A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from reallocating $4 billion in funds.
20 Democrat state attorneys general sued the Trump Administration to block FEMA from ending the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and redirecting billions in funding to other disaster relief and management projects.
Boston-based US District Judge Richard Stearns, a Clinton appointee, said FEMA does not have the Constitutional authority to redirect the money already approved by Congress.
“Although the Government equivocates about whether it has, in fact, ended the BRIC program, the States’ evidence of steps taken by FEMA to implement the announced termination portend the conclusion that a determination has in fact been made and that FEMA is inching towards a fait accompli,” Judge Stearns wrote, according to AP. “The agency has cancelled new funding opportunities and informed stakeholders that they should no longer expect to obtain any unobligated funds.”
The AP reported:
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from reallocating $4 billion meant to help communities protect against natural disasters.
U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns in Boston granted a preliminary injunction sought by 20 Democrat-led states while their lawsuit over the funding moves ahead.
The states argue the Federal Emergency Management Agency lacks the authority to end the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program and redirect more than $4 billion of its funding. The program aims to harden infrastructure around the country against potential storm damage.
FEMA initially announced it was ending the program, but later said in a court filing that it was evaluating it.
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