“Hey FEMA, we need to talk about the $200m you owe us”: Jeff Jackson sues FEMA over freeze of NC infrastructure funding

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the abrupt cancellation of a program that was set to provide $200 million in aid that would protect the state’s infrastructure against dangerous natural disasters. 

Earlier this year, FEMA, led by David Richardson, who was appointed by Trump, canceled the agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The program, which was established during Trump’s first term, disburses federal funds to states and local governments to build infrastructure to better withstand natural disasters. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes the program as a “pre-disaster hazard mitigation grant program” that helps build infrastructure such as roads and sewage systems ahead of storms. 

“This program, which the President helped establish and strengthen, was a lifeline for our towns and cities trying to make sure every resident has clean and reliable water to drink, a functioning sewage system, and measures in place to prevent the next storm from devastating their communities,” said Jackson in a press release. “In North Carolina, we know what it takes to rebuild from a disaster. This money helps us better prepare for future storms. FEMA was wrong to break the law and cancel this money, which will save lives. I’m taking it to court to win these funds back for our state.”

The cancellation of these grants led to various infrastructure projects across the state and across the country being halted or cancelled altogether. The press release from Jackson’s office lists the following grants for North Carolina that have been cancelled:

• Salisbury was awarded $22.5 million to relocate its pump 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 at a time after a storm. The city had invested $3 million in local funds for this project before it was cancelled. (See: FEMA leaves NC flood-resiliency programs high and dry, Blue Ridge Public Radio)
  
• Hillsborough was awarded nearly $7 million to relocate its pump station out of a flood plain, expand its water and sewer capacity, and maintain emergency water connections with Jordan Lake and other water reservoirs. (See: FEMA funding cut leaves Orange County with $30 million cost for repairs after Chantal, WRAL)
  
  • The river pump station was taken offline last week due to Tropical Storm Chantal, which prevented the town from being able to treat their wastewater effectively. (See: Hillsborough officials work to get water system fully back online; residents asked to conserve water, CBS 17)
    
• Gastonia was awarded $5.9 million to restore the banks of Duharts Creek and relocate sewer lines to prevent floodwater damage. (See: Gastonia restoration efforts on pause due to federal funding freeze, Gaston Gazette)
  
• 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. (See: Loss of FEMA program spells disaster for hundreds of communities and their projects, AP News)
  
• 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. (See: FEMA cancels resiliency grant program, leaving NC counties, towns at risk, Star News)
  

The lawsuit, which is driven by attorneys general from nearly 20 other states, comes after dozens of congressional members, including North Carolina’s Republican Senator Thom Tillis and Representative Chuck Edwards, signed a letter calling on the Trump administration to release the BRIC program funds. 

Jackson has been vocal about the action he’s taking to make sure the people of North Carolina receive the assistance they deserve, even taking to social media to amplify his efforts. Shortly after the lawsuit, Jackson uploaded a video to Reddit, with the caption, “Hey FEMA, we need to talk about the $200m you owe us.”

Since being sworn into office in January, Jackson has sued the current administration on multiple occasions in order to get much-needed funds to the people of North Carolina. Jackson has brought lawsuits against the administration for withholding funds for Western North Carolina, withholding funds from our public schools, and cancelling grants that put volunteers on the ground in areas of need.  
For information and updates on lawsuits filed and joined by North Carolina’s attorney general, you can check the Attorney General Newsroom page.