As reported by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), the future of Oregon's infrastructure and emergency preparedness is now uncertain after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) pulled the plug on the crucial Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. Oregon's emergency management stakeholders are finding themselves in a precarious situation, where FEMA has canceled the fiscal year 2024 BRIC funding opportunity and is requiring the return of unspent funds from previous years to the Disaster Relief Fund or the U.S. Treasury.
According to an OEM statement, Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton issued a memo on April 4 detailing a comprehensive review of the BRIC programs from fiscal years 2020 through 2023, thus bringing a halt to many important projects. This halting includes not awarding selected projects funding, delaying or even truncating ongoing projects, and the potential retraction of already allocated management funds. OEM asserts the loss of these funds could significantly hinder the progress on infrastructure projects vital for Oregon's disaster mitigation efforts.
Oregon Governor Kotek expressed her concerns regarding the bipartisan support of community projects that the BRIC grants facilitate, particularly regarding a crucial water infrastructure upgrade in Mapleton. "These are bipartisan or nonpartisan community projects that everybody supports," Governor Kotek said, addressing the media with no minced words about the BRIC grants' cancellation, as per a report by OEM. She criticized the lack of justification from the federal government for this decision, a sentiment echoed throughout the affected communities.
A total of 26 projects have suffered due to the abrupt cancellation, with eight projects incurring combined sunk costs of $8 million. The impact is widespread, putting at stake not just federal funding, which amounted to $140 million, but also local matched shares of $90 million. Projects, such as the City of Port Orford's effort to protect its drinking water infrastructure, and the critical Rogue Valley Water Supply Resiliency Program, led by the Medford Water Commission are now thwarted with significant investments already on the line. As inflation and tariffs continue to escalate, OEM is concerned that even if the BRIC funding were to be reinstated, the originally estimated costs would no longer be sustainable, and the completion of these projects would be financially out of reach.
OEM Director Erin McMahon remains proactive amidst the fiscal debacle, striving to navigate alternative funding pathways. "These decisions will significantly impact communities across Oregon working to reduce disaster risk and invest in safer, more resilient infrastructure," McMahon stated, as noted by OEM. The department is committed to identifying which projects could align with other Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants that remain intact, such as the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program. To ensure the public stays informed, OEM encourages people to sign up for alerts via their federal action webpage.
