RALEIGH, N.C. (WLOS) — Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced that North Carolina won its lawsuit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
According to a news release from Jackson’s office, the lawsuit was won after a federal court ordered the reinstatement of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant (BRIC) disaster mitigation program.
“Our towns spent years doing everything FEMA asked them to do to qualify for this funding, and they were in the middle of building real protections against storms when FEMA suddenly broke its word. Keeping water systems working and keeping homes out of floodwater isn’t politics; it’s basic safety. This ruling puts the money back where it was promised so these communities can be ready for the next storm,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson in a news release.
AG JACKSON SUING FEMA OVER DECISION TO CANCEL $200M STORM-RELIEF PROGRAM
As previously reported, Jackson sued FEMA over its decision to cancel the program providing over $200 million for more than 60 infrastructure projects across North Carolina.
According to the release, the court wrote that the BRIC program is designed to protect against national disasters and that “the imminence of disasters is not deterred by bureaucratic obstruction.”
The court order concluded that FEMA’s actions in canceling the $200 million were an “unlawful Executive encroachment on the prerogative of Congress to appropriate funds for a specific and compelling purpose.”
“North Carolina, unfortunately, is no stranger to natural disasters, and building better infrastructure saves lives,” said Governor Josh Stein in a news release. “I thank Attorney General Jackson for taking action to preserve our $200 million to protect our water and sewer systems, bridges, and more from floods and wildfires.”
NORTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL SUES FEMA FOR ALLEGEDLY WITHHOLDING EMERGENCY FUNDS
The release detailed the following BRIC projects in North Carolina, which include:
- Salisbury was awarded $22.5 million to relocate its sewage station along the Yadkin River to higher ground so it can be safely accessed during storms to maintain a drinking water supply. The existing pump station increasingly gets flooded and can be surrounded by water for days after the storm. The city had invested $3 million in local funds for this project before it was canceled.
- Hillsborough was awarded nearly $7 million to relocate its pump station out of a floodplain, expand its water and sewer capacity, and maintain emergency water connections with Jordan Lake and other water reservoirs.
- Gastonia was awarded $5.9 million to restore the banks of Duharts Creek and relocate sewer lines to prevent floodwater damage.
- Mount Pleasant was selected to receive more than $4 million to improve stormwater drainage and secure electrical wires to greatly reduce the risk of losing electric and telecommunications services during storms and floods.
- Leland was selected to receive $1.1 million to relocate the town’s sewer system away from Sturgeon Creek, which often floods after storms and natural disasters.
