The Trump administration is increasingly skipping a form of federal disaster aid that helps states better prepare for future storms, flooding and wildfires.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency rejected requests for such resiliency money, known as Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding, for Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma last week, part of a trend that started this spring.
These denials are one way the administration is trying to cut costs and narrow the scope of FEMA, the nation’s primary agency for disaster work that sits under the Department of Homeland Security.
The administration is weighing the approval of hazard mitigation funding “with states’ ability to execute those funds,” said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson. A senior administration official said the president is receiving requests for federal disaster funding for “non-catastrophic incidents that could be avoidable” if previous administrations and governors had acted differently. In response, this administration is focused on ensuring states invest in “common-sense projects that minimize repetitive losses and make meaningful progress in executing funds that are currently available,” the official added.
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
This article originally appeared here and was republished with permission.
