FEMA resumes disaster mitigation program following judge's order

FEMA is resuming its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and will allocate $1 billion in funding following a judge's order to do so. The program provides grants to local governments to strengthen infrastructure and natural defenses against hazards including fires, floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes. The resumption ends a pause in the disaster mitigation initiative, restoring a key federal tool for helping communities prepare for climate-related and geological threats. The funding is expected to support projects nationwide that reduce vulnerability to natural disasters before they occur rather than responding after the fact.