resources they need," a FEMA spokesperson said.

Data on the program available on FEMA's website shows Louisiana applications totaling 148 were worth $721,281,559 million.

Louisiana leaders push back on FEMA cuts

Members of Louisiana's congressional delegation are asking the federal government leaders to reconsider as program cuts are made to the agency.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) called for FEMA to continue the BRIC grant program in a U.S. Senate floor speech Thursday. He describes the program as a "live-saver and cost-saver" that Trump supported in his first term.

“I want to put Americans first. That includes investing in infrastructure to protect families from the risk of flooding,” Cassidy said. “We have a program to do that. It’s called BRIC. Again, it protects families and saves taxpayer dollars in the long run. That’s efficient in my book.”

Congressmen Troy Carter (D-LA) and Cleo Fields (D-LA) oppose the Trump administration's potential elimination of FEMA. Carter said the "gutting" of the federal agency is "not just reckless—it’s dangerous." He said FEMA has served as a necessity for Louisiana communities for relief and long-term support to rebuild homes and protections from natural disasters the state faces.

“Louisiana has seen firsthand the devastation that disasters leave behind, and we know that recovery doesn’t stop when the flood waters recede," Carter said.

Carter and Fields sent a letter on March 31 to Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and FEMA Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton to voice their concerns, citing the 500,000 Louisiana households that have applied for funding since 2021.

"With hurricane forecasts predicting yet another active season, these proposed changes could not come at a more dangerous time," they wrote.

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